How do you know we are underpaid? I mean how do you define underpaid. The insurance companies that seem to have a lot of the patients I work with reimburse $26.32 for 15 of ther ex and about the same for most other codes (so $104 for an hour). The clinic I work at takes 40% of that and I get 60%. It seems like a reasonable arrangement for me. I have worked as a PT for a long time, and have never thought I was underpaid......
Ultrasound techs starting out at same salary as PTs????
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How do you know we are underpaid? I mean how do you define underpaid. The insurance companies that seem to have a lot of the patients I work with reimburse $26.32 for 15 of ther ex and about the same for most other codes (so $104 for an hour). The clinic I work at takes 40% of that and I get 60%. It seems like a reasonable arrangement for me. I have worked as a PT for a long time, and have never thought I was underpaid......
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Well gee, if you are getting 60% of 104 an hour, then yeah, I'd say you wouldn't feel underpaid at 125k a year... Good for you!
Unless you go to a cheaper school that isnt $100K for the program
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there are only a handful of those. most are expensive as hell.
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I would just like to point out that choosing a healthcare field doesn't have to be a truly altruistic perspective. Those who are concerned with the money being paid aren't "shorting" patients.
There is nothing that says one has to put away materialistic thoughts because they choose a career in healthcare. If the only goal is to "help people", then we could all join the Peace Corps, or work for a non-profit, without amassing all the debt, and help lots of people.
There is nothing that says one has to put away materialistic thoughts because they choose a career in healthcare. If the only goal is to "help people", then we could all join the Peace Corps, or work for a non-profit, without amassing all the debt, and help lots of people.
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completely agree. no one with a brain cell is willing to go to school for 6-7 years, drop serious bank on an education, and walk away making peanuts. in healthcare, the benefit should be mutual. high rate of pay assures competition for that position, increasing the quality of service provided. basic capitalistic principle, that is unfortunately dwindling in the healthcare field.
This!
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Only if it is necessary to take a loan to go to PT school. I am fortunate to not need to. No, I am not independently wealthy, my husband and I live within our means. We are budget conscious and rely on one salary (his) to accomplish this goal of me becoming a PT.
I think that where many have problems is that they do not think about the semester cost of the desired school. My school is approximately $4500 a semester, in my home state at a public university known for their PT program which is less than the cost of many new cars.
Hello,
I hope I can get some insight from this post!! I was originally pre-Optometry that had applied 2x and didn't make it in.. so I then thought about Sonography school. I got in and start in a few weeks, but the more I look into this and talk to sonographers, the more I hear about the issues w/ ergonomics. I had a spinal fusion when I was 17, have regular back pain, and have a little bit of carpal tunnel. From what I hear about sonography is that the ave. career span for an ultrasound tech is now 7 years due to work related injury! (this info was given to me at the orientation!) That scared me big time. I don't want to waste the next few years of my life, and the money if I'm not going to be able to physically handle it. Any words of advice out there??? Help!! I've GOT to make my decision this week - already got the first college bill!
Thanks in advance!!!
I hope I can get some insight from this post!! I was originally pre-Optometry that had applied 2x and didn't make it in.. so I then thought about Sonography school. I got in and start in a few weeks, but the more I look into this and talk to sonographers, the more I hear about the issues w/ ergonomics. I had a spinal fusion when I was 17, have regular back pain, and have a little bit of carpal tunnel. From what I hear about sonography is that the ave. career span for an ultrasound tech is now 7 years due to work related injury! (this info was given to me at the orientation!) That scared me big time. I don't want to waste the next few years of my life, and the money if I'm not going to be able to physically handle it. Any words of advice out there??? Help!! I've GOT to make my decision this week - already got the first college bill!
Thanks in advance!!!
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Hello,
I hope I can get some insight from this post!! I was originally pre-Optometry that had applied 2x and didn't make it in.. so I then thought about Sonography school. I got in and start in a few weeks, but the more I look into this and talk to sonographers, the more I hear about the issues w/ ergonomics. I had a spinal fusion when I was 17, have regular back pain, and have a little bit of carpal tunnel. From what I hear about sonography is that the ave. career span for an ultrasound tech is now 7 years due to work related injury! (this info was given to me at the orientation!) That scared me big time. I don't want to waste the next few years of my life, and the money if I'm not going to be able to physically handle it. Any words of advice out there??? Help!! I've GOT to make my decision this week - already got the first college bill!
Thanks in advance!!!
TsDary,
Sorry to hear about your misfortune with OD schools. That field is changing, and it may not be the great career option that it once was. But heck, that is pretty much everything right now! On another note, I can only add my opinion on sonography/ultrasound through a friend. She has been an ultrasound professional for approximately 3 years now. She says that it takes a toll on her body, because you have to maneuver patients of all shapes and sizes. Many of the patients are very large too. She is fairly petite so that may play a factor as well. While your injury history does not preclude you from pursuing a career in the field of ultrasound, maybe it would be best to talk to professionals in the field. I would survey novices, those in the middle of their career, and those who have been doing it for a long time. This will give you a sense of how the field may take a toll on you physically. It also may lend some insight into whether or not you would like to pursue ultrasound as a career choice moving forward. I hope you find what the answers you are looking for, but make sure you are diligent in seeking out competent, objective professionals to speak to about your future plans. Best wishes to you!
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Hello,
I hope I can get some insight from this post!! I was originally pre-Optometry that had applied 2x and didn't make it in.. so I then thought about Sonography school. I got in and start in a few weeks, but the more I look into this and talk to sonographers, the more I hear about the issues w/ ergonomics. I had a spinal fusion when I was 17, have regular back pain, and have a little bit of carpal tunnel. From what I hear about sonography is that the ave. career span for an ultrasound tech is now 7 years due to work related injury! (this info was given to me at the orientation!) That scared me big time. I don't want to waste the next few years of my life, and the money if I'm not going to be able to physically handle it. Any words of advice out there??? Help!! I've GOT to make my decision this week - already got the first college bill!
