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 with a grade of "C" or higher.  The anatomy requirement must be completed by the December before the application process.
  2. Completion of ENGL 96 or ENGL 88 or ENGL 88B or ESL 160 or placement in ENGL 1A. An AA/AS or bachelor's degree fulfills this requirement.
  3. Individual orientation will be part of the application process.

Program Preparation

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

Students who are new to City College of San Francisco must also submit a separate application of the College:

  1. CCSF Credit Application
  2. Mandatory Orientation with Counseling
  3. Registration

 Orientation Information

The next orientation for the CVT/ECHO Program is April 2020.  The program only admits students every two years.  Students wishing to apply for Fall 2020 should prepare by enrolling in the suggested courses under Program Prerequisites and Preparation.

View College Catalog

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  
CCSF Area D Social and Behavioral Sciences 3  
CCSF Area A Communication and Analytical Thinking 3  
CCSF Area E Humanities 3  

Total Units: 13-15 

Semester 2

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

Total Units: 12-13 

Semester 3

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
CVT 101 Cardiovascular Technician 3  
CVT 110 Cardiovascular Skills 7  
ECHO 101 Echocardiography 7  

Total Units: 17

Semester 4

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
CVT 201 Advanced Cardiovascular Technician 4  
CVT 210 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 310 Clinical Experience in Cardiac Ultrasound 9  
ECHO 301 Advanced Cardiac Abnormalities 5  

Total Units: 17

 

Semester 6

Course Number Course Title Units Notes
CVT 410 Clinical Experience in Advanced Cardiac Ultrasound 13  
ECHO 401 Advanced Echocardiographic Studies 6  

Total Units: 19