Medical diagnostic ultrasound is used to diagnose a variety of medical conditions. Across Australian and New Zealand sonographers perform the majority of medical diagnostic ultrasound examinations.

The need for medical diagnostic ultrasound is increasing exponentially. However, the number of new sonographers coming into the workforce has not kept up with demand. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that more than half of sonographers work in part-time or casual roles with limited capacity to take on additional work, and one-quarter of the workforce is over 50 years of age and approaching retirement. 

For over a decade, this workforce shortage has been worsening and is now critical.

The lack of clinical training placements is the most significant barrier to overcoming the shortage. To gradudate, it is recommended that student sonographers complete a minimum clinical training of three days per week over a two year period. Most courses require students to identify their placement, commonly provided as an ‘employed’ position. These positions can be challenging to secure as they rely heavily on the time and resources of supervising sonographers, and present a high financial cost to the employer.  

No. The shortage of sonographers is a global issue. Many countries are facing a similar problem, including New Zealand, the United Kingdom, and Canada.  

Sonographers are currently listed on the National Skills Priority List as being in national shortage. A 2024 ASA survey of major employers estimates the undersupply to be 20-30% or more. This often results in exam rooms being closed and lengthy delays in services for patients; and additional costs for employers to attract and retain permanent staff, or use locums. 

As at December 2023, there were 7,780 Accredited Medical Sonographers in Australia.

Demand for ultrasound services continues to grow, influenced by an aging population, and growing application and cost-effectiveness of ultrasound technology. 

Left unresolved, the workforce shortage is expected to become exponentially worse, as generations of sonographers begin to retire.

The workforce shortage is an issue across Australia.

It is a particular challenge for many regional and remote communities. Similarly, sonography positions that require discipline-specific skills or additional experience can be challenging to fill.

While it is undoubtedly a challenge for the private sector, where 76% of sonographers are employed, the public sector also faces challenges in attracting and retaining sufficient sonographers.  

A shortage of sonographers directly affects patient access to timely, quality and comprehensive medical diagnostic ultrasound services. For instance, patients are regularly having to wait a year and a half for ultrasound heart scans. 

Patients need access to ultrasound for a range of health services, including pregnancy management, cancer diagnoses, and everything in between. Ultrasound is often a patient’s first diagnostic imaging exam, which either eliminates the need for or informs the use of, other more expensive diagnostic imaging. 

Delays in accessing ultrasound services can result in avoidable and poor (sometimes catastrophic) health outcomes for the patient and can result in increased costs for the patient and the health system due to having to treat more advanced health conditions.

While a proportion of sonographers working in Australia have been trained overseas, attracting and retaining internationally trained sonographers as a primary solution to the workforce shortage is not viable.

Net migration for medical imaging professionals is very low and is a minor source of new sonographers to the workforce. In the five years to 2023, a total of 88 overseas trained sonographers were approved to practice in Australia. The low net migration is influenced by the fact that the minimum competency expectations of sonographers in Australia are higher than for many other countries. There is also a global shortage of sonographers, which limits the ability to attract overseas trained sonographers to address the local workforce shortage.

The workforce shortage is a critical issue for ASA members and the wider industry. Work to address the problem is a major priority for the ASA.

The ASA is working with key stakeholders – employers, educators and governments - to fully understand the complexity of the challenge and consider a range of solutions.

Importantly, the ASA continues to advocate Federal and State governments and health departments on behalf of members to seek support for solutions. 

Medical diagnostic ultrasound is used to diagnose and manage a variety of medical conditions. Across New Zealand, sonographers perform the majority of medical diagnostic ultrasound examinations. 

The need for medical diagnostic ultrasound is increasing exponentially. However, the number of new sonographers coming into the workforce has not kept up with demand. This issue is exacerbated by the fact that more than 40% of sonographers work in part-time roles, and one-quarter of the workforce is over 50 years of age and approaching retirement. 

The lack of clinical training placements is a significant barrier to overcoming the shortage. To graduate, student sonographers must complete a comprehensive clinical training program. Students are typically required to identify their own placement, commonly provided as an ‘employed’ position. These positions can be challenging to secure as they rely heavily on the time and resources of supervising sonographers, and present a high financial cost to the employer. 

The shortage is also influenced by the lack of domestic training opportunities, with a high reliance on attracting overseas trained sonographers to fill the gaps. There is currently only one university in New Zealand, Auckland University, providing education to train new general sonographers. Auckland University also introduced a cardiac sonography course in February 2024.

No. The shortage of sonographers is a global issue.

Many countries are facing a similar problem, including Australia, the United Kingdom, and Canada.  

For several years the shortage of sonographers in New Zealand has been considered severe. The workforce shortage of sonographers is a problem for health services nation-wide, and an issue which is exaggerated in regional and remote districts.

In 2023, the New Zealand Government estimated that there is a shortage of 120+ FTE sonographers or approximately 20% of the current workforce. 

Sonography positions that require discipline-specific skills or additional experience can be challenging to fill, such as cardiac sonographers. 

While it is undoubtedly a challenge for the private sector, where a more significant share of sonographers are employed, the public sector also faces challenges in attracting and retaining sufficient sonographers. 

Across recent years isolated initiatives have sought to address this issue locally. However, with limited locally trained sonographers, the workforce is at dire risk with only one university in New Zealand providing education to train new general sonographers.

A shortage of sonographers directly affects patient access to timely, quality and comprehensive medical diagnostic ultrasound services. For instance, patients are regularly having to wait a year and a half for ultrasound heart scans. 

Patients need access to ultrasound for a range of health services, including pregnancy management, cancer diagnoses, and everything in between. Ultrasound is often a patient’s first diagnostic imaging exam, which either eliminates the need for or informs the use of, other more expensive diagnostic imaging. 

Delays in accessing ultrasound services can result in avoidable and poor (sometimes catastrophic) health outcomes for the patient and can result in increased costs for the patient and the health system due to having to treat more advanced health conditions.

Immigration New Zealand has been working on a skills market attraction program since 2017 to bring overseas trained sonographers to the country. In recent years, the number of new sonographers with overseas qualifications has regularly exceeded the number of new sonographers qualified in New Zealand.

However, the numbers of sonographers coming into New Zealand are not meeting the national workforce supply-demand, and there continues to be a critical shortage across the country. 

This in part has to do with the global shortage of sonographers, which limits the ability to attract overseas trained sonographers to address the local workforce shortage - compounded by the limited number of sonographers trained locally.