Cardiac Sonography Training in Minnesota - MN

If you are still in high school and considering a career as an echocardiographer in Minnesota, there are certain courses you should take in preparation for training. Computer courses, anatomy and/or physiology, advanced math, advanced biology and advanced chemistry are all recommended by those who have gone on to study echocardiography. When considering enrolling in programs specific to cardiac sonographer training in Minnesota, make sure to check whether the school you choose is accredited and approved by the CAAHEP: the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs.

The average cardiac sonographer training program lasts two years, resulting in an associate degree. In addition, you need to take a course in Basic Life Support (BLS) and Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR). While many training programs offer the chance to gain clinical experience, if yours does not, you should pursue volunteer experience or job shadowing on your own. This will make passing the certification exams and getting your first job in the field much easier. After you have finished your training and graduated with your degree, you will be eligible to sit for credentialing exams offered by the ARDMS or CCI. These exams will test the knowledge you have learned. Depending upon the organization you choose, you will earn one of the following credentials upon passing the exam: CCT, or Certified Cardiographic Technician; RDMS, or Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer; RCS, or Registered Cardiac Sonographer; and a RDCS, or Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer.