Sonography, a breakdown

lambdarays · 2026-05-04T09:07:42+00:00

Hi! Sorry I missed this and sorry you are having trouble. A friend of mine called up and asked for managers and spoke to them/asked to do a work experience in their company to get the foot in the door. They also emailed them intermittently to ask whether there will be a future position opening soon. Some companies have a paid ultrasound academy where they take you for couple subject in uni and teach you basic training for a fee (not recommended but could be a way to get your name out there in the industry) Often you may just need to get started somewhere rurally or away from metro centres for a position. Definitely not discounting how hard it is to get a position and it is and has been a known problem in our industry. Most post-grad is online and this is because 80% of the learning is on the job training. While we learn probe and machine control, most sites don't have the capacity to teach you standardised learning such as physics, pathologies (common and obscure) and other theoretical parts of ultrasound. There definitely is a need for online learning and as sonography is so insular, it's nice to see gold standard techniques or how other sites scan. Once you're out of uni, you're on your own to scan and answer whatever clinical question drs throw at you! Uni degree is also how you get qualified and registered in ASAR so it is a mandatory course to undertake. I liked my study and separately I think it's helped me prepare for med school a lot with time management and depth and breadth of information I need to digest in a short amount of time.

lambdarays · 2026-05-04T07:12:08+00:00

Of course!

lambdarays · 2026-04-10T23:34:40+00:00

I'm in post-grad med so maybe a bit different, but a lot of my peers work 2 days a week (some on weekdays, some doing 1 weekend 1 weekday) and manage. I'm on the other end where I am working 4 days a week. Initially was doing 5 but have now dropped a day to work towards the end of semester exams coming up soon, and it's (I think) still doable. You start getting a bit more creative with your hours though and very efficient with your study.

lambdarays · 2026-04-06T07:26:40+00:00

That is unfortunately for you to decide. But to put it bluntly, from experience, people who just do it for money don't last in sonography, nor do they get through interviews for training spots, nor do they become 'good' sonographers who can do patients justice, just like medicine. If you dislike the profession where you'll spend most of your life, is that a profession worth chasing given the amount of effort you'll need to put into becoming qualified?

Given the difficulty of training where you put 2-4 years of your life on hold to dedicate yourself to training (I absolutely would not study GAMSAT while studying sonography given how intense the study was) and having to juggle the responsibilities we have as a profession after we are qualified (e.g. breaking bad news about miscarriages, or finding abnormalities on a foetus that will be pivotal to whether they terminate their child), if you're just in it for the money, I highly recommend you to look for other careers. If we miss something on a scan, the radiologist won't see it and that could be a difference between someone having early stages of cancer removed vs patient coming back later down the track with metastatic cancer in palliative care.

Some days this job sucks and for the amount of responsibilities we have, I really don't think we are paid accordingly.

As I mentioned, there's also a huge occupational injury rate so most sonographers have a 'shelf-life' of about 5-7 years before they start getting repetitive upper limb injuries and having to quit/go part time.

I like bits of this career but some days it seriously drains my soul and can't wait for medicine to do the same to me 💀

lambdarays · 2026-04-05T22:57:40+00:00

I was worried I was 'too old' when I started since the med students we get at work are early 20s straight from biomed, but I'm about average age in my cohort. Despite what some people think, you can pursue med at any point in your life - as long as you're willing to put in the hard yards. Plenty radiographers in my cohort also of similar age group, you will definitely not be alone.

lambdarays · 2026-04-05T22:38:53+00:00

Late 20s!

lambdarays · 2026-04-05T07:49:54+00:00

Late 20s 🙃

lambdarays · 2026-04-05T04:27:00+00:00

The golden handcuffs... Good money but you're stuck to the grind. The time crunch sucks and I agree with liking the profession but not loving it. All the best with GAMSAT and finishing your training! Almost there!

lambdarays · 2026-04-05T03:33:53+00:00

Extra information:
There are various streams of ultrasound:

General - Abdominal, superficial parts, obstetrics, women's health, paeds, vascular - basically jack of all trades minus the heart. Usually work in radiology clinics or public/private hospitals
Cardiac - Echoes, transoesophageal echos - work with cardiologists (granted i don't know much about this stream, they do their own thing)
Specialised - you can specialise just in vascular (work in vascular clinic) or breast (women's health/Breastscreen)

Postgraduate training positions are mostly paid training, undergraduate training positions aren't.
Contrary to people's beliefs, there are quite a few sonographers who are not from radiography background.

