Almost all programs require a considerable amount of time commitment. From clinical hours, classroom time, lab time and study time, students will be putting in a fair number of hours each day. There will be days when you are so physically and mentally exhausted that you do not know which end is up. There will be days when you are extremely frustrated. There will be days when everything comes together; the stars align, and you get it, or at least you get something. Maybe one day it will be the satisfaction of knowing you found a piece of anatomy completely on your own, and you know what it is. Maybe another day it will be the realization that you are helping someone, you have diagnosed a problem that no one else has found providing an answer to a patient who is desperately searching for answers. Maybe it will just be that you have obtained a beautiful scan of normal anatomy, or that you can perform an adequate scan on an extremely difficult patient. Know that these days will be interspersed with the discouraging ones, but also know that as time goes on the balance will shift in favor of the “I get this” days. Exactly when that begins to happen is different for everyone, so do not spend a lot of time comparing yourself to others. Just make sure you are staying on track, steadily progressing. It is also important to realize that there will never be a time when you know it all and are through with your learning. Sonographers attain new knowledge every day though out the lifespan of their careers. That is one of the things that keeps this profession so exciting.

Prepare yourself for the commitment that is going to be required of you. By talking with those who have been through the program, and with the faculty of the program itself, you should be able to get a good idea of what those expectations will be. Take the steps to arrange your life ahead of time. That does not mean that you cannot complete this if you have other obligations, such as a family. I have known many who have accomplished this while juggling other life commitments. It just takes some creative planning. A little support from those closest to you will not hurt either.

What kind of time commitments are we talking about? This is an area where doing research ahead of time will pay off in the long run. Find out how many hours a week you will be spending at your clinical site. Hours vary as the program progresses. Find out how many hours a week or month are spent in the classroom and lab. Ask students how much time on top of clinical and class time they spent studying by themselves or in groups. Ask several students, as some will spend considerable time and others virtually none; get an average.