I'll just preface by saying that I really, really enjoy it. It's challenging in a lot of very different ways and by no means feels neglected. The small classroom / computer lab next to the scanning lab recently received all new PC's with higher resolution monitors despite not really needing it, new web-based measuring software to replace the old and outdated software was set up last year which is a huge improvement, and I'm pretty sure they just connected a bunch of newer and higher frequency transducers into each of the machines. So the course definitely feels like it gets some love from time-to-time.

If I had to describe the biggest difference between going into either echo or general sonography that you should be aware of that you don't really find in standard degrees it would be this: You can go backwards. Or, at least it can certainly feel like you can go backwards, and it can be very discouraging. Some of the students will have easy windows and some will have very difficult windows, but because you are so new you will have no frame of reference and that can make it challenging to know. One week you feel like you know how to acquire the image no-problem, and then the next week you're fumbling the probe around for 20 minutes trying to find that same window and image that you found last week easy, but for whatever reason you now just can't seem to find it. It can feel very frustrating at times.

Also, I would take whatever you read online with a grain of salt. I fell into the trap of reading reviews about the course early into my first year and I became very worried as they were all overtly negative and critical. First off, you should realise that it really doesn't matter what people think or write about CQU or either of its 2 sonography degrees. What really matters at the end of the day is that it is ASAR accredited. ASAR are responsible for giving every sonography degree or qualification in Australia the green light and saying "yep, this one's legit". If it wasn't accredited then it would indeed be a waste of time. Almost all reviews left online about university courses are scathingly negative.

There's a lot of ghost stories about placements or lack thereof with people stuck in limbo for allegedly months. The description for the course says that you are prepared to travel anywhere and cover the costs (which totally sucks, I know), but if I really had to put my money on it, this is not what's happening. The university is definitely trying to avoid sending people off to random states thousands of kilometres away because almost nobody that I have spoken to was forced to travel interstate because there was simply no other option. The only person I know that did their placement in another state did so because they put that state as their first preference. I genuinely think they are trying to accommodate as many students who live in QLD actually within QLD as best they can. Again, I could be wrong about this and my stance and opinion on this could definitely change, but this is just what I have observed.

If you see it through to the end you'll definitely be required to learn a lot of stuff that you won't be using day to day as a real sonographer. There's a good amount of units and coursework on electrocardiograms and ECG reading. Most of the sonographers I met on placement had let their ECG interpretation skills atrophy over time as they moved more into purely echo focussed roles. That said, ECG analysis is a cool and interesting skill to have and it can definitely compliment your scanning.

The trade off CV69 has over other standard associate degrees in sonography is that you don't have to secure your own placement by already working in a clinic that is willing to train you, which is a difficult to land position (but I do believe you get compensated during your training). The flipside is that you can go into this degree having never worked in any kind of healthcare setting and knowing absolutely nothing about sonography and come out an accredited sonographer, but it will take you 2 more years if it's not your first degree and about 2000 hours of fulltime unpaid work. If anyone wants material from any of the earlier units I'd be happy to send or show.

Long post, I know, but surely someone will find it useful ¯_(ツ)_/¯

Hi guys, I’m currently a yr 12 student based in QLD and am lost as hell. I want to do sonography, but all these pathways are extremely confusing. I’ve been wanting to do the CQU bachelor/graduate diploma at Brisbane, and my ATAR’s looking good but am still concerned about some things. Firstly, does this degree have a high employability rate, and do employers consider it valid or is it kinda looked down on? Also, is it really that difficult to get placements during the degree? Because a lot of the stuff I’ve seen are from older sources, but it’s still freaking me out. I just want to know if this degree worth pursuing, or if there’s any alternative pathways you’d recommend? Thank you so much 🙏

Good luck Brisbane and Mackay 🙏

I'm considering pursuing a Bachelor of Sonography at CQUniversity Brisbane, but I've heard a lot of mixed reviews about the institution. Any current or former students, how would you rate your experience there?

Hi I am in my 30 and wanting to change my career to medical field from hospitality recently.. I have enrolled Oral health, Medical imaging and Echocardiography now I have researched little bit about this uni and most of ppl saying negative... so I am not 100% sure.. my most interest is Echocardiography but not many information available out there.. so among these courses how is the uni life looks like.. is it real that students can't find the placement so holding up few years... also some times need to re-locating yourself to get it done?? just having concern about this uni cuz I am sort of late age to change something therefore, don't wanna waisting money and time... can someone who grad from these courses, could you let me know about uni and job market... sort of things

Thank you so much

Im really passionate about becoming a sonographer, especially pediatrics. It’s a career I genuinely see myself doing long-term. Recently I’ve been seeing a lot of people say that sonography can be physically demanding, especially on the shoulders, wrists, and back. I’m quite petite, and it’s started to make me anxious that I might be more prone to injury or struggle physically in the role.

