DO NOT GO TO ULTRASOUND SCHOOL UNACCREDITED BY CAAHEP!!!!

Also check out JFK muhlenberg school in Plainfield, NJ. It's accredited and u get an associates degree in science when you graduate.

I'm still confused. I've found
Surgical Technology Accredited by the CAAHEP but nothing is listed for Ultra sound Tech in Colorado. Am I missing something?

Cardiack911 in Strongsville, Ohio said: I believe the best combinations are General/OB and Cardiac/Vascular. Many hospitals are going to cardiovascular departments. Larger hospitals may have 2 or 3 shifts of general us techs and you may have to work afternoons or nights to get seniority to work days. General techs are called in to the hospital more often when there is only a day shift working. Traditionally, cardiac techs. work day shift and are called in much less frequently. General techs study all the organs and their pathology and cardiac techs concentrate on the heart and great vessels. (Cardiac pathophysiology is very complex - but fascinating.) As a general tech, you will scan multiple organs during the day (liver, gall bladder, ovaries, etc.) but as a cardiac tech. you will scan hearts (it's very specialized.) I would do some research. Ask how many graduates in every class are general or cardiac (frankly, this is your competition.) Are you willing to relocate? How many hospitals are in your area? Large or small? How many shifts do they run? It is most important to go to your local hospital and ask to be allowed to shadow a general and cardiac tech. Talk to the imaging manager. It will give you a great feel for the work, the flow and allow you to pick the brains of a sonographer. Don't forget to send a thank you to the manager and the techs. When you're ready to go to clinicals they will remember you! Finally, go to a CAHEEP accredited school or college and make sure they have recent ultrasound machines in their lab (ask how old) and enough of them to accomodate the class. Sorry for the length - I hope this helps.

What is the job outlook for cardiovascular tech? My company closed and i worked there for 20 years. Im 41 and need a new career. Any suggestions would be much appreciated. I was in manufacturing but even tho they say there are jobs they are very low paying in my line of work.

TB in Fountain Valley, California said: Hi, I was also considering becoming a x-ray tech. I was planning on going to Orange Coast College. I was taking some general ed classes to get on the waitlist there. I recently decided not to go into x-ray. I got scared off because a friend of mine knows a guy that went to a private school for x-ray and had a really hard time finding a job after graduation. He just got a job that only pays $25 a hour and he spent $30,000 on schooling! I also found alot of fourms saying there are no jobs in x-ray all over the counrty. I also know a girl who went to school for ultrasound. She went to a non CAAHEP accredited school for ultrasound but she has a Bachelors degree so she was able to take her ADRMS test after graduation and passed. She graduated about 8 months ago and still only does per diem work a various hospitals. No full-time permanent work yet. She is looking to move out of state just for a freaking job! With the way the job market is right now in both fields I wouldn't risk it. Be smart. Have you thought about Nursing? Nursing is the way to go in healthcare right now.

I recently had a physical for another job and got to talking to the ma. He told me that he was a union laborer and got laid off then became an ma. He said he was gonna be an rn but it was extremly difficult to get a job in Ohio. Said surgery nurse is what was hiring round here, but idk. I am thinking of cardio tech but i have been reading the same stuff you are sayin now. Dont know what to do!!!

Bob T in Cleveland, Ohio said: I recently had a physical for another job and got to talking to the ma. He told me that he was a union laborer and got laid off then became an ma. He said he was gonna be an rn but it was extremly difficult to get a job in Ohio. Said surgery nurse is what was hiring round here, but idk. I am thinking of cardio tech but i have been reading the same stuff you are sayin now. Dont know what to do!!!

Everything is slow right now. Hopefully by the time you finish things would have picked up.

Karry in Lenoir, North Carolina said: Everything is slow right now. Hopefully by the time you finish things would have picked up.[/Q

Is there going to be enough jobs for all these graduates? What field are you trying to get into? I dont feel good about any occupation right now. I was told that MA is a field you can get a job but they only pay like 10$ an hour.

