OPT Sonographer Jobs
Sonographer jobs on OPT are available across hospital systems, outpatient imaging centers, and specialty clinics. Most roles qualify as STEM OPT extensions under diagnostic medical sonography programs, giving you up to three years of work authorization. Employers typically require ARDMS credentials, which you should prioritize before your OPT start date.
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Job Type:
Regular
Scheduled Hours:
40
Why You’ll Love Working with St. Elizabeth Healthcare
At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, every role supports our mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate care to the communities we serve. For more than 160 years, St. Elizabeth Healthcare has been a trusted provider of quality care across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. We’re guided by our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve and by our values of excellence, integrity, compassion, and teamwork. Our associates are the heart of everything we do.
Benefits That Support You
We invest in you — personally and professionally.
Enjoy:
- Competitive pay and comprehensive health coverage within the first 30 days.
- Generous paid time off and flexible work schedules
- Retirement savings with employer match
- Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities
- Wellness, mental health, and recognition programs
- Career advancement through mentorship and internal mobility
Job Summary:
The Registered Cardiac Sonographer is responsible for performing cardiac studies on patients that support treatment and diagnosis of cardiac disease. To perform, record, and report all Echocardiography procedures using sophisticated procedures requested.
Demonstrate respect, dignity, kindness and empathy in each encounter with all patients, families, visitors and other employees regardless of cultural background.
Job Description:
NEEDS AT LEAST 2 YRS OF EXPERIENCE
- Perform complete cardiac ultrasound study in compliance with guidelines set by the American Society of Echocardiography and IAC inclusive of evaluation of 4 cardiac valves and chambers.
- Evaluate results of study making preliminary report of normal and abnormal findings inclusive of qualitative calculations of valve function and chamber pressure as indicated.
- Evaluate patient history assessing past and current cardiac status for determination of factors leading to cardiac disease
- Maintain Quality Assurance of studies performed as well as equipment function.
- Maintain continuing education in order to continually provide complete diagnostic studies.
- Participate in technical training of Cardiovascular Trainee education
- Maintain for files and disperse to physicians and patient floors accurate records of studies completed.
- Responsible for notifying interpreting cardiologist of emergency situations based on Cardiac ultrasound findings.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Education, Credentials, Licenses:
- Graduate of an accredited (or accreditation eligible) cardiovascular ultrasound degree program and/or qualifying experience in accordance with IAC guidelines.
- Registered in non-invasive imaging with active status registry from ARDMS or CCI. New graduates will have 1 year after graduating to obtain registry.
Specialized Knowledge:
- Advance use of Doppler-continuous wave, pulse, color flow. Ability to provide professional preliminary reports.
Kind and Length of Experience:
FLSA Status:
Non-Exempt
Right Career. Right Here. If you're looking for the right careers in healthcare, the right place to be is at St. Elizabeth. Join us, and you'll take pride in the level of care we offer our community.
Engage with us for your next career opportunity. Right Here.
Job Type:
Regular
Scheduled Hours:
40
Why You’ll Love Working with St. Elizabeth Healthcare
At St. Elizabeth Healthcare, every role supports our mission to provide comprehensive and compassionate care to the communities we serve. For more than 160 years, St. Elizabeth Healthcare has been a trusted provider of quality care across Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio. We’re guided by our mission to improve the health of the communities we serve and by our values of excellence, integrity, compassion, and teamwork. Our associates are the heart of everything we do.
Benefits That Support You
We invest in you — personally and professionally.
Enjoy:
- Competitive pay and comprehensive health coverage within the first 30 days.
- Generous paid time off and flexible work schedules
- Retirement savings with employer match
- Tuition reimbursement and professional development opportunities
- Wellness, mental health, and recognition programs
- Career advancement through mentorship and internal mobility
Job Summary:
The Registered Cardiac Sonographer is responsible for performing cardiac studies on patients that support treatment and diagnosis of cardiac disease. To perform, record, and report all Echocardiography procedures using sophisticated procedures requested.
Demonstrate respect, dignity, kindness and empathy in each encounter with all patients, families, visitors and other employees regardless of cultural background.
Job Description:
NEEDS AT LEAST 2 YRS OF EXPERIENCE
- Perform complete cardiac ultrasound study in compliance with guidelines set by the American Society of Echocardiography and IAC inclusive of evaluation of 4 cardiac valves and chambers.
- Evaluate results of study making preliminary report of normal and abnormal findings inclusive of qualitative calculations of valve function and chamber pressure as indicated.