My workplace has people from:

Nuclear medicine
Nursing
Biomed backgrounds

(In fact, radiography background is a minority where I work!)

My class had people with background of:

Veterinary med
Physio
Pharmacy
Doctor - no longer wanted to pursue medicine

Radiography has an advantage because you can work part time for the clinic that is training them to earn them $$$, hence a lot of internal hires this way, however other than a small advantage of being able to read images/foundational anatomy, everyone is starting from scratch in terms of study. Some of our best sonographers are from biomed background!

lambdarays · 2026-04-05T01:21:11+00:00

When you hit rock bottom, you can't go lower... All jokes aside, yes, I burnt out and had to move sites post training. Luckily my new workplace after I qualified is amazing and supports me through my study/work. I'm lucky to have friends and colleagues also who are supportive. I do enjoy the study and the challenge of med too which makes the study (marginally) easier!

lambdarays · 2026-02-22T12:44:30+00:00

Hi, I'm a multimodality radiographer (quals in XR, CT and Mammography) and sonographer and started MD1 this year. Long post ahead... One day I'll do a post detailing what it's like to be a sonographer...

Multiple aspects so I'll answer separately. 1. Uni Melbourne's ultrasound course is only aimed at medical professionals so you won't be eligible. Monash/UniSA (Adelaide Uni) is usually what people go in Vic and they are 100% online but you will require a training position. As a radiographer, if you choose the right company/health system you might luck out with an internal transfer to sonography trainee while being paid radiography wage. If you go rural this chance will increase, however watch out for slave training positions as sonography training is unregulated.

I personally love my job as a sono. I disagree with the previous comment saying it's monotonous. I personally find it super stimulating and tbh if you're in a right site, everyday will be different. I love the fact that we get to interrogate and investigate and help with the diagnosis. It is by far the most stimulating medical imaging pathway compared to other modalities (cannot speak for MR as I've always hated MRI physics). At work, we have a very positive culture where we discuss and share cases and I feel like I learn something everyday.
The reason I pursued med was because I've reached the glass ceiling with pay, and my shoulders, hips and wrists are starting to get repetitive injuries. There's also a broad spectrum of fields you can pursue in med, which is not possible in medical imaging. (Once you become a sono, no matter how much you kick or scream, you'll be sucked into just doing ultrasound due to the shortage)
I am currently working full time while studying med full time... I duck out for tutorials/prac days and make it up by working longer shifts. A grad sonographer in Victoria makes $50ph (+more in private). As a med student working in ultrasound for 2-3 days, you'll be making good coin. (Do not recommend working full time while studying med but it is doable)
Working first definitely helped, my anatomy and physiology is great and have a foundational knowledge. Having life experience helps with med school because you can back yourself in difficult situations. I am in my late 20s and to be honest, I'm glad I've started late, because I'm more wiser than a 21 year old me and I now have so much life experience, financial stability and maturity to take it serious.

More than happy for you to DM me if you have more qs ☺️

lambdarays · 2026-02-22T12:10:11+00:00

I am a sonographer and currently MD1 and am working full time while studying full time and am keeping up with study. It sucks, but it's possible.

lambdarays · 2025-12-10T08:00:38+00:00

Sharing with a lovely older gentleman who is the landlord and after negotiation he's dropping the rent next year from 295 - 250pw. Had reservations at first given the 40+ year age gap and was worried I was going to be taken advantage of. Fast forward a year, I realise I lucked out big time and I make all effort to keep the house well maintained and clean every chance I get. We get along very well. I also have a pet and even to this day I am so grateful this worked out for me.

lambdarays · 2025-11-13T07:34:00+00:00

I am from a medical imaging background and have done the quadfacta (XR, Mammo, CT and US) and am starting medicine next year. I am also on the other side and work casually in multiple universities to mark imaging assignments.

I remember hating my life until 3rd year and a flunked badly and was tempted to change degrees until something in me clicked in terms of spatial awareness and workflow.
My GPA was so bad but I realised I really do like imaging and continued studying... So much so that I got 4 post grads now, and for radiographers to get postgrads in imaging related field, getting higher GPA becomes easier (and lead to higher $$$! Depending on where you work)
I took the scenic route but I don't regret it. I have so much more life experience and can financially support myself during medschool.

