Echocardiography
Winter 2019
Start
Fall
Additional Costs
Books | $1000 |
Supplies and Equipment | $150 |
Misc. Fees* | $500 |
* Estimate 7 quarters. Misc fee includes: uniforms, insurance, national certification exam, physical exam |
Program Description
Echocardiography is an Allied Health profession specifically concerning the diagnosis and treatment of patients with cardiac and peripheral vascular disease. The technologist performs examinations at the request or direction of a physician. Through subjective sampling and/or recording, the technologist proceeds with the examination to create an easily definable foundation of data from which a correct anatomic and physiologic diagnosis may be established for each patient.
The primary role of the cardiovascular sonographer is to obtain recordings of ultrasound images of the heart and related structures for the physician to interpret. The various types of ultrasound equipment require a highly skilled operator to obtain the imaging information or other data required. The cardiovascular sonographer must obtain appropriate clinical history, cardiac-related physical findings, and pertinent laboratory data in order to adapt the imaging techniques to obtain comprehensive and diagnostic echocardiographic information. The Cardiovascular Technology Programs (Invasive and Noninvasive) are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (
www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee for Cardiovascular Technology (
www.jrccvt.org). JRC-CVT 6 Pine Knoll Dr. Beverly, MA 01915-1425 (978) 456-5594. Students within the Echocardiography program are required to complete a six month, full-time clinical internship. As clinical space is limited in Spokane and the surrounding area, the student may be required to complete their internship in an out-of-town and/or out-of-area medical center.
Admission Requirements:
- ECHO courses are limited to students of the Echocardiography program
- Active email account required
- Appropriate math score
- Self-place into English
- A 2.5 grade in each prerequisite course is required and course completion should be no older than 5 years
- Admission to the ECHO program is competitive and based on a panel interview, prerequisite course GPA, additional math, science, and healthcare related coursework, quality of reference letters, and completion of 40 hours volunteerism in healthcare and cardiovascular ultrasound
- A 2.0 (79%) is required in every program course to proceed to the next quarter
- National background check is conducted prior to admission and 4th quarter of the program
- Immunizations, current healthcare provider CPR, and 7 hour blood borne pathogen training are required prior to clinical internship in the 4th quarter
- Selective clinical sites require a ten-panel drug screen within 30 days of clinical internship
- Return to the program is based on "space available" and requires remedial work to demonstrate knowledge base appropriate with program re-entry point
- After re-entry, students may only repeat a class one time. Repeat of courses must be completed within two years
Admission Recommendations:
- Computer skills are recommended
- Some students find completion of CHEM 120 Organic and Biochemistry for Health Sciences and CHEM 121 helpful to learning in the program
- Additional healthcare related courses such as HED 109, 129 or nursing assistant coursework
After entering the Echocardiography program, students are required to maintain a minimum of a 2.0 grade in each class before proceeding to the next quarter. Students need to realize that clinical site placement could require relocation outside of the immediate Spokane area for 10 (4 weeks in August and 6 months for full time) months.
Program Learning Outcomes
- Perform high quality noninvasive cardiovascular tests on patients, while tailoring the examinations to bring out abnormalities present. Develop skill in performing m-mode, two-dimensional and doppler echocardiograms, electrocardiograms, exercise tolerance testing, ambulatory electrocardiographic monitoring and pacemaker reprogramming and monitoring.
- Quantitate, subjectively evaluate and interpret data collected to assist the physician in arriving at a diagnosis.
- Develop clinical understanding of the anatomy, physiology, pathology, diagnosis and treatment of the major adult and pediatric cardiac diseases and deformities.
- Communicate effectively in a professional manner with physicians, patients and members of health teams.
Career Opportunities
Ultrasonic imagery of intracardiac and vascular structures is a rapidly advancing specialty due to continued technological advances. There continues to be a demand for trained technologists in hospitals, clinics and physicians offices. The greatest demand is outside the Spokane area due to the few number of training programs available across the nation. POTENTIAL POSITIONS INCLUDE: noninvasive cardiovascular technologist, echocardiographer, cardiac sonographer
AAS - SCC
Offered at Locations: Spokane Community College |
Prerequisites |
- BIOL&160 | General Biology w/Lab 1 |
- BIOL&241 | Human A & P 1 1 |
- BIOL&242 | Human A & P 2 1 |
- CMST&210 | Interpersonal Communication 1 |
- ENGL&101 | English Composition I 1 |
- HED 125 | Medical Terminology 1 |
- PHYS 100 | Introductory Physics 1 |
|
First Quarter |
ECHO 100 | Introduction to Echo and Vascular | 2 |
ECHO 112 | Vascular Fundamentals | 4 |
ECHO 116 | Acute Coronary Syndrome | 1 |
ECHO 117 | Cardiovascular Pharm 1 | 1 |
ECHO 125 | Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation I | 5 |
ECHO 213 | Electrophysiology | 4 |
| 17 |
Second Quarter |
ECHO 122 | Vascular Procedures I | 4 |
ECHO 126 | Hemodynamics | 2 |
ECHO 127 | Technical Skills/Reading Hemodynamics | 1 |
ECHO 128 | Cardiovascular Pharm 2 | 1 |
ECHO 129 | Technical Skills/Pharmacology | 1 |
ECHO 133 | Echo Fundamentals | 5 |
ECHO 135 | Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation II | 5 |
| 19 |
Third Quarter |
ECHO 131 | Core Concepts in Echo Vasc | 2 |
ECHO 136 | Comparative Imaging Analysis | 3 |
ECHO 138 | Cardiovascular Physiology | 4 |
ECHO 253 | Echocardiography I | 6 |
ECHO 254 | Technical Skills Echocardiography I | 2 |
| 17 |
Fourth Quarter |
ECHO 139 | Surgical Asepsis | 1 |
ECHO 140 | Technical Skills/Surgical Asepsis | 1 |
ECHO 141 | Data Collection and Presentation | 3 |
ECHO 142 | Echo Clinical Preparation | 4 |
ECHO 143 | Echo Clinical I | 6 |
| 15 |
Fifth Quarter |
ECHO 251 | Echocardiography Clinical II | 6 |
ECHO 252 | Cardiovascular Pathophysiology | 1 |
ECHO 255 | Research Methods and Biostatistics | 3 |
ECHO 263 | Echocardiography II | 7 |
ECHO 264 | Technical Skills Echo II | 2 |
| 19 |
Sixth Quarter |
ECHO 261 | Echocardiography Clinical III | 14 |
| 14 |
Seventh Quarter |
ECHO 273 | Echocardiography Clinical IV | 14 |
| 14 |
115 credits are required for the AAS |
|
1 | All prerequisite courses must have been completed within the last five years with a GPA of 2.5 or better. |
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Disclaimer: The college cannot guarantee courses will be offered in the quarters indicated. During the period this guide is in circulation, there may be curriculum revisions and program changes. Students are responsible for consulting the appropriate academic unit or adviser for more current and specific information. the information in this guide is subject to change and does not constitute an agreement between the college and the student.