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Diagnostic Medical Sonography – Echo Concentration

Associate of Applied Science

Overview

CSP offers a rigorous two-year Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, which is designed to prepare students to work as sonographers within a health care team.
  • Echocardiography Concentration: this concentration focuses extensively on how the heart works in relation to the rest of the body and the patient’s overall health. Cardiac sonographers work closely with cardiologists to create a report on overall heart chamber size, function, relaxation, valve anatomy, and various disease processes.To continue learning about the Echo Concentration, find out more below.
  • General Concentration: this concentration involves learning how to scan all areas of the body, minus the heart. To learn more about this concentration please visit the DMS - General Concentration page.
DMS Admissions Requirements Required Courses

Program
Details

Program Length

70 Total Credits

Location

On Campus

ECHO Program Details

CSP has collaborated with Allina, one of the largest healthcare systems in the Midwest, to offer the Echocardiography Program. This 20-month program is designed to immerse students in clinical patient care training starting at the program’s onset. This setup allows students to apply their coursework directly to hands-on clinical experiences. Students learn alongside Allina’s cardiac sonographers, cardiologists, cardiac nurses, and other health care experts via current technologies, equipment, and procedures.

Upon completion of the Echo concentration, students will have completed close to 1,800 clinical hours, completed rotations through all cardiac specialty areas, and will be prepared to take their echo board exam.

  • Program start: Fall
  • Capacity: Up to 10 students each fall

MEET OUR Clinical Coordinator

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Allina Health Partnership

CSP is proud to partner with Allina Health to offer an echocardiography degree built on relevant curriculum and clinical experience.

Medical Sonographer $ 75,380

2021 Median Income

Job Growth Outlook, 2020-2030 14%

Faster Than Average

Where Our Alumni Work

Allina

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DMS Info Session - March 1, 2023

Learn more about CSP’s DMS program by attending this virtual session.

When: March 1, 2023 at 3 p.m.
Where: Virtual on Zoom

Register Now

Meet our faculty/staff

Our world-class faculty use their decades of experience to nurture your success from the first day of class all the way to graduation— and beyond.

Sierra Beilby

Admissions Counselor

Toni Squires

Administrative Coordinator, College of Health & Sciences

Jennifer Zafke

Program Director - Sonography Program

Heidi Goblirsch

Clinical Coordinator

Student outcomes

CSP graduates are leaders and trailblazers. Meet some of our alumni below and see how they’re shaping the world.

Kristina DeMaio

AAS in DMS Echocardiography

DMS BOARDS, CAREERS, EMPLOYMENT, & OUTCOMES

  • Goal:

    To prepare competent entry-level cardiac sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains.
    Graduates from our program learn to:

    • Use critical decision-making skills to reach conclusions related to comprehensive patient care
    • Be able to obtain, review and integrate pertinent history and supporting clinical data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results.
    • Be able to perform appropriate procedures and record anatomical, pathological, and/or physiological data for interpretation by a physician
    • Follow oral and written prescribed instructions to carry out analytical procedures.
    • Able to assess and evaluate current scientific literature and synthesize information in a critical, scientific, and effective manner as it relates to the application of basic physics principles in Sonography.
    • Define and apply basic ultrasound physics and recognize and identify images where quality can be improved by modifying the application of US instruments and mode of operation.
    • Exhibit positive relationship skills via effective communication, respect for others, and awareness of their impact on others. The graduate must be able to demonstrate professional conduct and acceptance of constructive criticism.
  • Please click here to go to the university’s accreditation and licensing website, scroll to Licensing & Certifications, and review Diagnostic Medical Sonography details.

  • Concordia’s Cardiac (echo) Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is not currently accredited due to its recent start at the university. Echo students can sit for their CCI boards upon completing 800 clinical hours.  Students will do this during their 5th semester and will be able to graduate as registered cardiac sonographers (RCS) and begin work in the field.

    • Students will graduate with an AAS degree.
    • Graduates will be prepared to provide health care services as sonographers. A diagnostic medical sonographer works under the direction of a physician, using ultrasound imaging techniques for purposes of diagnosis.
    • Want to further your degree to land a management position in the future? Take CSP’s Bachelor of Healthcare Administration degree online at your own pace.
    • Students can work in a hospital, clinic, or become traveling sonographers.
    • If students want to work in a specialty area, on the job training is available to work in obstetrics (perinatal centers or maternal-fetal medicine), vascular(vascular centers and vein clinics), pediatrics (work in a children’s hospital), musculoskeletal (work with chiropractors or sports medicine), and breast (work in a breast center).
    • An AAS degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography can lead to management, education, and research. If students want to take their career away from scanning while still staying in a healthcare setting, there are opportunities to work with ultrasound equipment in applications, sales, and marketing.
  • CohortRetentionJob Placement RateCCI RCS or ARDMS AE Pass
    Fall 22 Grads100%100%100%

Accreditation

Concordia’s Cardiac (echo) Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is not currently accredited due to its recent start at the university. Echo students can sit for their CCI boards upon completing 800 clinical hours.  Students will do this during their 5th semester and will be able to graduate as registered cardiac sonographers (RCS) and begin work in the field.

Find out more about CSP’s accreditation on our Accreditation & Licensing website.