WEST COAST ULTRASOUND INSTITUTE: TOP SCHOOL AND NOT CORPORATE

I am a student at WCUI and am SHOCKED!!! by what I have been reading on these forums! I have no idea where all of this venom is coming from. I am in the middle of my dms program and was told about this forum by someone in the class. None of us have any idea who is writing these things, but it is ridiculous and i dont like it because it makes me upset that a couple people are tyring to sabotage my ability to get a job. i know that it mostly matters how good i can scan but i dont think it helps when you have people hating on the school all the time.
it seems like people who are angry dont look into anything thenselves and expect things to just be given, like jobs.

i just hope people do their own research and decide things for themselves. dont just listen to admissions reps or this forum, go to the ardms site, call a worksite.

also i just want to say that i lik wcui because it is not a corporate school that only cares about money. it is family run and i definitely like that and can feel it. thanks

is wcui like cca and everest does anyone know?

I go to wets coast and agree with Tech1 there. the school is good and i am happy i go here. i get more time on machines that any other place that i looked at and i dont feel like i go to school in a big corporation.

yessir!!

If the other heading is going to be upthere, so is this one. esp. bc its true!

And still

If you want to get an edge over your classmates, and learn the basics in ultrasound physics before you start the class, try RITE Start Ultrasound Physics (you can find it at www.riteadvantage.com) Each question builds upon itself so you get a good understanding. Half the people in my class failed physics so I really think this software is a great idea.

Hey I just found this, glad to hear there is a new post about something good about the school!!! I love it at the ontario campus, everyone is very friendly and I love the intro instructor Dr. Emad (morning class) he will sit and talk to you for hours if given half the chance because he has so much to share from his history as a trauma surgeon all over the world. He has such a grasp on the anatomy and physiology he can break it down for even a child to understand using analogies from everyday life, unless you can do that for someone you really don't understand it. I've been debating switching from general to echo, not because of the time frame though, i find them both equally interesting and am waiting to get through the book to see what i better grasp but between the two programs I am not that excited about OB/GYN i've been scanned quite a few times already as a guinea pig. It seems like on SDMS.org Salary report that someone that is RVT/RDCS makes more money than someone RVT/RDMS, nationwide it seems there are an equal amount of jobs but locally in so-cal there are less echo jobs. I don't mind moving but would like at least a year of experience here before I leave CA! the only thing I wish is that physics came after intro before we are thrown into a module like vascular/abdomen/echo/OB/GYN, so i am getting the edelman understanding ultrasound physics to help me out. I'm happy my choice though!!!

I ACCIDENTALLY CAME ACROSS THIS FORUM AND STARTED TO READ IT BECAUSE I WENT TO WCUI.I GRADUATED 6 YRS AGO I GOT HIRED AS SOON AS I GOT OUT OF SCHOOL. IT DOESNT MATTER WHAT SCHOOL YOU GO IF YOU DON'T APPLY YOURSELF YOU'LL NEVER GET ANYWHERE. HERE I'VE NOTICED THAT THE TEACHERS ARE WILLING TO SPEND TIME WITH THE STUDENTS TO ACHIEVE THE UNDERSTANDING OF ULTRASOUND. I'VE TRAINED IN MY HOSPITAL MANY STUDENTS FROM OTHER SCHOOLS AND HAVE NO IDEA WHAT TO DO WITH THE PATIENT WHEN THEY SEE ONE SO APPLY YOURSELF AND DON'T THINK YOU KNOW IT ALL!!!

Im also glad I found this. There is so much bs on that pther forum, plus that dude at the end says he has been using different names, so its probably like one person, mostly. i went to wcui, am employed, and am pretty happy with the way things went. i mean, some stuff wasnt perfect but i definitely got what i paid for you know?

I'm thinking of West Coast Ultrasound Institute. I have a B.S.
in Biology. What do you think? I was impressed with the Ontario
Campus.

