Adult Echocardiography

​Program: Adult Echocardiography
 
Program Level: vocational/undergraduate
 
Clock Hours:  1980
 
Program length: 18 months (77 weeks)
 
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:  Echocardiographer and vascular technologists, operate special imaging equipment to create images or to conduct tests. The images and test results help physicians assess and diagnose medical conditions. Some technologists assist physicians and surgeons during surgical procedures. Most adult  echocardiographer, work full time in cardiologic department at hospitals, while most others worked in physician’s offices (cardiologists) and medical and diagnostic laboratories/imaging centers (Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2016-17Edition).

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