Cardiac Sonography Training in South Dakota - SD

Cardiac sonographer training in South Dakota can be obtained in a variety of ways. There are a number of community colleges, private four-year colleges, and public universities that provide the basic educational foundation in science, mathematics, computer technology, and communication skills a cardiac sonographer needs to have. An important factor to look for in a sonography training program is accreditation by an institution such as the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Once accepted into an accredited program, you will learn specific information such as the anatomy of the heart and the cardiovascular system, ultrasound technology, medical terminology, and diseases of the heart.

Once you have received your certificate from a one-year vocational program, your associate’s degree from a community college, or a bachelor’s degree from four-year institution, it is highly recommended that you take a credentialing exam. Although cardiac sonographers are not required to be licensed or registered in South Dakota, many insurance companies require this for payment of services; thus many employers demand that sonographers or ultrasound technicians take and pass an examination to earn their “registered” credential.  Ongoing education is critical in health care as new information and technology is introduced regularly. Thus, in order to maintain your “registered” status, you must complete a certain number of continuing education units within a specified time period (usually three years). Continuing education units may be classes, workshops, or seminars that present pertinent information to cardiovascular health, technological improvements, critical care protocols, or other related topics.