a physician’s assistant that, with a few months of intensive study, she could get certified to operate ultrasound equipment.

To become an ultrasound technician, you must complete a two-year associate’s degree program at an accredited college or university. You must also work in clinic programs to learn how to deal with patients and operate equipment safely and effectively.

After graduation, you must pass the national registry exams. Some states require separate licenses as well. Please correct the gross misinformation that you perpetuated in your article.

Dear Reader,

We hate to make mistakes, so your letter sent us scurrying to an expert for more information. We called Susan Devine Heppell, director of the diagnostic medical sonography program at the Kaiser Permanente School of Allied Health Sciences in California, who says our answer was technically correct.

Heppell explained that, in most states, ultrasound technicians are registered, but not licensed. While it’s recommended that students go through fully accredited programs, like Kaiser’s, that provide up to two years of education plus clinical training, there are nonaccredited schools that offer much shorter courses of study. Graduates of those programs aren’t allowed to take the national registry test without a lot more clinical practice, but it’s possible to get the necessary hands-on training while on the job.

However, a student who opts for an unaccredited program is taking a risk. At the end of six or nine months of expensive schooling, graduates of unaccredited programs may find that many employers aren’t impressed by their new credential.

“You need to go in with your eyes open and educate yourself about the industry,” Heppell says. “If you really want to be competent, you should go to an accredited program.”

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(c) 2003, Knight Ridder/Tribune Information Services.

AP-NY-09-16-03 1414EDT