- Evaluate patient history assessing past and current cardiac status for determination of factors leading to cardiac disease
- Maintain Quality Assurance of studies performed as well as equipment function.
- Maintain continuing education in order to continually provide complete diagnostic studies.
- Participate in technical training of Cardiovascular Trainee education
- Maintain for files and disperse to physicians and patient floors accurate records of studies completed.
- Responsible for notifying interpreting cardiologist of emergency situations based on Cardiac ultrasound findings.
- Performs other duties as assigned.
Education, Credentials, Licenses:
- Graduate of an accredited (or accreditation eligible) cardiovascular ultrasound degree program and/or qualifying experience in accordance with IAC guidelines.
- Registered in non-invasive imaging with active status registry from ARDMS or CCI. New graduates will have 1 year after graduating to obtain registry.
Specialized Knowledge:
- Advance use of Doppler-continuous wave, pulse, color flow. Ability to provide professional preliminary reports.
Kind and Length of Experience:
FLSA Status:
Non-Exempt
Right Career. Right Here. If you're looking for the right careers in healthcare, the right place to be is at St. Elizabeth. Join us, and you'll take pride in the level of care we offer our community.
See all 246+ OPT Sonographer Jobs
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Get Access To All JobsTips for Finding OPT Sponsorship as a Sonographer
Confirm your program qualifies for STEM OPT
Diagnostic medical sonography is classified under CIP code 51.0910, which qualifies for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Verify your degree program's CIP code with your DSO before applying to roles requiring long-term commitment from employers.
Obtain ARDMS credentials before your OPT start date
Most hospital systems and imaging centers require ARDMS certification before hiring. Sitting for the SPI exam and at least one specialty exam while still in school removes a major hiring barrier and signals readiness to OPT-friendly employers.
Target hospital systems with structured training pipelines
Large health systems like HCA Healthcare, Ascension, and CommonSpirit regularly hire new graduate sonographers and are more experienced navigating OPT work authorization than smaller independent clinics or private practices.
Be upfront about your OPT timeline and STEM extension eligibility
Hiring managers in healthcare need staffing certainty. Telling them you have up to three years of STEM OPT authorization reduces perceived risk and makes you a more viable candidate compared to applicants with a shorter work authorization window.
Focus applications on states with high imaging demand
States like California, Texas, New York, and Florida have the highest volume of open sonographer positions. Broader geographic flexibility increases your chances of landing an OPT-friendly employer willing to support future H-1B visa sponsorship.
Use your clinical rotation network strategically
Many sonographers receive job offers from sites where they completed clinical rotations. Maintaining strong relationships with supervising sonographers and department managers during training gives you a direct referral path into OPT-eligible positions.
Sonographer OPT: Frequently Asked Questions
Does a sonographer job qualify for the STEM OPT extension?
It depends on your degree program, not the job title itself. If your diagnostic medical sonography program is classified under an eligible STEM CIP code, such as 51.0910, you qualify for the 24-month STEM OPT extension. Confirm your program's CIP code with your DSO and file the I-20 extension request at least 90 days before your initial OPT expires.
Do sonographer employers commonly sponsor H-1B visas?
Sonography roles can qualify as H-1B specialty occupations because the position typically requires at least a bachelor's degree in a specific field. Large hospital networks and imaging chains are more likely to sponsor than small private practices. Starting your OPT in a system with an established HR and immigration support structure gives you the best path toward H-1B sponsorship down the line.
Where can I find sonographer jobs that are open to OPT candidates?
Migrate Mate is built specifically for F-1 OPT students and filters jobs by sponsorship openness, saving you time screening out employers who won't consider candidates on work authorization. You can browse sonographer and diagnostic imaging roles directly on Migrate Mate without having to manually vet each employer's visa policy.
Do I need ARDMS certification to work as a sonographer on OPT?
Most employers require ARDMS certification or registry eligibility before hiring, regardless of your immigration status. The Sonography Principles and Instrumentation exam plus at least one specialty credential, such as abdomen or OB/GYN, are the standard minimum. Some employers will hire registry-eligible new graduates and require you to pass within a set timeframe, typically six to twelve months.
Can I work per diem or as a travel sonographer on OPT?
OPT work authorization allows part-time and temporary employment, but there are important conditions. Per diem and travel assignments must be directly related to your field of study, and you cannot work more than 20 hours per week during the academic year on pre-completion OPT. On post-completion OPT, full-time travel sonography contracts are permitted, provided each assignment is documented and your DSO is notified of employer changes.