I just got accepted to an accredited program here. I think if you go to the right school, you will get a job. You may start out per diem but will eventually get where you want to be. This is what I want to do. I think 90% of the posts here are people who do not go to an accredited school and therefore are not hired. Any job I see for a hospital wants you to have a good education. Im doing general ultrasound and after that my school has a one year cardiac program once you are licensed. Hopefully things pick up.

Bob T in Cleveland, Ohio said:

Cleveland is a very tough market for ultrasound at this time. There are multiple accredited schools in a small radius in and around Cleveland. Cuyahoga Community College (general, vascular and cardiac), Lorain Community College (general, vascular), Sanford Brown (general, vascular, and cardiac), and Owens Technical College in Toledo. Unless you can relocate, I would advise looking into a different field. Remember, hospitals and clinics hire only as many techs as they have ultrasound machines! The return on your education dollar is lower for medical assisting as career schools, vo-ed schools and some colleges are turning out graduates every 9 months or so, competition for jobs fierce and pay low. It's a buyers market. If you want to stay in the area, look at MRI and nuclear. Nurses with BSN's are still in demand. If you are employed in any capacity at the Cleveland Clinic or one of it's hospitals, you can take advantage of free tuition/books for nursing (you do have to agree to work for them for a set period of time after your training.) Also check out perfusionist training at the Cleveland Clinic. Hope this helped.

Cardiack911 in Berea, Ohio said: Cleveland is a very tough market for ultrasound at this time. There are multiple accredited schools in a small radius in and around Cleveland. Cuyahoga Community College (general, vascular and cardiac), Lorain Community College (general, vascular), Sanford Brown (general, vascular, and cardiac), and Owens Technical College in Toledo. Unless you can relocate, I would advise looking into a different field. Remember, hospitals and clinics hire only as many techs as they have ultrasound machines! The return on your education dollar is lower for medical assisting as career schools, vo-ed schools and some colleges are turning out graduates every 9 months or so, competition for jobs fierce and pay low. It's a buyers market. If you want to stay in the area, look at MRI and nuclear. Nurses with BSN's are still in demand. If you are employed in any capacity at the Cleveland Clinic or one of it's hospitals, you can take advantage of free tuition/books for nursing (you do have to agree to work for them for a set period of time after your training.) Also check out perfusionist training at the Cleveland Clinic. Hope this helped.

Thanks for the reply. You seem to be very up to date on your opinions. I wanted to do cardio tech but i dont think even in the two years or so it would take at Tri-C that there will be jobs for this. I am going to research the other areas you said. I just dont feel like nursing is for me and that is where the jobs are.

Karry in Lenoir, North Carolina said: I just got accepted to an accredited program here. I think if you go to the right school, you will get a job. You may start out per diem but will eventually get where you want to be. This is what I want to do. I think 90% of the posts here are people who do not go to an accredited school and therefore are not hired. Any job I see for a hospital wants you to have a good education. Im doing general ultrasound and after that my school has a one year cardiac program once you are licensed. Hopefully things pick up.

Thank you for the reply. I hope you do well and dont have to struggle to find a job. The market is tough right now and not just in this field (everywhere). I hope things start to get better because i am tired of this recession (to me it never stopped). I just want to work!!!

Bob T in Cleveland, Ohio said: Thanks for the reply. You seem to be very up to date on your opinions. I wanted to do cardio tech but i dont think even in the two years or so it would take at Tri-C that there will be jobs for this. I am going to research the other areas you said. I just dont feel like nursing is for me and that is where the jobs are.

Cardiack i forgot to ask you about Occ Therapy. Is this job in demand and about how long would this take at Tri-c. Thank you for any help!!!!

OT and PT is booming with the aging population. Tri-C is an excellent start and you can finish at Cleveland State with a B.S. for better job prospects. An AAS will get you an OT or PT assistant positiom, but it's a great start. Once you get a job you can finish up with your B.S. with tuition assistance usually covered by your employer. To Karry in North Carolina - it is location, location, location as well as an accredited school. Check out www.simplyhired.com and put in your zip code and the word ultrasound to see what the job market is like in your field. Yes, Bob, I've been in the field a long time, have an AAS in ultrasound, a B.S. in postsecondary education, been the program director (ultrasound and medical assisting) and developed curriculum at two private schools, taught in an accredited college program, been an applications specialist and an ultrasound clinical science specialist. Just to let you know where my thoughts are coming from... I think I can safely express an opinion. (B.S, RDCS, RCVT, and FASE.) I hope this has helped...