Lea Newland in Wildomar, California said: Hey I just found this, glad to hear there is a new post about something good about the school!!! I love it at the ontario campus, everyone is very friendly and I love the intro instructor Dr. Emad (morning class) he will sit and talk to you for hours if given half the chance because he has so much to share from his history as a trauma surgeon all over the world. He has such a grasp on the anatomy and physiology he can break it down for even a child to understand using analogies from everyday life, unless you can do that for someone you really don't understand it. I've been debating switching from general to echo, not because of the time frame though, i find them both equally interesting and am waiting to get through the book to see what i better grasp but between the two programs I am not that excited about OB/GYN i've been scanned quite a few times already as a guinea pig. It seems like on SDMS.org Salary report that someone that is RVT/RDCS makes more money than someone RVT/RDMS, nationwide it seems there are an equal amount of jobs but locally in so-cal there are less echo jobs. I don't mind moving but would like at least a year of experience here before I leave CA! the only thing I wish is that physics came after intro before we are thrown into a module like vascular/abdomen/echo/OB/GYN, so i am getting the edelman understanding ultrasound physics to help me out. I'm happy my choice though!!!

I hope your comments are valid. I'm thinking about starting in
July. I read so much negative stuff.I'm worried that my externship
will be in-house and take forever after reading this forum. Please
find out more for me about the externship,please. Nick

nick in Los Angeles, California said: I hope your comments are valid. I'm thinking about starting in
July. I read so much negative stuff.I'm worried that my externship
will be in-house and take forever after reading this forum. Please
find out more for me about the externship,please. Nick

I am a recent grad and everything you read is true, it is the pros and cons of life. You have to decide where you want to spend your money. What you read here are peoples perception of there experience and you can not discount or ignore anyones experience, because these forums are only here to help you decide. There are people here that have no clue and are just starting out, there are people that have had things happen to them. I have had many things happen to me while I attended WCUI, but I made sure I turned it around and made the negative work for me. You have to know how to talk to people and to get what you want, but you also have to work hard. If you have the attitude to blame all of the negative things on the school and you do not question what was your role in the negative aspect, then you will always blame it on the school, and the same goes for the positive, you will always think it was the school instead of your own hard work. I know people that want to start a class action suite but of course those are the people that did not do what they should have done nor do they know how to talk to people.

Yes, you can do your externship at the school, but if that is not what you want, then you fight for your externship site, you paid for a site and you must fight to get it. ask for the name and number of the ASCT and have them investigate. People do not want to complain because of any repurcussion that might happen so this forum is the next best place.

Again if you decide to go, it has to be your decision, but know that if there is something you do not like, you have to speak up to the right person.

I attended WCUI in Los Angeles 2 years ago. They hire students as teachers to save money. I was greatly dissapointed when my final came for Echo A. One of the previous student that had just graduated and what still in his externship gave me my echo lab final, instead of my teachers. The other problem with the school is that the weekend courses, classes are overcrowded. The Physic class have 25 to 30 students. I graduated from the school and waited for my externship for 6 months. The only reason, I was placed for an externship is because I knew a doctor that helped me and I found a job on my
own. Overall the school is overpriced. $30,000.00 (NOT WORTH IT). GO TO A LOCAL COMMUNITY

Tech1 in Encino, California said: I am a student at WCUI and am SHOCKED!!! by what I have been reading on these forums! I have no idea where all of this venom is coming from. I am in the middle of my dms program and was told about this forum by someone in the class. None of us have any idea who is writing these things, but it is ridiculous and i dont like it because it makes me upset that a couple people are tyring to sabotage my ability to get a job. i know that it mostly matters how good i can scan but i dont think it helps when you have people hating on the school all the time.
it seems like people who are angry dont look into anything thenselves and expect things to just be given, like jobs.

i just hope people do their own research and decide things for themselves. dont just listen to admissions reps or this forum, go to the ardms site, call a worksite.

also i just want to say that i lik wcui because it is not a corporate school that only cares about money. it is family run and i definitely like that and can feel it. thanks

THERE S AN OLD SAYING WHEN THE RIVER MAKES NOISE ITS DRAGGING A STONE

I love WCUI this is my second time around, they have great teachers and great people helping me. I'm glad i found them when i did i was going to go to a community college but I'm glad i didn't because it was a waste of time. I don't understand all of these people talking all this stuff about my college why don't you guys get a life and don't hate my school. And its is your choice to come here or not....you knew what your where getting into before you started. This is not a corp. school they are not commission employees they help you because they want to. And by the way I make 35hr to start at a site they found for me at a great hospital so no its not over priced you guys are just cheap. So keep your saying to yourself no one cares Juliet!

