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ECHOCARDIOGRAPHY SONOGRAPHY
ASSOCIATE OF APPLIED SCIENCE
The Echocardiography Sonography progam at Central Florida Institute in Palm Harnbor is accredited by the Commission Accredidation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the reccomendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT)
The Advanced Noninvasive Cardiovascular Technologists training program in Tampa, Florida is designed to prepare the student to work as an Echo Tech. After completing the on-campus portion of the cardiovascular training at Central Florida Institute, the student must complete the clinical rotation provided in hospitals and cardiac diagnostic centers. There is a high demand for Echo Techs to perform ultrasound imaging of the heart, right here in Tampa, Florida!
Advanced Cardio Technologists assist physicians in diagnosing and treating cardiac (heart) and peripheral vascular (blood vessel) ailments. CFI trains you in the echocardiography and vascular technology techniques that use ultra-sound instrumentation, such as Doppler ultrasound. The cardiovascular training techniques taught to the student are called noninvasive since they do not require the insertion of any equipment or instruments into the patient’s body.
The Tampa Cardiovascular Technologist (Echo Tech) student is taught to use ultrasound instruments to create an image of the patient’s body. Images of the heart are called echocardiograms. The image is transmitted to a screen and is recorded on videotape or as a photograph for the physician to use in determining a diagnosis. It is very important for the cardiovascular technologist to obtain the clearest images possible for the physician. The cardiovascular technologist is trained to check the image on the screen as they scan to look for differences between healthy and diseased areas. The cardiovascular tech is the one who decides which images to include in the report to the physician.
The Advanced Cardiovascular Technologist (Echo Tech) training program at the Tampa CFI campus also includes an introduction to noninvasive vascular training. Vascular studies reveal disorders that a patient may have with the circulatory system. The student is taught to perform procedures using ultrasound instrumentation to record vascular information, such as blood pressure, blood flow, oxygen saturation, limb volume changes, and cerebral, peripheral, and abdominal circulation.
According to the United States Department of Labor, employment of cardiovascular technologists is expected to grow faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2012. The fast growth for employment as a Cardio Technician is directly related to the fact that as the population ages, older people have a higher incidence of heart problems.
Graduates of this Tampa, FL Echocardiography Sonography training program are highly qualified in:
- Echocardiograms (Echos)
- Stress echos
- Transesophageal echos
- Dobutamine stress echo
- Contrast/nuclear stress echo
- Holter monitors
- Pediatric echo
Career opportunities for graduates of the Advanced Noninvasive Cardio Technologists program:
- Hospitals
- Outpatient Clinics
- Physicians' offices
- Cardiac Diagnostic Centers
- Cardiac Rehab
The Department of Labor points out that healthcare employers prefer trained personnel, therefore, the job prospects should be best for Advanced Cardiovascular Technologists with formal training such as that offered at Central Florida Institute. Healthcare employers are particularly interested in Advanced Cardiovascular Technologists with certification.
Echocardiography Sonography Graduates may obtain the following national credentials by passing the corresponding certification examination:
(RCS) - Registered Cardiac Sonographer through Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)
(RDCS) - Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography ( ARDMS)