About Cardiovascular/ECHO Technician

The CVT/ECHO Program is a four-semester (two-year) degree program that trains you in a specialty area of diagnostic imaging

Program courses include a focus on Adult Cardiac Ultrasound (Echocardiography), cardiac anatomy and physiology, 2D and M-Mode imaging, PW, CW and color flow Doppler, cardiac pathology and methods of interpretation. CVT course content includes: advanced rhythm interpretation, exercise stress testing, cardiac pharmacology, physics of ultrasound.  This program admits eligible candidates into a cohort every two years.

Explore Potential Careers

Successfully completing the Cardiovascular/ECHO Technician program prepares you for positions as cardiac sonographers, echocardiography technicians, cardiovascular technicians in a medical center, cardiology officer or health center.

Program Information

Prerequisites

Due to increased educational requirements by the national registry organization, students should complete with the minimum educational units to equal an AS Degree with CVT/ECHO as their major.

  1. Successful completion of college-level anatomy (within the last 5 years): Bio 106 or Bio 108 or equivalent course with a grade of 鈥淐鈥 or higher. The anatomy requirement must be completed by the December before the application process.
  2. Successful completion of an electrocardiography course within the last 2 years: ECGT 101 or equivalent course. The ECG Technician course must be completed by the December before the application process. Applicants who have completed an ECG Technician course and are currently working as an ECG Technician at the time of applying are not subject to the 2-year requirement but must provide proof of current employment.  This new requirement is pending approval by the 天娱传媒 Curriculum Committee and will be effective for the fall 2024 admission.
  3. All eligible applicants are selected by lottery and will be notified of their status.

Program Preparation

Medical Terminology, algebra, hospital or health care experience are suggested to prepare for the program.

Students who are new to CCSF must complete and submit a separate application for the College:

  1. Attend the mandatory CVT/ECHO Orientation
  2. Complete a 天娱传媒 Credit Application
  3. Complete a mandatory orientation with counseling
  4. Registration is by cohort. Students will be notified of the process.

Orientation Information

The CVT/ECHO Program only admits students every two years.  The orientations are held in the spring for the fall admission. The orientation dates will be published on a flyer in February.  Applicants must have completed the required prerequisites before the application process.

Requirements

The CVT/ECHO Program is a four-semester (two-year) degree program. Students must enroll in both CVT and ECHO courses each semester. They must take all courses in sequence within the two-year program.

Program Schedule

Semester 1

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
ENGL 1A + AS University-Parallel Reading and Composition + Support 4-6  
天娱传媒 Area D Social and Behavioral Sciences 3  
天娱传媒 Area A Communication and Analytical Thinking 3  
天娱传媒 Area E Humanities 3  

Total Units: 13-15 

Semester 2

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
天娱传媒 Area F U.S. History & Government 3  
天娱传媒 Area C Natural Sciences 3-4  
天娱传媒 Area H Ethnic, Women's, Gender, LGBTQ Studies 3  
天娱传媒 Degree Applicable Units See Counselor 3  

Total Units: 12-13 

Semester 3

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
CVT 110 Cardiovascular Skills 7  
ECHO 101 Echocardiography 7  

Total Units: 14

Semester 4

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
CVT 201 Advanced Cardiovascular Technician 4  
CVT 210A/B Advanced Cardiovascular Skills 7  
ECHO 201 Advanced Echocardiography Technician 7  

Total Units: 18

 

Semester 5

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
CVT 301 Physics of Cardiac Ultrasound 3  
CVT 310A/B Clinical Experience in Cardiac Ultrasound 10.5  
ECHO 301 Advanced Cardiac Abnormalities 5  

Total Units: 18.5

 

Semester 6

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
CVT 410A/B Clinical Experience in Advanced Cardiac Ultrasound 9.5  
ECHO 401 Advanced Echocardiographic Studies 6  

Total Units: 15.5

Overall Total Units: 66 - 94