Jaron in Encino, California said: is wcui like cca and everest does anyone know?

No those school are corporate owned and they follow what there corporate office says WCUI is not Corporate and you can talk right to the owner and director of the campus when ever you see here walking around.

can in Los Angeles, California said: I attended WCUI in Los Angeles 2 years ago. They hire students as teachers to save money. I was greatly dissapointed when my final came for Echo A. One of the previous student that had just graduated and what still in his externship gave me my echo lab final, instead of my teachers. The other problem with the school is that the weekend courses, classes are overcrowded. The Physic class have 25 to 30 students. I graduated from the school and waited for my externship for 6 months. The only reason, I was placed for an externship is because I knew a doctor that helped me and I found a job on my
own. Overall the school is overpriced. $30,000.00 (NOT WORTH IT). GO TO A LOCAL COMMUNITY

This is not true I'm a student there now and no way they can have a student working there they are not Everest College or UEI and even ACC that is what they do. And look at a community college and add all the years you will be there and books, and all the other stuff you will need. And it will come out to alot more money then this. And they WONT HELP YOU GET A JOB FOR NOTHING IN THE WORLD I MEAN THE COMMUNITY COLLEGES SO GOOD LUCK WITH THAT JERK

Community colleges will always be less expensive (for any course of study) because the tuition costs are subsidized by local taxes.

I am a graduate of WCUI & am currently working at a hospital in LA. It is interesting how some people keep on mentioning that one should attend a college program or a CAAHEP accredited school. The truth of the matter is that there are only a few schools in all of Southern California that are CAAHEP accreditation. The wait time can be several years too long to start a program (time which one can complete WCUI’s program) provided that a candidate meets a minimum standard for admission.

There are many people whom attended colleges and/or university with degree or even advanced degree that are out of work and can't get another job b/c of the current economy situation. Hopefully, when things get better, more facilities/clinics will pick up in their hiring...

Pertaining to WCUI, there are many highly qualified instructors in lectures & lab alike. A large number of lecture instructors were former physician w/ultrasound experience from other countries as they can offer to student excellent sonography education coupled with their clinical background. Thus, there are plenty of brain power and resources at WCUI the students and truly want to learn to be a good tech and to be competitive in the workforce.

As far as securing a job upon graduation, no school can guaranty their students' getting employment upon graduation. Nowadays, getting hired is tough for everyone, not just for WCUI’s graduates; it’ll take a lot more on a graduate behalf, from any school, in this bad economy. Remember that WCUI is a pretty fairly good size school (and growing) and there are many graduates from WCUI that are doing quite well in the field of sonography.

So if you accidentally stumbled across this forum like I did, don’t take the words of a few negative students. Better yet, don’t take my words and go to go the school, sit in, and also do further in-depth look at the school and judge for yourself whether you want to attend or not.

Oops. I meant to post it on another WCUI related thread...

Paul in Austin, Texas said: Community colleges will always be less expensive (for any course of study) because the tuition costs are subsidized by local taxes.

What career have you seen that is less expensive in community college? What to be a medical assistant or dental assistant. I'm talking about a real career like the one i'm taking. And just so you know A COMMUNITY COLLEGE THEY WILL NOT HELP YOU FIND A JOB OR DO A RESUME OR EVEN HELP YOU WITH INTERVIEWING. SO GO TO YOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND WHEN YOU FINISH ALL THAT YOU WILL HAVE IS A PIECE OF PAPER AND A HEAD ACHE WITH NO DAM JOB!!!!!!

Jason Garcia in Ontario, California said: What career have you seen that is less expensive in community college? What to be a medical assistant or dental assistant. I'm talking about a real career like the one i'm taking. And just so you know A COMMUNITY COLLEGE THEY WILL NOT HELP YOU FIND A JOB OR DO A RESUME OR EVEN HELP YOU WITH INTERVIEWING. SO GO TO YOUR COMMUNITY COLLEGE AND WHEN YOU FINISH ALL THAT YOU WILL HAVE IS A PIECE OF PAPER AND A HEAD ACHE WITH NO DAM JOB!!!!!!