Thank you. I see a few openings. Some are older though. Hopefully something local will be there at the right time. I already dragged my family across the U.S. for this and now that my kids are older I hate to move them.

Karry in Lenoir, North Carolina said: Thank you. I see a few openings. Some are older though. Hopefully something local will be there at the right time. I already dragged my family across the U.S. for this and now that my kids are older I hate to move them.

You made the right decision in going to an accredited school. It's worth all the work! Put in as many hours as you can in the lab (practice, practice, practice) and when you're not practicing, go online and watch case studies of pathology. The last piece of advice is fight for a good clinical site. Don't settle for one that's convenient to your house, or 'easy' but seek out the teaching hospitals or advanced clinical imaging centers. You might walk away with a job or at least a good reference. If you get praise from a physician, tech. or manager, ask for a brief reference letter "for my portfolio." It will give you a step up. The best of luck to you!!

Cardiack911 in Berea, Ohio said: You made the right decision in going to an accredited school. It's worth all the work! Put in as many hours as you can in the lab (practice, practice, practice) and when you're not practicing, go online and watch case studies of pathology. The last piece of advice is fight for a good clinical site. Don't settle for one that's convenient to your house, or 'easy' but seek out the teaching hospitals or advanced clinical imaging centers. You might walk away with a job or at least a good reference. If you get praise from a physician, tech. or manager, ask for a brief reference letter "for my portfolio." It will give you a step up. The best of luck to you!!

Cardiack you are very helpful. I want to do something in the medical field for obvious reasons but i forget to ask you a tough question for me. I have a POSSES/USE DRUG PARAPHENALIA charge that was from 1996. Would this prevent me from obtaining a career in the medical field? Do you think a hospital would exclude me because of this? Should i even mention this on an application? It has been expunged!!! Thank You!!!!!!!!!!

I would call the city prosecuter's office and ask if the record is really expunged/sealed. Were you under age when this happened? If it is still on your record, and a felony charge, most hospitals won't touch you. Your city prosecuter or local muni. court could help you determine if you have to disclose this even if it's expunged. Get legal advice now. (Call legal aide if you have to.) Don't wait until you have many hours and dollars invested to find out you can't get a job. I'm sorry I can't give better advice - it's really a legal issue. Good Luck!

Cardiack911 in Berea, Ohio said: I would call the city prosecuter's office and ask if the record is really expunged/sealed. Were you under age when this happened? If it is still on your record, and a felony charge, most hospitals won't touch you. Your city prosecuter or local muni. court could help you determine if you have to disclose this even if it's expunged. Get legal advice now. (Call legal aide if you have to.) Don't wait until you have many hours and dollars invested to find out you can't get a job. I'm sorry I can't give better advice - it's really a legal issue. Good Luck!

I wasnt underage and it wasnt a felony. I plead no contest to a poss/use. It was expunged but in one place i still found it (local muni. court ). I have had a background check for a job and nothing came up and i also ran one on myself. I have heard tho that hospitals run fingerprint checks and it might appear on there. By law i can say i have never been convicted of any crime. Do you know if hospitals run fingerprint checks? Someone else told me to check with the board in the field i want to make sure i could be certified. No excuses but i made a mistake and hope it doesnt come back to haunt me. It was bascially smoking some weed and got caught. Thank You!!!!

Thanks to Cardiac. I wish I did research before. I am at home try to figuring out how I am going to pay my schooling. Not even an RDMS graduating from an unaccredited school can find a job. I have lots of experience from another country, that doesn't seems to help. I am glad that you help other people so they don't finish in my situation.

DA in Houston, Texas said: Sanford-Brown Institute is accredited by CAAHEP. Im thinking about going to be an Ultra Sound Tech....Any advice??

