Echocardiography (CSC)

Career Studies Certificate
Code: 221-109-08

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Purpose: The PVCC Career Studies Certificate in Adult Echocardiography will prepare competent entry-level Adult echocardiography technologists in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and effective (behavior) learning domains.

Occupational Outlook: According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), a sonographer uses equipment that emits sound waves to penetrate through body tissue (www.bls.gov). The sound waves reverberate back to create a computerized image of the body tissue. Echocardiographers are thus the specially trained technologist who work with the cardiovascular system.

According to the U.S. Department of Labor and EMSI data, employment of sonographers nationally and in our service region is projected to grow faster than average for other occupations through 2024. The average salary for employees in this field is approximately $24.31 per hour ($50,564 annually). Experienced vascular technicians can earn an average of $34 per hour ($70,720). As imaging technology evolves, medical facilities will continue to use ultrasound to replace more invasive and costly procedures. Sonographers with specialized credentials in more than one modality, e.g. Vascular Technology, will have a competitive advantage over other sonographers without this additional training.

Admission to Program: Registered ARDMS with relevant work experience.