For Diagnostic Medical Sonographer students and professionals who prefer to live in a warm climate and close to beaches, the city of Tampa, Florida is an excellent choice. Located near the Gulf of Mexico on Florida’s west coast, Tampa attracts visitors from around the world. It is home to the famous Busch Gardens and is only a one-hour drive from Disney World. Sites like the natural barrier island of Honeymoon Island State Park protects coastal Florida lands, including rare mangrove swamps. Tampa also has a rich variety of cultural activities, including those presented at the Ruth Eckerd Hall Center for Performing Arts. As of 2014, the large city-wide healthcare system includes independent hospitals and hospitals that are part of a much larger system of facilities, creating even more employment opportunities for ultrasound technicians.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography Education in Tampa, Florida
Students interested in obtaining a degree in Sonography are wise to choose a program accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). These are the best sonography programs offering the type of instruction and clinical training needed to take ARDMS exams to become a certified sonographer, which is usually a requirement for employment.
Tampa has one school offering a CAAHEP accredited program and that s the Hillsborough Community College. There are over 52,000 students in the Tampa area attending colleges and universities and over 9,500 students enrolled in St. Petersburg College, which is only 16 miles away in Clearwater, Florida.
Salary and Job Outlook for Sonographers in Tampa, Florida
Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the Metropolitan Statistical Area of Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater, Florida were paid an annual average wage of $53,530 or $25.74 per hour according to the May 2012 federal occupational survey. At the 50 percentile the annual average mean wages were $59,160 or $28.44 per hour. This metropolitan area has one of the highest employment levels for ultrasound technologists at.76 positions per one-thousand jobs.
With over 860 sonographers employed in the metropolitan area, the employment outlook is excellent. This is an area where demand for qualified Diagnostic Medical Sonography professionals has always been high and is expected to continue growing as the population ages and the national health care initiative expands. Growth in the educational and health services industry has been consistently higher for each month of 2013 compared to the equivalent month in 2012.
A List of Best Schools for Diagnostic Medical Sonography Study in Tampa, Florida
School Name: Hillsborough Community College
Address: 4001 W. Tampa Bay Blvd., Tampa 33614
City: Tampa
Contact Person: Louis J. Gomez
Contact Phone: (813)253-7412
Program: Associates Degree
Accreditation: CAAHEP
Nearby Cities List
5 cities near Tampa Florida with accredited sonography schools in 2014The following nearby cities in Florida have accredited sonography programs in 2014:
- 2 accredited sonography schools in Orlando
- Celebration
- Palm Harbor
- Winter Haven
- New Port Richey
Nearby States
Tampa is approximately five hours from Florida’s state line when driving due north, and the rest of the state is surrounded by water. There are only two states bordering north Florida:
- Alabama
- Georgia
Source by Lisa J Parmley