How to Grow Your Sonography Career

In the clinic and beyond, sonographers have many opportunities to use their skills, expand their horizons, and grow their careers. In this article, we’ll look at clinical options that range from charge sonographer all the way up to vice president of clinical services. Along the way, we’ll suggest steps you can take to grow into each role successfully. 

Clinical Jobs for Sonographers 

If patient care is your passion, it's entirely possible to stay on the clinical side of the industry while growing your career. Consider this hypothetical career trajectory: from sonographer to charge sonographer, to department supervisor, to practice manager, to vice president of clinical services. The titles may be different in the health system where you work, but similar roles are likely available.  

And if the path we suggest seems impossible, you may need to work with a company that better supports your growth. BB Imaging is a big believer in internal promotions. Join us and start building your dream career today.  

How to become a charge sonographer 

Charge sonographers scan patients and take on additional leadership responsibilities like quality assurance tasks, continuing education, and training new team members.  

If that sounds like something you’re interested in, consider taking these steps to set yourself up for success:  

1. Gain scanning experience and regularly ask for feedback: Make it your goal to have a reputation for being “that sonographer”—the one who pursues ultrasound excellence with the passion of a Taylor Swift fangirl. Ask to do the scans you know you need practice in and keep learning. One of the easiest ways to learn is to ask for feedback 🔁. 

2. Add a registry or credential: One of the easiest ways to set yourself up for leadership is to become multi-certified. Check out the ARDMS certification list to see what other areas you’re interested in, and then stop by our tips and tricks blog 🤓 for advice on acing your next board exam. 

3. Mentor younger sonographers: As you gain experience, remember to elevate the next generation of sonographers. Your expertise is invaluable, and even one year in-clinic can set you up to be a great mentor 👩‍🏫 for a fresh graduate. 

4. Learn to communicate effectively: Communicating with patients, team members, supervisors, and physicians is a big part of a sonographer’s job. Learning to communicate effectively can include becoming more compassionate in your speech, onboarding physician preferences, or even advocating for yourself 💪. 

How to become an ultrasound department supervisor 

In this next step up, you may add accreditation and schedule management tasks and even be responsible for helping to meet financial goals.  

So, while you’re in your charge sonographer era, here are some career-building steps to prepare you for a supervisor role: 

1. Stay current on best practices and new technologies: Ultrasound is developing and changing rapidly, so staying updated is essential. Sign up for an AIUM membership and industry newsletters (like ours 👀) for delivered-to-you updates. And don’t neglect industry conferences or online events (like our webinars 🎥) that help you stay sharp. 

2. Build rapport: It’s a no-brainer to promote someone who gets along with everyone else. You can be that person! Here are eight ways to start building rapport with your team. 

3. Demonstrate your organization: Organizational skills take many forms. Are you a great time manager? Can you recognize others’ skill sets and delegating tasks effectively? Then speak up, take on those tasks, and showcase your talent! 

4. Push past the status quo: “The way we’ve always done it” might not be the best way to do it anymore. Someone willing to ask questions and suggest improvements demonstrates their readiness for greater responsibility.  

How to become a practice manager 

Practice managers are still heavily involved in clinic life but take on more administrative tasks. This role is a great growth opportunity for sonographers looking to remain in healthcare without aggravating a musculoskeletal injury. As a practice manager, your workload may include managing clinic processes, hiring and retaining team members, and managing budgets. 

Here are some ways to stand out as a great fit for this role:  

1. Own departmental projects: As a department supervisor, you’ll likely gain experience creating and maintaining processes. Use that time to prove that you take initiative, have leadership skills, and can communicate effectively to accomplish goals. 

2. Gain interview experience: As time allows, sit in on new hire interviews or prospective employee assessments. Get familiar with the signs of high performers and collaborative team players. 

3. Foster cross-departmental relationships: Working in cross-departmental teams shows you understand how all the pieces work together to create an excellent patient experience. 

4. Earn an advanced degree in healthcare administration: As you move into more administrative-heavy work, it can be helpful to pick up new knowledge and terminology and add new perspectives to your toolbox. 

How to become a vice president of clinical services 

In this role, you will develop, manage, and report on new programs, choose and implement enterprise-wide technical systems, and interface with C-suite leaders. 

Here are some ways to set yourself up for success in this role: 

1. Tell your success stories: Use the skills and experience you’ve gained from previous roles to position yourself as a qualified candidate. If you’ve done even a few of the tasks we’ve recommended already, you have a great list of accomplishments to add to your resume. 

2. Master communication skills: As a VP, you’ll be responsible for organizing teams, getting people on the same page, and overseeing change management—all tasks that require effective interpersonal skills. Pro tip: start practicing these now (in whatever role you hold), and they’ll be second nature when you reach this level! 

3. Build and leverage relationships: They say, “your network is your net worth,” and they’re not wrong. Industry organizations, product and service vendors, and healthcare educators can lend a lot of support to the goals you’ll be chasing, so start building those relationships now. 

4. Fill in the gaps: We've presented a hypothetical career path, but titles and responsibilities will vary. If you’ve missed anything along the way, find a course or class (or, better yet, find a mentor!) to build your knowledge in that area. 

Part 2 coming soon! 

Come back later this month to check out part 2 of this article! We’ll be taking a look at more job options in the sonography industry as well as potential roles in sales and ultrasound product development. 

Get started—become a sonographer! 

We hope this breakdown of potential career paths inspires you to join the sonography industry. We believe in the future of this industry so much that we put our money where our mouth is—in the form of a scholarship!  

We offer $500 to help a deserving sonography student advance in their career twice a year.