Curriculum

Junior Year: Semester 1 (Summer)

Course Descriptions
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Introduction to Cardiac Sonography - ECH 111 (16 lecture hours, 16 lab hours, 1.5 credit hours)
​This course provides the cardiac sonography student with an introduction to ultrasound including the roles and qualities of a sonographer. This course defines body planes and cavities that are used in sonography terminology. This course will provide the student with an introduction to the ultrasound machine, transducers and terms used in sonography. This course will provide the student with knowledge of heart and cardiovascular anatomy including the blood vessels and structures associated with the heart. This course provides an overview of normal blood flow in the cardiovascular system. This course will provide instruction on how to obtain all of the basic views in a transthoracic echocardiogram along with the structures visualized in each view. This course also provides an introduction to cardiovascular physiology including the cardiac cycle and associated terms. This course provides activities and scan labs directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.  Parallel: DMS 112, DMS 113, ECH 119.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.

Patient Care - DMS 112 (28 lecture hours, 9 lab hours, 2.0 credit hours)

This course provides the cardiac sonography student with the basic concepts of patient care including consideration for the physical and psychological needs of the patient. Some topics to be covered include: Safety and transport of a patient, infection control, isolation techniques, aseptic technique, handling acute situations, pharmacology, emergency recognition and response, and vital signs.  This is a time for the students to develop their own patient care techniques while developing an understanding of body mechanics, patient assessment techniques, ethical, legal, and professional issues.  This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.  Parallel: ECH 111, DMS 113, ECH 119.  Open only to Sonography students.
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Fundamentals of Ultrasound - DMS 113 (16 lecture hours, 0 lab hours, 1 credit hour)

This course is designed to provide the cardiac sonography student with an understanding of work-related musculoskeletal injury, incidence of sonographer injuries, and prevention of such injuries by following proper ergonomic guidelines. This course will also provide the student with knowledge of and the importance of professional development and continuing education within the field of Cardiac Sonography.  The student will be able to discuss and define the use of Information Technology within the field of Radiology. This course will also give the student a good understanding of Medical Ethics and Law as it pertains to the Patient’s Bill of Rights and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).  Parallel: ECH 111, DMS 112, ECH 119.  Open only to Sonography students. 

Clinical Observation - ECH 119 (20 lecture, 32 clinical hours, 2.0 credit hours)

This course provides the cardiac sonography student with an introduction to sonographic anatomy, sonographic scanning, and patient care through observation in the clinical setting. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.  Parallel: ECH 111, DMS 112, DMS 113.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.

Junior Year: Semester II (Fall)

Course Descriptions
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Cardiac Sonography I- ECH 121 (57 lecture hours, 57 lab hours, 5.5 credit hours)
​This course provides the cardiac sonography student with a thorough understand of cardiac anatomy and physiology, including an introduction to common abnormalities seen in echocardiography.  The cardiac sonography student will obtain an understanding of cardiac embryology and fetal circulation and how this information is used to gain a more thorough understanding of adult cardiac anatomy. This course will provide a review and then a highly detailed description of the complete transthoracic echocardiogram, including all normal views and interrogations and modalities used. This course will also give a detailed approach to valvular heart disease the cardiac student will encounter in transthoracic echocardiography which will include quantifications methods by Doppler echocardiography. The cardiac sonography students will learn a high-level overview of the Transesophageal and Stress Echocardiography to the cardiac student. This course will also provide an understanding of prosthetic heart valves often seen in transthoracic echocardiography. This course contains activities and scan labs directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.  Parallel: DMS 124 ECH 129.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.

Ultrasound Physics I - DMS 124 (57 lecture hours, 0 lab hours, 3.5 credit hours)

This course allows the cardiac sonography student to develop a fundamental knowledge of the physical and vascular principles that are used in the field of cardiac sonography. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.  Prerequisites: ECH 111, DMS 112, DMS 113, ECH 119.  Parallel: ECH 121, ECH 129.  Open only to Sonography students.

