Working in the healthcare industry has always been a popular choice. It provides professionals with a great opportunity for a fulfilling career. While people often think of doctors and nurses when they imagine the positions available in medical environments, there are many other professions to consider. One such position is a cardiac sonographer. Turn to the team at National Polytechnic College, based in Lakewood, CA, to learn more about cardiovascular sonography and why it might be the right career choice for you.
What Is Cardiovascular Sonography?
Cardiovascular sonography (also known as echocardiography) is a medical imaging technology that uses sound waves to help doctors examine the heart and blood vessels in great detail. The specialized technology works much like a standard ultrasound, providing moving 2-D or 3-D images to help doctors make diagnoses. The test is known as an echocardiogram.
Echocardiograms are useful because they allow physicians to see areas of the body that would otherwise need invasive procedures to examine. The in-depth images let you view blockages in the arteries, look for abnormal blood flow, and check on the progress of diagnosed heart diseases. These tests can help medical professionals detect or monitor a range of conditions, including:
- Heart murmurs
- Congenital heart disease
- Damage due to a heart attack
- Pulmonary hypertension
- Cardiomyopathy
- Valve disease
- Pericardial diseases
What Does a Cardiac Sonographer Do?
Cardiac sonographers take on several responsibilities throughout the workday. First, they are tasked with performing echocardiogram tests to provide information for physicians. To do so, these professionals place an instrument called a transducer on different areas of the chest. The transducer releases sound waves into the body, which echo off the heart and its components, transmitting them into an electrical impulse. These impulses are then converted by the echocardiography machine into moving images, which allow doctors to see how the organ performs.
Cardiac sonographers help physicians diagnose patients based on their medical histories, symptoms, and echocardiogram test results. When analyzing these tests, you’ll need to evaluate the images closely to help determine the patients’ heart conditions and address any abnormalities. This means that highly effective communication is a valuable trait for those looking to enter this field. You’ll also need to record patient data and results for future reference, schedule appointments, and take on other administrative duties, meaning cardiac sonographers must be highly organized.
Why Is Cardiovascular Sonography a Good Career?
There are many reasons someone might look to become a cardiac sonographer. The perks of the profession include:
High Demand
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, employment of diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians is expected to grow 11% annually through 2033. This growth rate is much faster than that of most occupations. This means nearly 10,000 job openings will be available for these positions each year, on average. The increase in available positions means it may be easy to find a job and keep it.
Showing You Care
Working in the medical field allows you to help people be healthy and comfortable. You’ll work closely with their doctors to determine if anything is wrong and come up with a possible treatment plan.
Great Pay
These medical professionals earn generous pay throughout the country. Cardiac sonographers in California tend to be well-paid. The increase in available jobs will likely cause wages to continue to rise.
Why Choose National Polytechnic College?
At National Polytechnic College, our cardiovascular sonography program is geared toward giving students the knowledge and experience they need to excel in this exciting career. You’ll benefit from a mix of lectures and on-campus lab training to enhance your practical skills. You’ll even get to experience some online courses for convenience. Because of our accreditations and approvals, you can trust you’re getting a high-quality education.
Overall, this program takes 94 weeks (or about 24 months) to complete, providing in-depth knowledge from our expert instructors. You can even get your associate degree along with the program in only 106 weeks (or about 26 months). This will give you a leg up on the competition when applying for jobs.
Our dedication to our students extends beyond the classroom, as our financial aid department will work with eligible students to help make payments more affordable. We also feature a career services department that can help you find jobs after completing our program.
Enroll in Our Cardiovascular Sonography Program Today
Whether you’re interested in cardiovascular sonography or any of our other programs, reaching out to National Polytechnic College in Lakewood, CA, is a great way to get started. We have built our curriculum to help those fresh out of high school or those who want to take their lives in a new direction. Call us today at 888-379-4090 if you have any questions or want to learn more.