Any Ultrasound Techs?

[AudrinaN]

Im considering changing from nursing to UT. . . . Nursing is just too much for me, Im not THAT smart. I tried for a few years though!
:sigh: oh well....
Just wanted to know what you think of the profession...if anybody here does it?
Thx

Sorry if this is in the wrong spot. Can move it

[Melonie]

Actually, your question is along the lines of a couple of threads posted in Dollar Den ... threads which discuss the 'cost' ( in tuition plus foregone earnings opportunities while studying instead of working ) of becoming qualified to perform a particular skilled job, versus the expected financial return / working conditions that the skilled job will actually provide. Your particular question involving Ultrasound Technician is also a familiar possibility given that I obtained a degree and worked as a Respiratory Therapist for a few years before quitting to become a 'serious full time' dancer.

While others may argue this point, right now two big changes appear to be underway in the health care profession. The first is that state budget cutbacks are finally beginning to translate into layoffs at state operated health care facilities. The second is that federal budget cutbacks ( or more precisely, 'attempts' to cut federal spending ), in conjunction with medicaid / medicare / ObamaCare, are negatively affecting the gov't reimbursement rates for certain medical procedures ( with the assumption that ultrasound scans are one of those affected procedures). In essence, this means that there will be fewer ultrasound techs to perform the same total number of ultrasound scans ( thus more work ).

Plus, as the percentage of privately insured / self-pay patients declines and the percentage of gov't insured patients increases, with gov't mandated reimbursement rates that are lower than 'market priced' billings to private insurance companies and individuals, the total number of dollars received by health care providers in exchange for performing the same number of total ultrasound scans will decrease. This will put downward pressure on the pay scales of ultrasound technicians.

Obviously nobody knows at this point how the ripple effects of medicaid / medicare / ObamaCare changes over the next few years will actually turn out. And the direction of those changes may be affected big time by next tuesday's election results. However, given that you'll need to invest a year of your time, thousands of dollars worth of tuition, and additional thousands of dollars in foregone income from other sources that you can't pursue while you are studying, it would be 'nice' to know whether the future prospects for ultrasound technicians ( in terms of both job openings and comparative pay rate ) was going to be worth such an investment.