Cardiac Sonographer Career

*A job as a Cardiac Sonographer falls under the broader career category of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. The information on this page will generally apply to all careers in this category but may not specifically apply to this career title.

Job Description for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers : Produce ultrasonic recordings of internal organs for use by physicians. Includes vascular technologists.


Is Diagnostic Medical Sonographer the right career path for you?
Take the MyMajors Quiz and find out if it fits one of your top recommended majors!

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Career

What skills are required for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers?

Importance Skills
  Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  Speaking - Talking to others to convey information effectively.
  Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
  Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
  Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  Time Management - Managing one's own time and the time of others.
  Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  Coordination - Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  Service Orientation - Actively looking for ways to help people.
  Complex Problem Solving - Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  Operations Monitoring - Watching gauges, dials, or other indicators to make sure a machine is working properly.
  Operation and Control - Controlling operations of equipment or systems.
  Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  Instructing - Teaching others how to do something.
  Persuasion - Persuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  Learning Strategies - Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
  Quality Control Analysis - Conducting tests and inspections of products, services, or processes to evaluate quality or performance.
  Management of Personnel Resources - Motivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  Equipment Maintenance - Performing routine maintenance on equipment and determining when and what kind of maintenance is needed.
  Negotiation - Bringing others together and trying to reconcile differences.

What knowledge is needed to be a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?

Importance Knowledge
  Customer and Personal Service - Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
  English Language - Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  Physics - Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub-atomic structures and processes.
  Medicine and Dentistry - Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  Administrative - Knowledge of administrative and office procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, stenography and transcription, designing forms, and workplace terminology.
  Computers and Electronics - Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  Psychology - Knowledge of human behavior and performance; individual differences in ability, personality, and interests; learning and motivation; psychological research methods; and the assessment and treatment of behavioral and affective disorders.
  Education and Training - Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
  Public Safety and Security - Knowledge of relevant equipment, policies, procedures, and strategies to promote effective local, state, or national security operations for the protection of people, data, property, and institutions.
  Mathematics - Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  Biology - Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  Therapy and Counseling - Knowledge of principles, methods, and procedures for diagnosis, treatment, and rehabilitation of physical and mental dysfunctions, and for career counseling and guidance.
  Administration and Management - Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  Personnel and Human Resources - Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, labor relations and negotiation, and personnel information systems.
  Communications and Media - Knowledge of media production, communication, and dissemination techniques and methods. This includes alternative ways to inform and entertain via written, oral, and visual media.

Work Styles

Importance Styles
  Dependability - Job requires being reliable, responsible, and dependable, and fulfilling obligations.
  Attention to Detail - Job requires being careful about detail and thorough in completing work tasks.
  Integrity - Job requires being honest and ethical.
  Independence - Job requires developing one's own ways of doing things, guiding oneself with little or no supervision, and depending on oneself to get things done.
  Concern for Others - Job requires being sensitive to others' needs and feelings and being understanding and helpful on the job.
  Cooperation - Job requires being pleasant with others on the job and displaying a good-natured, cooperative attitude.
  Stress Tolerance - Job requires accepting criticism and dealing calmly and effectively with high-stress situations.
  Self-Control - Job requires maintaining composure, keeping emotions in check, controlling anger, and avoiding aggressive behavior, even in very difficult situations.
  Initiative - Job requires a willingness to take on responsibilities and challenges.
  Adaptability/Flexibility - Job requires being open to change (positive or negative) and to considerable variety in the workplace.
  Achievement/Effort - Job requires establishing and maintaining personally challenging achievement goals and exerting effort toward mastering tasks.
  Persistence - Job requires persistence in the face of obstacles.
  Social Orientation - Job requires preferring to work with others rather than alone, and being personally connected with others on the job.
  Analytical Thinking - Job requires analyzing information and using logic to address work-related issues and problems.
  Leadership - Job requires a willingness to lead, take charge, and offer opinions and direction.
  Innovation - Job requires creativity and alternative thinking to develop new ideas for and answers to work-related problems.