Clinical Practicum I - ECH 129 (312 clinical hours, 6.5 credit hours)

This course has students rotate through various clinical sites.  This course provides the cardiac sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer.  Students will be assigned approximately 16 clinical hours per week.  Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus.  Prerequisites: ECH 111, DMS 112, DMS 113, ECH 119.  Parallel: ECH 121, DMS 124.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.  

Junior Year: Semester III (Spring)

Course Descriptions
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Cardiac Sonography II- ECH 131 (74 lecture hours, 74 lab hours, 7 credit hours)
​This course provides the cardiac sonography student with knowledge of frequent diseases and pathologies seen in transthoracic echocardiography and how to interrogate them with ultrasound techniques. The cardiac sonography student will learn an overview of contrast echocardiography including how and when to perform. This course also provides the basics of pediatric and congenital heart disease and how to interrogate the most commonly seen abnormalities as an adult cardiac sonographer. The course unit will also give the cardiac student knowledge of more advanced techniques used in all aspects of echocardiography including three-dimensional echocardiography. This course provides instruction in the role of echocardiography in patient management. This course is designed with activities and scan labs directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.  Parallel: DMS 134, ECH 139.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.

Ultrasound Physics II - DMS 134 (54 lecture hours, 0 lab hours, 3.5 credit hours)

This course is a continuation of Ultrasound Physics I and allows the cardiac sonography student to develop a fundamental knowledge of the physical and vascular principles that are used in the field of cardiac sonography. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.  Prerequisites: ECH 111, DMS 112, DMS 113, ECH 119, ECH 121, DMS 124, ECH 129.  Parallel: ECH 131, ECH 139.  Open only to Sonography students.

Clinical Practicum II - ECH 139 (304 clinical hours, 6.5 credit hours)

This course has students rotate through various clinical sites.  This course provides the cardiac sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer.  Students will be assigned approximately 16 clinical hours per week.  Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus. Parallel: ECH 131, DMS 134. Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.

Senior Year: Semester IV (Summer)

Course Descriptions
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Clinical Practicum III - ECH 219 (304 clinical hours, 6.5 credits hours)

This course is a continuation of Clinical Practicum II as the student will continue to rotate through various clinical sites.  This course provides the cardiac sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer.  Students will be assigned approximately 40 clinical hours per week.  Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus. The course will also teach the students how to write a resume and how to excel in an interview.   Prerequisites: ECH 111, DMS 112, DMS 113, ECH 119, ECH 121, DMS 124, ECH 129, ECH 131, DMS 134, ECH 139.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.  

Senior Year: Semester V (Fall)

Course Descriptions
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Research on Case Studies - ECH 221 (0 lecture hours, 57 lab hours, 1.5 credit hours)

This course allows the cardiac sonography student to develop professional awareness of the knowledge that can be gained, by doing follow-up work and research on interesting cases. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.  Prerequisites: ECH 111, DMS 112, DMS 113, ECH 119, ECH 121, DMS 124, ECH 129, ECH 131, DMS 134, ECH 139, ECH 219.  Parallel: ECH 222, ECH 229.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.

Registry Review - ECH 222 (6 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 2 credit hours)

This course will review all subjects covered throughout the course of the program. The goal is to prepare the cardiac sonography student for taking the ARDMS and/or CCI registry examinations upon completion of the program.  Prerequisites: ECH 111, DMS 112, DMS 113, ECH 119, ECH 121, DMS 124, ECH 129, ECH 131, DMS 134, ECH 139, ECH 219.  Parallel: ECH 221, ECH 229.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.

Clinical Practicum IV – ECH 229 (464 clinical hours, 10 credit hours)

This course is a continuation of Clinical Practicum III as students continue to rotate through various clinical sites.  This course provides the cardiac sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer.  Students will be assigned approximately 24 clinical hours per week.  Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus.  Prerequisites: ECH 111, DMS 112, DMS 113, ECH 119, ECH 121, DMS 124, ECH 129, ECH 131, DMS 134, ECH 139, ECH 219. Parallel: ECH 221, ECH 222.  Open only to Cardiac Sonography students.