Cypress College, Long Beach City, Orange Coast

Sonography and Radiography for less than $6,000.

They have career centers that help with resumes and inteview skills.

How much is WCUI?

nick in Los Angeles, California said: I hope your comments are valid. I'm thinking about starting in
July. I read so much negative stuff.I'm worried that my externship
will be in-house and take forever after reading this forum. Please
find out more for me about the externship,please. Nick

nick what would be invalid about my comments? I can't say much else about externship because i haven't gotten that far yet. I can only tell you up to where i am now and two weeks later i'm still happy!! You are welcome to sit in a class theres been many people that were touring that sat in for two hours or more sometimes to see how the material was presented i would recommend that, then you have the opportunity to talk to students during a break. Hopefully i helped you in that respect.

Stephen S in Long Beach, California said: Cypress College, Long Beach City, Orange Coast

Sonography and Radiography for less than $6,000.

They have career centers that help with resumes and inteview skills.

How much is WCUI?

Yea but the waitlist and pre-reqs are unbearable for most plus taking courses again that i took once to get my bachelor, thats the drawback and why i didn't go personally to any of the above plus the distance is too far, and they don't do much more for career placement as anywhere else but at least the career placement at WCUI will help you with legwork by calling/faxing/hunting for you they can't guarantee a job because you have to interview so thats on you but our school has helped students even find jobs in in other parts of the country so they do that for you at least if you want to move or need to move for some reason. Someone else mentioned that by the time you finish WCUI you could still be waiting to get into a CAAHEP school. The school IS 32,000 for the DMS and Echo programs and less for the MRI program

Jason Garcia in Ontario, California said: What career have you seen that is less expensive in community college?

Anyone can do their own comparisons by calling the schools.

I read a comment on this forum about West Coast Ultrasound Institute that said students had to fight just to be placed in an externship site, and that you had to speak to the "right person" to get one. I am shocked to hear that schools are allowed to operate like this. First off, you shouldn't have to "fight" to go to an externship and not stay at the school for an externship. There is no way to learn what you need to know to get a job by staying in a school environment instead of going to a hospital externship. Second, you shouldn't have to play politics and scrape and grovel to the "right person" to get a site. That is part of of the enrollment agreement. It's what you paid for. Where I went to school in Florida, we were placed in a site immediately, without having to wait months and beg for one from the "right person". All students attending an accredited school have the right to complain without fear of being "blackballed". I'm sure ACCSCT would be glad to know about the student's problems. That's why they exist.

Jonas P in Orlando, Florida said: I read a comment on this forum about West Coast Ultrasound Institute that said students had to fight just to be placed in an externship site, and that you had to speak to the "right person" to get one. I am shocked to hear that schools are allowed to operate like this. First off, you shouldn't have to "fight" to go to an externship and not stay at the school for an externship. There is no way to learn what you need to know to get a job by staying in a school environment instead of going to a hospital externship. Second, you shouldn't have to play politics and scrape and grovel to the "right person" to get a site. That is part of of the enrollment agreement. It's what you paid for. Where I went to school in Florida, we were placed in a site immediately, without having to wait months and beg for one from the "right person". All students attending an accredited school have the right to complain without fear of being "blackballed". I'm sure ACCSCT would be glad to know about the student's problems. That's why they exist.

Hey Jason,
sorry to bother you,where did u finished your sonography studies,if it is in orlando,please post which college?
thanks

I work at two university hospitals and have my own corporation. Finishing West Coast ultrasound institute (WCUI) was one of the best decisions I have made. It takes a lot of hard work believe me.

Echomike in Los Angeles, California said: I work at two university hospitals and have my own corporation. Finishing West Coast ultrasound institute (WCUI) was one of the best decisions I have made. It takes a lot of hard work believe me.

when did u finish the school? and which location that you go to? and how did u get a job?

wcui sucks, people!!!!! The reviews are mixed...that should say alot. out of 20 people that have posted only 5 have something good to say. when selecting a school do your research and STAY AWAY from WCUI

wcui sucks in Montclair, California said: wcui sucks, people!!!!! The reviews are mixed...that should say alot. out of 20 people that
selecting a school do your research and STAY AWAY from WCUI

What is your problem? Apparently your not happy,but no specfics.
They all have their problems.

wcui sucks in Montclair, California said: wcui sucks, people!!!!! The reviews are mixed...that should say alot. out of 20 people that have posted only 5 have something good to say. when selecting a school do your research and STAY AWAY from WCUI

Good luck finding any school where everyone has something nice to say. You get complainers from CAAHEP schools too.

