Looking to learn how to use ultrasound to check for pregnancy?

Whether you are looking to scan your own dogs, cats or goats, or you want to run a scanning service for others, you undoubtedly want to give yourself every chance to excel. Ultrasound equipment and training is a big financial investment, and if you simply follow the crowd, you’ll find it very difficult to rise above them and get your business noticed.

Learning from a Masters-level sonographer comes with ongoing mentoring and support from someone who specialises in ultrasound, and nothing else. Passionate about ultrasound and your success, your learning doesn’t end when you say goodbye at the end of your course.

If you’re looking for the quickest way to get a certificate for ultrasound scanning, we are not the company for you. If you’re looking for a life-long partnership and certificate that actually means something, then we’d love to talk to you!

What is a sonographer?

A sonographer is somebody who has a post-graduate degree in Medical Ultrasound. This means that they have spent a minimum of 4 (not necessarily consecutive) years at university, and usually at least another 2 in clinical practice before they are able to obtain their accreditation. They must then maintain this accreditation by performing a certain number of clinical scans every year (usually over 500), and demonstrate their attendance at ultrasound courses and conventions.

Being a sonographer is a profession, like being a dentist, teacher, lawyer or veterinarian. If somebody is claiming to be a sonographer, you should be able to validate this by finding them listed with their professional body. Watch this video below on how you can very quickly and easily check out the qualifications of the person you are speaking to:

But can’t anyone teach ultrasound?

It is shocking to see how many companies and individuals now offer ultrasound training with no qualifications with which to actually teach the subject, and it’s no wonder that so many people are left with expensive, inadequate equipment that they are unable to properly use.

You’ve undoubtedly heard of someone local to you going around diagnosing bowl loops as pregnancy. Maybe you think “that will never be me,” or maybe you’re terrified that it could be. Either way, chances are, that individual attended a training course and paid over £2000 for a scanner – and look where it’s left them and their clients.

The truth is, ultrasound is easy to learn, but only if you have the right guidance and mentoring. You can’t go it alone, and if you allow yourself to get churned through the course conveyor belt with no personalised follow-up support provided, you’ll come out the other end with very little to show for it but a meaningless piece of paper and an overpriced ultrasound machine.

Do not settle for less

Whether you would like in-person or online tutoring, we can pair you with an ultrasound expert that will give you the foundations you need to enable you to go all the way and obtain your Animal Ultrasound Association (AUA) accreditation in the future, should you wish to. The AUA only accredits courses delivered by those qualified to do so.

We can typically book you in for training within 1-2 weeks.

If you’re not yet sure if ultrasound is for you, check out the book ‘Ultrasound for Canine Pregnancy Scanning‘ as a good introduction to the subject.

Can I attend training even if I don’t have a machine from you?

Yes, although many of the machines sold by non-specialist companies are not ideally suited for pregnancy scanning, and may not be able to do everything that we cover on our courses. If you have any questions about your ultrasound machine, please contact us for advice.

Click here to book your training course now

Questions? Email us for more information.

Finally, our top tips for choosing any type of ultrasound or fertility course:

• Verify the qualifications of the person teaching it: are they a member of a professional body in that subject area?
• Be wary of superficial badges, such as CPD accreditation. CPD accreditation is not government regulated, and can be bought for a few hundred pounds without anyone ever even looking over the course material.
• Be particularly wary of anyone who claims that they can teach you ultrasound level 2 if you cannot easily validate their qualifications as a sonographer. Introductory courses can be taught well by non-specialists (but should still be followed up with a more detailed, dedicated scanning course), but advanced scanning courses cannot. You wouldn’t go on an advanced driving course with someone who did not hold a driving license – why would you pay a salesman to teach you advanced ultrasound techniques?

Looking for recommendations for a reputable trainer in microchipping or cytology? Just ask!