Diagnostic Medical Sonography News December 2020 | Page 2

off your lumbar spine , reducing lower back pain ” ( American Council on Exercise , 2014 ). This lesson has allowed me to understand how important stretching is and why it is essential .

Sincerely , Yasmine Germain

Junior Sonography Student

Are You Considering Becoming a Sonographer in Canada ? By : Claudia Morejon

Have you ever dreamed of taking a sonographer position in another country ? Do you like the cold ? Enjoy a good game of hockey ? Love exploring beautiful landscapes ? If so , then Canada might be right for you ! In Canada , there is currently a shortage of general , cardiac , and vascular sonographers . There is such a need for sonographers in Canada that they are eagerly making the visa process as smooth and painless as possible .

Application Process To apply , you need to have met the following basic requirements : 1 . You must have completed a three- to four-year program in diagnostic medical sonography or ultrasound technology , or a two- to three-year program in a related allied health field and a oneyear post-diploma program in diagnostic medical sonography from an accredited institution . 2 . You must have a minimum of one or more years of relevant experience . 3 . You must have good English and / or French language skills . 4 . You must attest to being drug-free . 5 . You must have a clean police record during the past five years ( excluding speeding offences ).

If you check all of these boxes , then you must fill out this survey for a free assessment . After you fill out the assessment , Canadian immigration lawyers will call you within one to two business days to discuss your visa options .

Additional Professional Requirements For some medical institutions , specializing in adult or pediatric sonography is very important . Canada has such a need that they do not specify which specialty of sonographer is in demand – they only require a valid offer of employment . Employment opportunities vary from province to province . When you apply for employment to a medical institution , your specialty licenses arrive from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers ( ARDMS ). ARDMS and the Registry of Vascular Technologists are recognized by Canada . However , in Ontario , there is a mandatory registry : The Regulator of Medical Radiation and Imaging Technologists in Ontario ( CMRITO ), which has an annual fee of CAD $ 530.10 .

How Long Does the Process Take ? Because sonographers are considered qualified skilled workers in Canada , you can receive permanent residence within six months if you qualify for express entry . If you have a partner and children that will

What Kind of Pay Can You Expect ? Canadian employers offer salaried benefit packages which can exceed CAD $ 80,500 . Depending on your years of experience , annual salaries can range from CAD $ 45,000-100,000 ( including benefits ).

Differences in Work Culture Work culture can vary significantly from country to country . According to Business Insider Australia , there are some significant differences in workplace culture between the U . S . and Canada ( Abadi , 2018 ). One example is that Canadians work less than Americans , with American workers working an average of 47 hours per week and Canadian workers averaging 36 to 40 hours per week .

Canadian workers also get more vacation time . With fewer than five years at a company , workers are entitled to two weeks of paid vacation a year . Once five years have passed , the two weeks is bumped up to three . The U . S . does not legally require companies to offer paid vacation time . In addition , the average American worker will not use all of their vacation time .

Another cultural difference is that new parents in Canada can expect paid time off . This is because parental leave is federally mandated : “ Mothers are entitled to up to 15 weeks of paid leave , and many new parents get as much as 35 combined weeks off ” ( Abadi , 2018 ).

French is the mother tongue of about 7.2 million Canadians as well , which is about 20 % of the Canadian population . Bilingualism is more common in Quebec than in any other Canadian province . In this province , many workers conduct their business in French , and they cannot be refused a job because they do not speak English . This is not the case in the rest of Canada , but bilingual communication is a very important difference when compared with American workplace culture .

Summary Canada needs sonographers , and it wants to make the application process as smooth as possible for you . There are great incentives : salary packages , depending on the province or facility you will not have to get another registry , guaranteed paid time off , permanent residency for you and your family including a work visa for your partner , and more . Who knows ? Your next adventure as a sonographer might be in our neighbor to the north !

American Council on Exercise . ( 2014 , October 7 ). Top 10 benefits of stretching . ACE Fitness . https :// www . acefitness . org / education-and-resources / lifestyle / blog / 5107 / top-10-benefits-of-stretching

Evans , K ., Roll , S ., & Baker , J . ( 2009 ). Work-related musculoskeletal disorders ( WRMSD ) among registered diagnostic medical sonographers and vascular technologists : A representative sample . Journal of Diagnostic Medical Sonography , 25 ( 6 ), 287 – 299 . https :// doi .

Murphey , S . ( 2018 ). Work related musculoskeletal disorders in sonography [ White paper ]. Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography . https :// www . sdms . org / docs / default-source / Resources / work-related-musculoskeletal-disordersin-sonography-white-paper . pdf

Wuebben , D , & Roozen , M . ( 2015 , November 12 ). Living pain-free : Sonographer back pain , part 1 . AuntMinnie . com . https :// www . auntminnie . com / index . aspx ? sec = log & itemID = 112575

Abadi , M . ( 2018 , January 10 ). 5 things that make Canada a very different place to work than the US . Business Insider Australia . https :// www . businessinsider . com . au / differences-canada-uswork-2018-1

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