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How exposed to AI is a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?

Of the 20 tasks O*NET lists for diagnostic medical sonographers, 3 could be done in half the time with a chat window today. 11 cannot be sped up at all. Here is which.

Exposure means published research judged an AI could halve the time a task takes, at the same quality. It does not mean the task stops needing a person. How to read this

Also called
Cardiac SonographerDiagnostic Medical SonographerMedical SonographerRegistered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS)SonographerStaff SonographerUltrasonographerUltrasound Technician (Ultrasound Tech)Ultrasound Technologist (Ultrasound Tech)
Reachable today Needs software built first Cannot be sped up
20
tasks rated for this occupation
34%
hold a degree, from a survey of 33
79k
people do this job in the US
45 of 89
least protected in healthcare practitioners

Every task, and what AI can do with it

These are O*NET's task statements for this occupation, exactly as written, sorted into the three bands by the ratings behind this report. Nothing has been reworded.

Reachable with a chat window today

3
  • Prepare patient for exam by explaining procedure, transferring patient to ultrasound table, scrubbing skin and applying gel, and positioning patient properly
  • Perform legal and ethical duties, including preparing safety or accident reports, obtaining written consent from patient to perform invasive procedures, or reporting symptoms of abuse or neglect
  • Process and code film from procedures and complete appropriate documentation

Only with software built on top

6
  • Provide sonogram and oral or written summary of technical findings to physician for use in medical diagnosis
  • Determine whether scope of exam should be extended, based on findings
  • Obtain and record accurate patient history, including prior test results or information from physical examinations
  • Maintain records that include patient information, sonographs and interpretations, files of correspondence, publications and regulations, or quality assurance records, such as pathology, biopsy, or post-operative reports
  • Coordinate work with physicians or other healthcare team members, including providing assistance during invasive procedures
  • Perform clerical duties, such as scheduling exams or special procedures, keeping records, or archiving computerized images

Cannot be sped up

11
  • Observe screen during scan to ensure that image produced is satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, making adjustments to equipment as required
  • Observe and care for patients throughout examinations to ensure their safety and comfort
  • Select appropriate equipment settings and adjust patient positions to obtain the best sites and angles
  • Operate ultrasound equipment to produce and record images of the motion, shape, and composition of blood, organs, tissues, or bodily masses, such as fluid accumulations
  • Decide which images to include, looking for differences between healthy and pathological areas
  • Record and store suitable images, using camera unit connected to the ultrasound equipment
  • Clean, check, and maintain sonographic equipment, submitting maintenance requests or performing minor repairs as necessary
  • Supervise or train students or other medical sonographers
  • Perform medical procedures, such as administering oxygen, inserting and removing airways, taking vital signs, or giving emergency treatment, such as first aid or cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR)
  • Maintain stock and supplies, preparing supplies for special examinations and ordering supplies when necessary
  • Load and unload film cassettes used to record images from procedures
What this does not say

This is not a prediction about your job

Nobody surveyed an employer. Tasks are counted equally, so a percentage here is a share of the list rather than a share of your week. And the ratings were made in 2023, which makes every figure a floor rather than a ceiling.

It must never be used to select anyone for redundancy. The full limits are here.

Where to go next

This is the standard task list for the title. The useful next question is which of the tasks you actually do should go near AI, and which should not.

Sort your own tasks Read the full report

Exposure ratings from Eloundou, Manning, Mishkin and Rock, GPTs are GPTs: Labor market impact potential of LLMs, Science 384, 1306–1308, 2024, used under the MIT licence. This page includes information from the O*NET Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. People Team AI has modified all or some of this information. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications. Employment figures from the US Bureau of Labor Statistics.