Gadsden State Community College is accepting applications for its Diagnostic Medical Sonography Echocardiography Certificate Program, a 21-credit-hour program designed for working sonographers who want to specialize in echocardiography.
The hybrid program is offered at the college’s Valley Street Campus and combines online coursework with an on-campus lab one night per week. Students receive hands-on training with specialized equipment while continuing to work in the field.
Echocardiography uses ultrasound technology to produce images of the heart and provide information used to evaluate cardiovascular conditions. Echocardiographers, also known as cardiac sonographers, may work in hospitals and physician offices.
Kimberly Moss, RT(R), RVT, RDMS, RDCS, RCS, an echocardiography instructor at Gadsden State, said the program is designed to build on the skills sonographers already have.
“Echocardiography combines technology, critical thinking and patient care, and it can be a very rewarding next step for someone looking to advance their career,” Moss said.
A new class is admitted each spring. Selection is based on ranking, completion of admission requirements and availability of space at clinical facilities.
Applicants must meet at least one of three criteria: graduate from a CAAHEP-accredited Diagnostic Medical Sonography program; be a vascular registered sonographer; or have more than five years of clinical scanning experience.
According to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics information included in Gadsden State’s program materials, the broader diagnostic medical sonography and cardiovascular technology field had a median annual pay of $80,850, or $38.87 per hour, in 2023. Employment in the field is projected to grow 11% by 2033.
For working sonographers, the hybrid format allows students to continue working while completing the certificate and gaining specialized training in echocardiography.