Thanks in advance!!!
Uhhh my 55 year old mother has been a sonographer for almost 15 years now and she's doing fine. Then again, she is 100% healthy, eats extremely healthy, and is not overweight like so many in this country. Take care of your body and it will take care of you. Unfortunately nobody online can tell you whether or not you're healthy enough to do it. But I can reassure you that the 7 year career as you stated is complete fallacy.
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I have a friend who has been an ultrasound tech, xray tech, and nucler tech for the past 25 years. She is about 125 pounds, slender and she has handled it just fine apparently and is still working up a storm.
I don't doubt someone may have told you "7 years", but I think it is bogus info. Heck, 7 years is just a little over twice what the average career length for an NFL player (combining averages for all positions). So, use your own logic.....
I don't doubt someone may have told you "7 years", but I think it is bogus info. Heck, 7 years is just a little over twice what the average career length for an NFL player (combining averages for all positions). So, use your own logic.....
Sonographers in Ontario, Canada have to go through either a degree program that's equivalent to 5 years (no direct entry) or a postgraduate diploma that runs for 24 months and you need to be either a registered health professional or a BSc/B.Kin graduate.
You can get a postgrad cert. in cardiac u/s (echocardiography) in 8 months but you also need to be a registered health professional or a BSc graduate (and I'm pretty sure they'd take a health professional over a BSc grad).
From what I've heard, U/S techs have to read the images and write the preliminary findings (first impression) and most radiologists just approve them. This alone should qualify sonographers as a physician extender and not a technician in my point of view. PTs on the other hand are getting expanded scope some time soon and they will be able to order x-rays in Ontario. I don't know if this is happening to all PTs or just the advanced practice PTs though.
In terms of pay, fresh grads are making $28-29 to $32-33 (in lieu of benefits) an hour and I've heard a lot of them are making 70k right out of school including OTs/on calls. However their salaries do get capped at about $38-39 probably after seven years in a hospital. In comparison a PT grad would be looking at $32-35 to $36.5-40 (in lieu of benefits) an hour for staring pay. PTs salaries are capped off at $39-41 in hospitals.
In my opinion I feel PTs and U/S techs all deserve higher pays compare to pharmacists and the general salary level in the GTA area. In Australia, ultrasound is actually one of the top paying health professions. Sonographers are generally paid in the $50-70+ range and the pay goes up to $80-100+ if the tech specializes in vascular u/s. I've heard many Australian health professionals telling me that a specialized sonographer in Aus can make as much as a hospital radiologist. In comparison an Aussie pharmacist only makes around $25-45/hr.
You can get a postgrad cert. in cardiac u/s (echocardiography) in 8 months but you also need to be a registered health professional or a BSc graduate (and I'm pretty sure they'd take a health professional over a BSc grad).
From what I've heard, U/S techs have to read the images and write the preliminary findings (first impression) and most radiologists just approve them. This alone should qualify sonographers as a physician extender and not a technician in my point of view. PTs on the other hand are getting expanded scope some time soon and they will be able to order x-rays in Ontario. I don't know if this is happening to all PTs or just the advanced practice PTs though.
In terms of pay, fresh grads are making $28-29 to $32-33 (in lieu of benefits) an hour and I've heard a lot of them are making 70k right out of school including OTs/on calls. However their salaries do get capped at about $38-39 probably after seven years in a hospital. In comparison a PT grad would be looking at $32-35 to $36.5-40 (in lieu of benefits) an hour for staring pay. PTs salaries are capped off at $39-41 in hospitals.
In my opinion I feel PTs and U/S techs all deserve higher pays compare to pharmacists and the general salary level in the GTA area. In Australia, ultrasound is actually one of the top paying health professions. Sonographers are generally paid in the $50-70+ range and the pay goes up to $80-100+ if the tech specializes in vascular u/s. I've heard many Australian health professionals telling me that a specialized sonographer in Aus can make as much as a hospital radiologist. In comparison an Aussie pharmacist only makes around $25-45/hr.
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Maybe it's because the national average income of PTs is only in the 70k range? I found that on the US Bureau of Labor Stats website. It's in the lower range compare to other scientific/engineering/business professions.
I just got a reply from the Michener Institute (public health sciences college, a lot of its programs are affiliated with U of Toronto) in Toronto. Apparently the Ultrasound program is more competitive than U Toronto's Pharmacy or PT.
"Hello,
Because of our interview (MMI) process...
We have 30 seat annually for Ultrasound and roughly 600 applicants. Typically, a competitive average starts around 85%.
Your CGPA will be built from all undergraduate level courses.
Sincerely,
Andrew
Student Enrolment"
For UofToronto pharmacy, the average entrance GPA was only about 83% last year. For PT, it says 3.68/4 based on the applicants' last 10 full courses (or 20 half courses) on UofT's website. Law schools entrance grades are in the low 80s range. Chiropractic had an average of 75% last year.
"Hello,
Because of our interview (MMI) process...
We have 30 seat annually for Ultrasound and roughly 600 applicants. Typically, a competitive average starts around 85%.
Your CGPA will be built from all undergraduate level courses.
Sincerely,
Andrew
Student Enrolment"
For UofToronto pharmacy, the average entrance GPA was only about 83% last year. For PT, it says 3.68/4 based on the applicants' last 10 full courses (or 20 half courses) on UofT's website. Law schools entrance grades are in the low 80s range. Chiropractic had an average of 75% last year.