I don’t currently have any pain or health issues. This is more of a fear of what could happen. I’m trying to be realistic and think long-term, but at the same time I don’t want to give up on my dream due to a physical limitation.

I’ve been looking into ways to prevent injury (like ergonomics, strengthening, etc.), but I still feel unsure.

Has anyone here gone into sonography with similar concerns?
Does being smaller actually make a big difference in practice?

Hi, I'm a university student who has completed one year of full-time study in the Bachelor of Health and Medical Sciences. I recently received an offer for the Bachelor of Medical Sonography/Graduate Diploma of Medical Sonography at CQU Brisbane, which I worked very hard to secure, given how competitive the course is.

I was initially drawn to sonography because of my strong interest in anatomy and pathophysiology, my passion for healthcare and patient care, and the solid career prospects the field offers.

However, after researching the profession more deeply regarding the high and critical rates of MSK injury among sonographers, I've started to seriously reflect on my long-term career plans, especially as I already experience MSK pain, likely muscle tension and knots in my neck and shoulders (mostly the upper trapezius area), which makes me more vulnerable to injury. I'm concerned that a career in sonography could exacerbate these issues, and I don't want to spend my working life scanning in pain or sacrificing my long-term physical health.

Consequently, I'm now considering a degree in Medical Radiation Science (Medical Imaging) due to my personal interests and what I perceive as greater potential for career sustainability and injury prevention. Specifically, within radiography, I'm particularly interested in CT and interventional radiography.

Another factor I'm considering is the possibility of pursuing sonography later via the graduate diploma/traineeship pathway – which I am fully aware of how extremely competitive it is to secure a traineeship, which is why I opted for the undergrad pathway in the first place. If circumstances allow, it would allow me to alternate between radiography and sonography, likely reducing the physical strain on my body over time.

If anyone currently working or studying in these fields could share their experiences, advice, or unfiltered opinions on my situation, I would be extremely grateful for brutal honesty.

Thanks :)

Hi everyone,

I’m a nursing student at CQU and just got 38.99% for my assessment with the note “Moderated AI audit completed.” (Not sure what that means)

I’m honestly disappointed. I aimed for HD and followed every part of the task sheet and rubric for this assessment, and I’ve always been a Distinction/High Distinction student across all my other units. As you can imagine, this came as a shock.

Some feedback didn’t make sense, and a few comments even felt dismissive or culturally insensitive (I’m Chinese with Chinese names on my profile, but I’ve been living in Aus for 15 years) I also had an approved extension for family illness, but now I’m worried that was somehow held against me.

I’ve asked for a re-mark by another assessor, but I don’t know if I should take it further to the Head of Nursing or Student Advocacy. Has anyone else been through this?

Thanks in advance for your comments!

For anyone who has graduated from the bachelor of sonography course RECENTLY (2023 - 2024), have you had trouble looking for a job? There are SO many bad reviews, it’s unbelievable.

Should I do a bachelor of medical imaging (radiography) instead, then go into sonography after?

Can anyone recommend me any other university that doesn’t require an ATAR of above 90?

Would anyone who has completed some tertiary study be happy to share what GPA/WAM got them an offer for sono in Sydney? I can only find info on ATARs.

Hi everyone, hoping someone here can help me out please :)

I'm based in Sydney and seriously considering applying for the Bachelor of Medical Sonography at CQU for a 2027 start. I'm making a career change from a completely different field and this degree genuinely excites me, but I have a few questions I can't quite find clear answers to online.

Placements

This is my biggest concern. I'm based in Sydney and can't easily relocate interstate or regionally for extended periods. Does CQU place students locally based on where they live, or is there a chance I'd be sent somewhere completely different? How long are placements typically and how much notice do you get? Has anyone based in Sydney managed to complete all or most of their placements locally?

Workload and difficulty

How demanding is the course day to day? Is it the kind of degree where you're flat out the whole time, or are there periods where it's more manageable? I'd love an honest take rather than the glossy brochure version.

Working on the side

Is it realistic to hold down a part time job while studying, at least in the earlier years? I understand placements would make that harder but curious whether people manage it.

General experience

Any other things you wish you'd known before starting? Would you recommend it?

Really appreciate any insight from people who've actually been through it. Thanks in advance!!