Do not go to Sanford-Brown I have a lot of medical experience working and schooling and they told me I had to pretty much go back to school just to apply and I would most likely not get in. Then they tried getting me to do a program I was not interested in just so I can apply for that program. If I was anyone I would go to an accredited college and stay away from those types of colleges.

Helen in Laramie, Wyoming said: I'm still confused. I've found
Surgical Technology Accredited by the CAAHEP but nothing is listed for Ultra sound Tech in Colorado. Am I missing something?

Look under diagnostic medical sonographer instead of ultrasound tech. Thats what it comes up under. :)

Hello,
I'm currently a student at broward college. I was pursuing a career in nursing but it has been a hassle from the begining. i was thinking about changing my major to ultrasound. I already have an AA from them and have most of the first and second term courses complete. I know they are accredited but with all the things I have been reading on this forum i"m unsure of my decision now. what is CAAHEP? this is very confussing and the coucelors at the school are not worth it. what is the best advise anyone can give me.
Thank you to all who help i really appriciate it!

Hi Krystal. CAAHEP is the commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education. All the programs should be accredited by this commission. The school might be accredited in other programs but not ultrasound. My advice is make sure the program is accredited.
Go to the CAAHEP web site there are tons of information. Make sure that hospitals and offices acept students of that school. Non-accredited program put you in jeopardy finding a job later. I made that mistake and still can not find a job.

Krystal in Hollywood, Florida said: Hello,
I'm currently a student at broward college. I was pursuing a career in nursing but it has been a hassle from the begining. i was thinking about changing my major to ultrasound. I already have an AA from them and have most of the first and second term courses complete. I know they are accredited but with all the things I have been reading on this forum i"m unsure of my decision now. what is CAAHEP? this is very confussing and the coucelors at the school are not worth it. what is the best advise anyone can give me.
Thank you to all who help i really appriciate it!

What was the hassle? I would like to do ultasound but i think the jobs are limited

Does anyone know an accrdited online school? I aleady have my associates is X-ray.
Thanks

it took me 4 years to get an associates degree!!!! I switched my major in the end to a general degree beause of the fact that you don't get the same councelor all the time you have to make appointments that are not convienent for you. the coucelors sometimes overload you and they are only helpful to the extent of making sure you pay lots of money and stay there for a while. after my last meeting with a coucelor,(who by the way had no answers to any of my questions regarding important things) i was done with trying to make something of a school who couldn't even give me straight answers.

Hello everyone. please help. i wanted to get a BA in sonography. my question is that the school that is closest to me is NON accredited by CAAEP. i read on indeed.com and on caaeh.org that if you have a BA in Sonography you dont need experience proir to geting RDMS. but will it hard for me to get registerd thor ARDMS or even get hired by emplyers. do employers look at the status for accredit school rather than if you have a RDMS or not?
THANKS ALOT

Has anyone attended Sac Ultrasound Institute in Sacramento CA?

This is the best post in answer to accreditation questions. If a school is not accredited on the day you start - don't start! This was posted in June 2007! It is important to note that CAAHEP will not allow postdated diplomas! THIS SCHOOL NEVER GOT ACCREDITED! It was bought out by another school and closed its sonography program last fall. The bottom line - don't go to a school that isn't accredited. There is no such thing as 'in the process.' Check out www.caahep.org/Find-An-Accredited-Program/ and put in diagnostic medical sonography (or cardiovascular) and your state in the drop down menu. Now check out the post at www.city-data.com/forum/sacramento/42516-sonography-ultrasound-tech-schools-around-sac.html The text of the post:
"is your husband in their ultrasound tech program in Citrus Heights? If so, is Western Career College accredited or not? It's not on CAAHEP list, so do you know what kind of accreditation does it have? Thanks in advance...
Yes, he is in Citrus Heights. The program is not currently accredited, but is under review for accreditation. The tour for the accreditation took place a couple of months ago, and went so well that the accreditation committee asked if their program would like to start helping them accredit other institutions. They won't get the official accrediation until September (this year). There has already been one graduating class. The current class (my husband's class) official graduation date that appears on their transcripts will match the accreditation date so that they will graduate from an accreditted program. So, if you were to choose this particular school and program, it would certainly be accredited by the time you started. It's expensive, but it is a good program that combines class work as well as lab work and clinical rotations on hospital sites. There are a few hospitals here in Sacramento that will hire you once you've graduated, but before you've passed the national boards providing...you pass"