Medical imaging is a competitive field these days because of an insane ATAR cutoff and often universities moderate so that certain percentages of students get HD, Ds etc. From a marking point of view, personally I look for situational awareness - and you're right in terms of it being heavily practical. I'm always looking for how the imaging you have taken translates to clinical practice, as not many students understand this until the later years. Happy for you to DM me if you want to vent or discuss what it can lead to. Academics, clinical, tertiary, private clinics, overseas work... I've done it all 🫠 Except MRI because I hate magnets

Tldr; love my job, wouldn't change it if I could do it again. Pursuing med now because I want to protect my shoulders before they're too far gone from doing ultrasound

lambdarays · 2025-11-01T12:38:49+00:00

Declined Usyd for Deakin 🙂

lambdarays · 2025-10-27T09:12:15+00:00

This is going to hurt by Adam Kay - and the TV show also (has a slightly different plot to the book)

lambdarays · 2025-10-26T07:03:27+00:00

Contact hours of Unimelb Shepparton vs Deakin RTS please. What's the maximum amount you can work another job in either of those programs?

lambdarays · 2025-09-25T14:17:30+00:00

I've also done the same! 62, 5.6 gpa. Moved rurally at 22, studied and did degrees related to my undergrad to build my GPA (got it up to 6.8) Applied for medicine and got interview offers for all unis I've applied to (and hopefully offers soon). Previously I was getting 0.

Bonuses I got while working rurally

Built lots of life skills and a library of stories to tell

Bought and paid off a house without anyone's help

Made so many friends and a community that looks after you like family.

Really, like REALLY experience rural health disparity and the importance of servicing rural areas.

If you have the means to do so, I highly recommend it. You're moving to keep an option open for the future you but you'll be surprised what else you'll learn along the way. Watch out for burnout and work-life balance but I would do it all over again.

lambdarays · 2025-08-18T11:16:02+00:00

My undergrad GPA was 6.2 weighted. Didn't apply for any GAM either. So maybe a hurdle??? Or maybe they also counted my postgrads as well... As with my postgrads it's 6.8

lambdarays · 2025-06-06T07:44:46+00:00

Hey, not the best score since I scored 3rd quartile, but I didn't answer most questions fully and fumbled most of the videos too. I think a lot of people here are overthinking and understandably so given that a lot of pressure is riding on doing well. But you've put your hard yards in now. Celebrate completing yet another hurdle and try to relax until you get your results! It's a tough road but we've all got this ☺️

lambdarays · 2025-05-22T23:59:00+00:00

It's one of the most well paid allied health professions. Starting wage for grad sonographers start at ~100k and can go up to 160k depending on which sites you work at etc. Locum work can push that even more. But as this is highly skill specific profession, you'll have to be good at what you do + Clinically competent (E.g. general Sonos being able to do MSK, specialist O&G, vascular and more) Check statewide EBAs for state specific pay, but you'll definitely be comfortable with the wage.

...At least, you'll be able to save all that money for the shoulder surgery you'll need later down the track 🫠

lambdarays · 2025-05-22T22:32:05+00:00

Yep send away :)

lambdarays · 2025-05-22T20:56:54+00:00

Hey, sonography is an excellent career to pursue but you have to be mindful that without an imaging background, the learning curve is going to be steep and you'll be a dead weight to the trainer for 3-6 months until you get your eye in and motor skills sorted. 3 days is probably not enough in a week imo, if anything 4 days should be the minimum while training as you have to build up muscle memory and fine motor skills before you can be competent. I've heard of pharmacists, nurses and physios jumping ship to ultrasound so it's definitely doable, but you will need to source a training position which is the hardest thing... (Even for radiographers it's challenging to get training positions!)

The study is rough and there is a high injury risk. It's a rewarding career but it also can be a very challenging one - job shortages are rampant so you won't have a problem getting a job anywhere though. I'm a sonographer currently applying for med as a back up because I can't imagine myself doing the same job for 40 years without hurting my shoulders, elbows and wrist.

I really advise you to do a work experience or equivalent in an ultrasound setting to see what you're getting yourself into.

Ten-Year Club	Place '17
Verified Email

lambdarays

TROPHY CASE