It's on you if you aren't happy, the school provides excellent teaching. the key to getting a good extern site is to have your year end protocols/testing done and PASSED before your last day in didactic training. If you don't then you risk all of the sites that rotate out every 3-6 months running out of openings since they go in those cycles so if you are STILL working on your year ends and trying to master the protocols then you are screwing yourself because by then the new cycles have already started and you will have to wait until the next module to get placed. Then the people that don't make it in time blame the school for not having openings for them when they were the ones not getting it together in time for the next rotation.

Echomike in Los Angeles, California said: I work at two university hospitals and have my own corporation. Finishing West Coast ultrasound institute (WCUI) was one of the best decisions I have made. It takes a lot of hard work believe me.

Mike who?
Is that my Echo lab teacher Mike?
Why are you mad at me teacher? ;]
Facebook: Aleksandar Bata Janjic

T & T in Ontario, California said: when did u finish the school? and which location that you go to? and how did u get a job?

Did you have your bachelors? Could you take your specilaity exam
right away or did you have to a year after externship? How long a
ago did you graduate?

Echomike in Los Angeles, California said: I work at two university hospitals and have my own corporation. Finishing West Coast ultrasound institute (WCUI) was one of the best decisions I have made. It takes a lot of hard work believe me.

When did you graduate?Could you take the echo speciality right
after your externship. Did you already have a Bachelor's?

Orinda in Los Angeles, California said: When did you graduate?Could you take the echo speciality right
after your externship. Did you already have a Bachelor's?

Orinda, not sure if you are unclear about WCUI but i have a bachelor and am in my second module there now in vascular, but unless you already HAVE a bachelor then students that go here have to wait 1 year before they can sit for their boards except for physics which you can take after you pass physics class. You may have to wait longer than the year if you don't secure a job right away because you need 1 year of hours to be able to sit for the boards.

I'm confused. I can take exam right after school if I have a
Bachelor's or I have to work also for a year. I'm able to go out
of state for paid job.

Orinda in Los Angeles, California said: I'm confused. I can take exam right after school if I have a
Bachelor's or I have to work also for a year. I'm able to go out
of state for paid job.

If you have a bachelor you CAN sit for the exam it can be a bachelor in anything. The schooling as long as it is at least 1 year in length counts as you 1 year of experience towards the exams. Otherwise if you have no bachelor you can't sit for the exams until you work for 1 year in the field. Certain states now will not let you work without your ARDMS credentials New Mexico and Oregon i believe. The rest you should still be able to find work without your ARDMS credentials, however the current economy is making it hard for even ARDMS registered techs to find work WITH experience.

Lea Newland in Wildomar, California said: If you have a bachelor you CAN sit for the exam it can be a bachelor in anything. The schooling as long as it is at least 1 year in length counts as you 1 year of experience towards the exams. Otherwise if you have no bachelor you can't sit for the exams until you work for 1 year in the field. Certain states now will not let you work without your ARDMS credentials New Mexico and Oregon i believe. The rest you should still be able to find work without your ARDMS credentials, however the current economy is making it hard for even ARDMS registered techs to find work WITH experience.

Thanks for your answer.I looked at another school which had

eight months clinical,but they said I would still have to work

12mo. before any exams except physics.I don't understand why
it's different.I couldn't really get a clear answer from ARDMS
either. They said find someone in your position from the school
and find out,because each school is different,so that is what
I was trying to do.

Now i'm unclear on what you are saying, the other school told you that even if you have your bachelor you still have to work 1 year before the exams? Well I spoke to james.forkkio@ardms.org he's the Certification Processing Specialist and if you go to the ARDMS website you can download the pre-reqs it's a PDF, if you do not have a bachelor you don't go to a CAAHEP school then you have to go under Pre-Req 1 which states :
Note: If you are using your DMS program for the educational requirement,
you still have to document an additional 12 months of clinical ultrasound/
vascular experience earned outside the two-year program.

