Interview scorecard template

Ultrasound Technician interview scorecard

Evaluate Ultrasound Technician candidates across 4 weighted areas: clinical competence, patient safety and protocol, patient communication, and working in a clinical team. Clinical competence leads at 35%, so check the scan types they perform independently, the equipment they know, and current registration. Use the rubric to compare role-specific evidence consistently.

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healthcare clinicalallied healthdiagnostic imagingsonographyultrasound
TL;DR
For clinical competence, look for evidence the candidate performs your scan types independently on your equipment, with current registration and no supervision needed. For patient safety and protocol, look for evidence the candidate rigorous on identification and labelling, and escalates unexpected findings promptly through the right channel. Apply the written 1–5 anchors to every answer, record the evidence behind each rating, and use the factor weights to reach a consistent overall assessment.
Complete evaluation framework

What to assess and how to score it

Review the evidence signals before interviewing. Then use the anchored descriptions—not instinct alone—to choose the score that best matches each answer.

01
Evaluation factor

Clinical competence

35% weight

Check the scan types they perform independently, the equipment they know, and current registration.

Evidence to listen for

  • Command of the procedures, anatomy, and equipment the role requires
  • Holds current registration or certification
  • Knows normal from abnormal and what to do about each
  • Recognises when a case is outside their scope

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Unsafe knowledge gaps; registration missing or lapsed.

2
Needs Improvement

Knowledge gaps that would affect patient care.

3
Satisfactory

Competent for standard cases; needs support on complex ones.

4
Very Good

Strong clinical knowledge; safe and reliable across the usual range.

5
Excellent

Performs your scan types independently on your equipment, with current registration and no supervision needed.

02
Evaluation factor

Patient safety and protocol

30% weight

Test patient identification, image labelling, and what they do when they spot an unexpected finding.

Evidence to listen for

  • Follows identification, infection control, and documentation protocol without prompting
  • Can describe an error or near miss and what they did
  • Escalates deterioration early
  • Treats protocol as protection rather than bureaucracy

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Casual about protocol; would not report an error.

2
Needs Improvement

Inconsistent protocol adherence; slow to escalate.

3
Satisfactory

Follows protocol reliably; documentation sometimes thin.

4
Very Good

Protocol is instinctive; escalates early and reports honestly.

5
Excellent

Rigorous on identification and labelling, and escalates unexpected findings promptly through the right channel.

03
Evaluation factor

Patient communication

20% weight

Assess how they scan an anxious, immobile, or distressed patient and still get diagnostic images.

Evidence to listen for

  • Explains a procedure to an anxious or confused patient
  • Handles distress, pain, or refusal without losing control of the interaction
  • Respects privacy and dignity in practice, not just in principle
  • Works with families and carers

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Dismissive of patients; no bedside awareness.

2
Needs Improvement

Task-focused; struggles with distressed patients.

3
Satisfactory

Adequate rapport; less confident in difficult interactions.

4
Very Good

Calm, clear, and respectful with anxious or difficult patients.

5
Excellent

Gets diagnostic images from anxious or difficult patients while keeping them calm and informed.

04
Evaluation factor

Working in a clinical team

15% weight

Judge how they hand findings to radiologists and clinicians, and whether they flag urgency appropriately.

Evidence to listen for

  • Hands over cleanly and completely
  • Challenges a colleague when patient safety requires it
  • Takes direction from clinicians without deferring blindly
  • Handles shift work and pressure without becoming difficult to work with

Five-point scoring guide

1
Poor

Poor handover; cannot work in a clinical team.

2
Needs Improvement

Handover gaps; avoids raising concerns about colleagues.

3
Satisfactory

Reliable team member; handover adequate.

4
Very Good

Clean handovers and willing to speak up on safety.

5
Excellent

Hands over to radiologists cleanly and flags urgent findings without over- or under-escalating.

Evidence-led prompts

Interview questions for a Ultrasound Technician

Use these prompts to surface evidence for the weighted factors above and compare candidates against the same role-specific criteria.

  1. 01

    Do you hold certification from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography or a similar body, and which specialty does it cover?

  2. 02

    How comfortable are you performing abdominal, pelvic, small parts, and vascular studies, and which of those do you scan without supervision?

  3. 03

    Which ultrasound systems have you worked on, and how long did it take you to get productive on the most recent one?

  4. 04

    What experience do you have with a picture archiving and communication system (PACS), and how do you handle image labelling within it?

  5. 05

    What steps do you take to confirm patient identity and ensure comfort and safety before and during an ultrasound examination?

See the complete Ultrasound Technician question set
Put this rubric to work

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