James in Los Angeles, California said: Well, it's been about 5 months now since I finish my externship and all I am able to get is crappy per-diem jobs working for cheap doctors and imaging clinics. And believe me I have fax my resume and made calls to about 100 different facility,clinics, and hospitals. Right now, I am getting only about 15 hours of work a week since these cheap doctors and clinics can't afford to hire a full time tech. At the rate I am going it will take me close to 3 years to be eligible to sit for my ARDMS. I talk to them and they told me I have to document a full 1680 hours of work as an ultrasound tech, since the school I went to is not accredited and also because I don't have my bachelors. Don't let these fraudgelent schools fool you with the old "You just have to work a year first then you can sit for your ARDMS" prep talk to get you to enroll in their school because, NO HOSPITAL WILL HIRE YOU OR EVEN LOOK AT YOUR RESUME WITHOUT YOUR ARDMS!! Maybe 3 or 4 years ago it was different and you can get jobs in hospital without your ARDMS but times have change and pretty much every hospital I talk to requires it. Funny how the school never mention anything about this. Hope this helps someone before they get into the dilemma that I am in:(

I went to a school for registered nursing and again i did not find out until i was deep in loans that the school was not accredited. Not only that but last semseter they said you had to get a B or better in all classes for the nursing program which is not bad but i was going into one of the harderst semesters yet. Students before had warned me not to get my hopes up for getting a b before they even changed the rule. So i worked my butt off and i missed it by 1 point and they kicked me out of school. They kicked alot of students out of school for the same reason. They let some students back but not all including myself. School has No accred. and is a ripoff ITT Tech RN program.

I have.

Wachtout CRapy schools. Palm Beach Institute of technology in Florida close its doors for good!! Feel sorry because their students where left behind without a warning. I just found out this school didn't have Accreditation by the Florida Association of Colleges and School meaning wasn't regionally accredited by the state. How this things happen??? How somebody can open a school and reap money off from people and go... Where are the authorities???

isatere in Cape Coral, Florida said: How this things happen??? How somebody can open a school and reap money off from people and go... Where are the authorities???

Authorities were paid off long ago by the giant corporation that owns the schools in the form of campaign contributions and k street lobbying. This way they can continue to reap gianourmous profits while students find themselves without jobs or even transferrable credits, and now a debt slave working for $10 an hour. It's called modern day capitalism...didn't you get the memo?

ANNA Q in Wheaton, Illinois said: Hello everyone. please help. i wanted to get a BA in sonography. my question is that the school that is closest to me is NON accredited by CAAEP. i read on indeed.com and on caaeh.org that if you have a BA in Sonography you dont need experience proir to geting RDMS. but will it hard for me to get registerd thor ARDMS or even get hired by emplyers. do employers look at the status for accredit school rather than if you have a RDMS or not?
THANKS ALOT

I live near you...why dont you go to COD and get your associates in sonography? They are accredited! I am taking a pre-req course called DMIS 1110 and Terri Ceiz, the program coordinator is my teacher. She said that employers will hire you the more RDMS certificates you get. They also look at both...a school that is accredited as well as all of your RDMS certifications.

So, this market is as bead as RN? What is the market like for jobs in NC?

acscls123 in Aberdeen, North Carolina said: So, this market is as bead as RN? What is the market like for jobs in NC?

Is should read "as bad as RN"

Also, does anyone know of the best school to go to in NC near Charlotte?

