North Carolina ECHO SONOGRAPHY AND OCCUPATIONAL THERAPISTS INFO?

Question

1. How difficult to be accepted and what are best schools in N.C.?
2. Which is more satisfying?
3. Which is more difficult curriculum?

I'm career shifting at 55, probably will need tutoring or less rushed curriculum for physiology memorization. Appreciate info on studies and working environment. Note: I am dumb. Learn much, much better with smaller classes and individual attention from teacher or study groups to keep motivated. Have old southern manners which means that I would not work well with rude, arrogant teachers, doctors, or coworkers. ( I have heard tales and been exposed to such, along with wonderful teachers, doc's and allied health workers). Please advise as to environment.

Answer 1

1) Echo sonography
There's sonography and there's echocardiography (and other subspecialties of sonography). Here's a great page on the work and education of sonographers:
http://www.ultrasoundcareers.org/why.html

and more information about the career from the American Society of Echocardiography:
http://www.asecho.org/Help/SonographersFAQ.php

There are six schools in NC that offer a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (the official name for this field) degree. You should check with each one about the types of support that they give their students (such as small classes, individual attention, extra help for testing, writing, and math, etc.):
Asheville-Buncombe Technical Community College - Asheville
http://www.abtech.edu/

Caldwell Comm College & Tech Institute - Hudson
http://caldwell.cc.nc.us

Forsyth Technical Community College - Winston-Salem
http://forsyth.cc.nc.us

Johnston Community College - Smithfield
http://johnstoncc.edu

Pitt Community College - Greenville
http://www.pitt.cc.nc.us/

South Piedmont Community College - Polkton
http://spcc.cc.nc.us

2) An Occupational Therapist must have at least a bachelor's degree (until 2007, when a master's degree will be required):
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos078.htm

But you can be an Occupational Therapy Assistant with an associates degree.:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos166.htm
http://careerplanning.about.com/od/occupations/p/ot_asst.htm

There are four schools in NC that offer that degree:
Cabarrus College of Health Sciences
http://www.cabarruscollege.edu

Cape Fear Community College
http://cfcc.edu/ota

Durham Technical Community College
http://www.durhamtech.edu

Pitt Community College
http://styx.pittcc.edu/division/department/occtherapy/

3) The differences and similarities between the two (and why one may be better for you).
a) Occupational therapists (and assistants and aides) work hands-on with clients - it's a physical job that requires a reasonable amount of strength, flexibility, dexterity, endurance, balance, etc. Sonography is a job you can often do sitting down.

b) They're both helping professions of course, but in occupational therapy you often work with a client one-on-one and for longer term and so get to know them and their situation. A sonographer may not even actually talk to the person for whom they have done the diagnostic test and even when they do, it is often a one-time thing.

c) Both fields require certification. This is one way of being able to tell the quality of the education you're getting - find out how many of their students pass the certification exams.

d) Go to the links above and look at the classes you have to take to compare which you think would be harder based on your skills (are math skills your strong suit? lab skills? Etc.)

Bottom line: the best way to find out what the right program and school is for you is to interview them directly and press them for as much information as possible. Tell them you have a hard time in school and find out what they’ll do for you. Ask them if they have a list of former students who are working as sonographers or occupational therapists that you can talk to, then interview them about their school and work experience.

You can get more information about these two fields (and look for more ways to get specific information from these two professional associations:

Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
http://www.sdms.org/

The American Occupational Therapy Association
http://www.aota.org/index.asp

Answer 2

It is hard to answer that without knowing where in NC you are moving. I would reccommend UNC there are a couple of locations throughout NC, I would reccommend you do a search for art degree in NC and sift through all the junk and narrow down to 3-5 schools and ask another question about comparing the schools.