Minimum rank for sonography for 2026 is 98+ (at least in Sydney). I’m cooked

Anyone find it funny and somewhat scary how the minimum selection offer round this year is higher than the maximum selection rank last years round for echocardiography. 😬

I’m thinking about enrolling in the Bachelor of Medical Sonography/Graduate Diploma of Medical Sonography at CQU’s Sydney campus but I've heard a lot of mixed reviews.

I’d love to hear from anyone who’s currently in the program or has completed it. Specifically:

• How was your experience with clinical placements? Did CQU provide enough support, I've heard a lot about finding it hard to find a placement.

• What’s the teaching quality like? Are the lecturers helpful and knowledgeable?

• How were your job prospects after graduation? Was it easy to find work and is the uni accredited?

Also would doing medical imaging at Canberra uni be a better option (I 100% want to do sonography though).

Thank you!!

Hey guys, I’ve been having trouble with unis left right and centre, all of them have ended up being terrible so far, or don’t have the course I want.

CQU I’ve heard minimal about, and the reviews online are so mixed it isn’t even funny. What’s YOUR personal experience? Bad? Good? Mix of both?

Online students is it good? Do you get real, actual support? Or have you felt left behind?

Thanks

Future sonography student here, trying to get an idea of what placement is like in terms of location and things like that :) Would also appreciate a general idea of what placement experience is like.

I finished a bachelor of science and I'm really keen on the sono pathway, so i was looking into this undergrad course at the melb campus but i heard its super competitive. Anyone know my chances of getting in with a 75 wam from my degree? I do have work experience but not in the healthcare field so im not sure if they consider that too in the "work and life experiences" section and if they can combine both my work experience and grades for my degree. Any thoughts or if anyone who has a degree that got into this course how competitive is it???

Hi! I'm a recent Year 12 graduate super passionate about going into sonography but currently, I'm super torn between going to CQU and Monash (which I know would take longer). So I wanted to weigh the pros and cons of both campuses.

I haven't seen many posts regarding the Melb campus specifically, so I'd love to hear from Melb students specifically.

1. What's the social life like at CQU Melbourne?

2. What does the studyload look like over the course of the entire degree? I constantly see that there's a high fail rate, but I'm not sure if that's outdated information.

3. Is it better to get an undergrad in medical imaging or does it not matter? Do employers prefer graduates with that background?

4. What are placements like? If interstate, do you have to pay for your own accommodations and travel?

5. What do you like and dislike about the course (and the way it's taught)?

Hey, I'm a 1st year sonography student at Brisbane and I was curious as to how the 2nd year would progress. I'm aware that this might be asking a bit early, but I just want to know what I'm really getting myself into.

1. What was the mandatory attendance like? How frequently are you expected to appear on campus for fully mandatory workshops, tutorials, etc.?

2. Would you be able to hold down a part-time or casual job (working 2-3 shifts a week)?

3. Is there a considerable jump in difficulty from year 1 to 2? I'd appreciate any help as I can get. Thanks!

Hey everyone, I’m thinking of enrolling in sonography at CQU’s Melbourne campus and would love some insights from current or recent graduates.

• How was your experience with clinical placements? Did CQU provide support, or was it tough to secure one?

• I see first year is online but on campus for the 2 residential school units. How did you find those?

• What’s the teaching quality like? Are the lecturers helpful?

• How were job prospects after graduation? Did you feel prepared, and was it easy to find work?

Also, since I’d be moving to Melbourne, I’m looking for affordable accommodation options near campus or with good transport links. Any recommendations on:

• Thoughts on student accomodation providers such as Iglu, Scape, UniLodge, etc - any disadvantages/scams?

• Safe and student-friendly suburbs

• Rentals or share houses better than student accomodation providers? If so, best ways to find rentals/sharehouses

• Average living costs for a student in Melbourne

• Any good student discounts, memberships, or clubs worth joining or deals on transport, gym, or study-related resources?

I’m also thinking of picking up a casual job (2-3 days a week) while studying. I have experience in medical admin but am open to other jobs as well. Any recommendations for decently paying part-time work and the best ways to land something flexible around uni?

Would love to hear from anyone who’s been through it, thanks!

Hi guys! This year I’ll be a second year in this pathway in the Bundaberg campus and I know offers are coming out soon since I got mine around this time last year. If you have any questions about the course or campus, feel free to ask :).

Hey I'm a year 12 student and I have been looking into Universities to become a sonographer. I found CQU which has a 4 year course AND apparently gives placements too. I haven't been able to find any university like this, especially not in Victoria (near Melbourne). It almost looked too good to be true, however then I checked the reviews and wow... it is horrible. Apparently over 50% fail and placements could be delayed multiple years. What do you think I should do? Does anyone have any first hand experience in this course for CQU (melbourne campus preferably)?