Adult Echocardiography

​Program: Adult Echocardiography
Program Level: Vocational/undergraduate
Clock Hours: 1980
Program Length: 18 Months (77 Weeks)
Certificate: Certificate of Completion
Standard Occupational Classification: 29-2032
 
Admission Requirement:  Persons with high school diploma or GED or college degree or passing score on ATB test are eligible to apply.  In addition, applicant is required to pass MEI entrance exam to be admitted to this program.
 
Program Descriptions & Objectives:  Adult Echocardiography program offers exceptional clinical didactic education and hands-on practical experiences needed to create a well-rounded, fully competent cardiac sonographer in an environment based on teamwork and mutual respect.  Student will have opportunity to train and observe in the field of adult echocardiography including patient management and clinical medicine, ultrasound physics and instrumentation, pathophysiology of cardiovascular diseases and therapeutic measures, 2D & M mode echocardiography, cardiac doppler and color flow echocardiography, advanced techniques in echocardiography and stress echocardiography. 
 
Licensure and Certification:  Although some States require workers in this occupation to be licensed, license is not required in California to work in this profession. However, some graduates of Echocardiography program may be eligible to participate in certification examinations from two organizations: Cardiovascular Credentialing International (“CCI”) and the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (“ARDMS”).  The CCI offers four certifications—Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT), Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS), Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS), and Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS). The ARDMS offers Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS) and Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) credentials. Although these certifications and credentials are not mandated requirements, many employers prefer to hire individuals who will or have acquired one or more of these credentials.
 
Occupations:  Positions available to graduates of Echocardiography program include entry level invasive cardiology technician, echocardiographer, vascular sonographer, and/or entry level assistant to ultrasound laboratory technician. Jobs are performed mostly in cardiology departments, offices of physicians (cardiologists), or in medical and diagnostic laboratories/imaging centers. Echocardiography technicians held about 52,000 jobs in 2014 (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational and Employment Wages May 2018, as it appeared on their website on 01/14/2020 on https://data.bls.gov.)

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