Lisa said: Maybe I am not understanding the requirements (1) not having the full time employment, and (2) is what I thought I could use but the "completing a formal,full-time ultrasound program that is a mininum of 12 months in lengths and includes appropriate clinical and didactic hours. " does not apply ti non accredit schools I was told. Believe me I am trying to get an answer for them. I don't want to have to go back to school. Thank you for trying to help!

what yr did u graduate?before 2000?if so the prereqs have changed, you still can take the spi exam but may need to show the clinical experience to take the speciality part of the ardms exam.

www.nxtbook.com/nxtbooks/ardms/howtoapply_2011/#/6

THAT SHOWS YOU EVVERYTHING YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THAT ARDMS REQUIREMENTS.

www.ardms.org/files/downloads/Prerequisite_Chart.pdf

ARDMS PRE REQ CHART FOR TAKING THE EXAM. INCLUDES INFO ABOUT 1 YEAR CLINICAL BEFORE WRITING EXAM

So if not Sanford Brown what would be the best choice to obtain training? N should I start some classes towards a Degree in science just to go for ultrasound tech? It doesn't matter if course is two yrs or 9 if it legit just want the right direction to get into the field

I am thinkig about a ultrasound tech education and I happened to find the AMSC school in Glendale, Ca. Does anyone have any info about this school?

I keep reading "make sure the school is accredited". This is not correct. Yes a school should be nationally or regionally accredited but the sonography program itself has to have its own accredication. A school can be accredited but that does not meen the ultra sound program is CAAHEP accredited. That is the most important factor to look for. A PROGRAMATIC ACCREDIDATION FROM CAAHEP. IF you have a BA/BS degree then you can attend any school that offers sonography and you will be able to sit for the ARDMS.

I keep reading "make sure the school is accredited". This is not correct. Yes a school should be nationally or regionally accredited but the sonography program itself has to have its own accredication. A school can be accredited but that does not meen the ultra sound program is CAAHEP accredited. That is the most important factor to look for. A PROGRAMATIC ACCREDIDATION FROM CAAHEP. IF you have a BA/BS degree then you can attend any school that offers sonography and you will be able to sit for the ARDMS.

DA in Roseville.. I have.

Anna in Glendale, I met a student from that school and she told me they have a few old machines where everyone fought for the only 'nice one' and had recently changed their textbooks because they had been using the 'wrong ones'. It is a short program and according to her she had to study the whole body. She had more questions than answers after reading the material. She wasn't too happy about it and didn't know how she was going to do the boards. Not too sure about this school.

Tam in Sacramento in California said: DA in Roseville.. I have.

Hi Tam,
I'm a little concerned as I read all the post that say do not attend a non accreddited school. I currently do not poses a degree. As I see it I would need to take the SPI and after completing my 24 month program I would then need to work in the feild for one year before being eligiable to sit for the ARDMS. Is this correct as you know it? Are there any employers that would hire a tech that has not completed the ARDMS?

DA in Roseville, California said: Hi Tam,
I'm a little concerned as I read all the post that say do not attend a non accreddited school. I currently do not poses a degree. As I see it I would need to take the SPI and after completing my 24 month program I would then need to work in the feild for one year before being eligiable to sit for the ARDMS. Is this correct as you know it? Are there any employers that would hire a tech that has not completed the ARDMS?

Hi DA, I also do not have a degree, went to WCUI which I don't think is CAAHEP, but took the SPI right after the Physics class, took the CCI RCS right after my externship and the ARDMS Adult Echo after that. From my experience, it depends on the individual as to how much they are willing to study and go for it. You do not have to be in the field for 24 months.

Why didn't you investigate the field and the school more thoroughly before wasting so much time and money? Always do your homework first.

this goes to nancy in radford virginia,
i finished up with ATI College out in california and the same exact thing is happening to me we are actually in the process of an arbitration with a group of about 60 to 85 students past and present as of last september. we went through 3 lab instructors in our physics one module which was only 6 weeks. do you know by any chance if your ati and mine are anyhow directly related or somehow related cuz we could somehow throw that into our case maybe.

For all you ultrasound hopefuls in the SE Texas area, the Harris County Hospital District is currently accepting applications for their CAAHEP accredited ultrasound program. It is the only accredited hosp-based program in Texas and the training is done at Ben Taub which is a level I trauma hospital.

The guy who created and runs it m.cowan, is a titan in the ultrasound world. He used to post but I havent seen him in a while. For a gut busting laugh go back and read the 3 or 4 posts when he shredded some unaccredited admissions counselor named jay several months ago. it is totally hilarious.

my friend trained under him and she said nobody knows ultrasound like he does.