Introduction

DMS (Diagnostic Medical Sonographer) is a rewarding and interesting field to work in. It also keeps your mind working because you are always learning new things. You get to help patients as well as be there for them on a personal level. It's a very emotional field, especially when a mother hears her babies heartbeat for the first time. But babies aren't the only part of the job, there are more parts that most people don't know about. Through this blog you will gain knowledge through videos, links, and articles that pertain to a future or probable career in DMS

Job Description

It's good to look at the job description of different sites and compare them because one might say something and then another might say something completely different, I have enclosed a couple of websites that provide you with description of a career in DMS: 

• It is very important to know what is required of the job and the description. I can’t begin to tell you how many people I heard say I didn’t even know that was a requirement we actually have to do that. It’s very important to know because if you don’t like working with blood then being a phlebotomist is not for you. In this linkhttp://www.sdms.org/career/career.asp  the job descriptions and functions and some requirements are included.
• This podcast http://itunes.apple.com/us/podcast/society-diagnostic-medical/id167077946  is created to give people an insight or provide them with information about a career in DMS and how to obtain it. This is important because most people don’t know what they want to do so informing them on what the career has to offer and what is needed can help them to better pick if they want to obtain a job in that field or not.  
• This PDF http://files.aium.org/DMS/notes.pdf format was created to host a power point that provides you with general information about a field in DMS. This is a good starting point for people that are interested in this field as it gives you a lot of information that is useful in helping you make the decision of becoming a DMS. 

•  This video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0SyzrVf58c&feature=related   is used to provide you with information on the job description of a DMS. It’s important to know the job description before making the decision in your career path because nobody wants to do something they hate so it’s good to know what you are getting into. 

• This video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ikNemi_xZpQ&feature=related   is used to provide you with a description of a career in DMS. It’s good to know a little information about the career you choose, so you don’t choose one that you don’t like or necessary wanted to do in the first place. It’s always good to know more information about your career because that shows that you are responsible as well as interested in your career and that can have a good impact towards yourself in the future.

What to do in the beginning

• In this link http://education-portal.com/certificate_in_diagnostic_medical_sonography.html    you are provided with a bunch of schools and educational programs you can take in order to get a degree in the DMS field. It’s a very good website because it shows schools that are offered in your area that you can go to obtain a degree.
• The Bureau of Labor Statistics is a good website to go and find information on a career of your choice and know that it is factual. In this website you will find a bunch of information about becoming or what a diagnostic medical sonographer does but it also is the best website to go to find out the median salary that a DMS makes. They take all the different pays that people in that career make and put it together to figure out the median. It’s a good way of knowing what to expect as far as salary goes. Here is the link http://www.bls.gov/ooh/Healthcare/Diagnostic-medical-sonographers.htm.
• This blog http://www.ultrasoundtechnicianschools.net/blog/is-a-job-in-ultrasound-technology-for-you was made for people that are questioning if they want to become a DMS and if it’s the job for them. It’s good to know what is required of you as well as skills that are needed to see if you fit those requirements as well as if you would actually want to do those things. 

Duties, skills, and requirements

• This link http://www.gurnick.edu/program/faq/examples-of-essential-duties-knowledge-skill-and-ability-requirements-of-the-diagnostic-medical-sonographer provides people with information about the duties, skills, and requirements that are needed to become a DMS. It’s good to know about each of these because if you need really good vision and having to stand on your feet all day and you can’t do those things it would be more towards your best interest to find a job that you can actually do or have the skills needed to accomplish that job. 
• Knowing what is required of you and the duties that you need to achieve before you even go to get a degree in that field is a very good and essential thing that should be done. On this website http://www.sdms.org/career/dmsjobdescription.asp  is where you can find information of the job description as well as duties and responsibilities, even physical requirements that are needed to fulfill the job that is important because what if you don’t have the capacity or strength to do a certain that job that you already went to school for, that is why it’s important to look before making the decision of what you want to go to school to become. 
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Field of study

• It’s also very important to know what field or specialty of ultrasound you want to study. There are so many different ones besides just working with babies. I think it’s good to know what field you want to go into rather than just going in blindsided and not knowing what you want, because that can create problems later down the road. In this link http://www.rit.edu/healthsciences/undergraduate-programs/ultrasound/specialties.php is the different types of field or specialties that one can go into with a career in DMS.
• This website http://www.americanpregnancy.org/prenataltesting/ultrasound.html  provides you with the seven different types of ultrasound exams that there are. This is good to know because if you want to do 4D ultrasound exams or a Doppler exam then it’s good to know what the requirements or schooling that is needed to be able to do a different exam.
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Basics of a Ultrasound, and the Machine

• In this video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kpJBfN4WOng&feature=related you will learn about the basics that are involved in an ultrasound, and how it works. Also how to prepare the patient for an Ultrasound. That is very important because you have to know how to position or work the machine to get the best possible pictures.  
• This link http://drsmart.com/ultrasound/ultrasound-machines/index.aspx     provides you with a description of the parts of an ultrasound machine as well as how it works. This is important to know about because you are going to enter a field where you need to know about the machine as well as how to use it, this website will help you gain a little knowledge before being in the field. 
•  This website http://www.healthpronet.org/ahp_month/08_06.html provides you with the knowledge of how an ultrasound works and what are the parts involved in it as well as the areas of specializations in the field.  This is important because knowing what is involved in a ultrasound is part of your job so it’s good to get a head start and know what to expect. 
• This link http://www.bats.ac.nz/resources/physics.php provides you with the background knowledge about the physics part of an ultrasound. Yes, there is physics involved because it uses sound waves to create an image. It’s important to know what goes into a ultrasound and having a little background knowledge of what you are going to learn while studying to become a DMS. 

Legal part to DMS

• This link http://www.sdms.org/positions/scope.asp was created for people to know the scope of practice that is a document that the state has made for DMS. It’s good to know the legal back end of your career and what is required of you from the state that you live in. Knowing this is important for you to keep as well and to follow the guidelines that are given to you. 
• This link http://www.sdms.org/about/codeofethics.asp is here to show you the code of ethics that is required of a DMS. It’s good to know this because this is set by the DMS organization and not following these rules can lead to lose of practice as well as license, and even a fine in some cases. It’s good to know this for security and protection for yourself.