But if you HAVE a bachelor you qualify under Pre-Req 3A which doesn't have that "Note" and James Forkkio stated that your 1 year of school counts as the 1 year of experience. Our school for Echo is 18 months 3 of which is in externship and except for the first 3 months of school in intro class the rest of the time is split between classroom work and actually learning in the lab on the machines with mostly healthy people however you have the option of coming in after school and on weekends and bringing friends and family that have pathology to practice scanning on. This friday for instance i'm bringing my 69 year old father whos on dialysis and is overweight and has alot of pathology to look at, i'm sharing him with my friends in general DMS since i am not learning abdomen right now but they are and he has interesting kidneys among other things...see so the opportunity is there as well. Hope I helped

Thanks!! When you go to 3A,there is a little (2) and a little (3)
One says that your educational experience cannot be used for clinical experience. The other school said that they had changed
3A and it doesn't matter anymore if you have a Bachelor's unless
in sonography. I'm so baffled with different answers.

I just sent james another email to re-verify however i just copy and pasted the little 2 and 3 here...
2 Full-time is defined as 35 hours per week, at least 48 weeks per year. If working part time, the requirements are prorated. Twenty hours per week
would take approximately two years.
3 Clinical ultrasound/vascular experience may be obtained one of two ways: (1) being employed as an ultrasound/vascular sonographer in a
clinical setting for a minimum of 12 months, or (2) successfully completing a formal, full-time ultrasound program that is a minimum of 12 months
in length and includes appropriate clinical and didactic hours.

Further down it says in the same "3" section Clinical experience earned to document the education
requirement cannot also be used to support the clinical requirement.

Do you see under 3 how it states in the (2) that successfully completing formal full time ultrasound program thats 1 year minimum counts? That's the key with a bachelor degree. further down Where it says using clinical experience earned to document educational requirement can't be used to support the clinical requirement does NOT apply because your bachelor degree in "any major" as it says falls under the educational requirement See?!?! So by getting a bachelor already you have fulfilled the educational requirement and by going to ultrasound school you are fulfilling the clinical requirement technically. It's totally confusing i know but after being in your shoes a year ago i totally feel you i ran around in circle for awhile till i found james. But i still emailed him to check to see if anything is changing.

Orinda,
Technically if you were so lucky as to find a job as a sonographer/echo-tech and had a bachelor and NEVER went to ultrasound school and you worked 1 year technically you could just take the boards. But that would be almost impossible to do these days but see where the documentation required is?

The first is to document your bachelor
The second is to document either your hours or your program completuion, the page 15 it refers to shows sample letters that both schools and ultrasound supervisors at a hospital or doc office would write for you to satisfy ARDMS
and the third is the form showing your completed hours. (CV) form.

Thanks so much for your time.Maybe I'll run into you at WUCi.
I'm starting week-ends in Oct.

Here's the problem after talking to Cindy at WUCI. They won't
fill out a CV Form. She says I don't need it. I'm still confused
but whatever.Does the person at the externship sign it?

The CV form yes usually your supervisor fills out, but the school has one for education and there are hours on the education which counts. You she speak to Phylis at the school she's in charge of externship and has more accurate info than cindy for that detailed of information.

Sorry i mistyped, you should speak with phylis though that's what i meant.

Orinda in Los Angeles, California said: Here's the problem after talking to Cindy at WUCI. They won't
fill out a CV Form. She says I don't need it. I'm still confused
but whatever.Does the person at the externship sign it?

Orinda he got back to me.

Hi Lea,
You are interpreting prereq 3A correctly; disregard the info that you are being given by others.
Best,
James Forkkio

forkkio@ardms.org
Certification Processing Specialist
ARDMS

Lea Newland in Wildomar, California said: Orinda he got back to me.

Hi Lea,
You are interpreting prereq 3A correctly; disregard the info that you are being given by others.
Best,
James Forkkio

forkkio@ardms.org
Certification Processing Specialist
ARDMS

Thank you so much!!!!