The five-day echocardiography ultrasound program is a systematic presentation of echocardiography scanning using an integrated teaching approach of lecture, assigned reading, testing, demonstration, and clinical scanning of models. Didactic training is reinforced through clinical laboratory experience.
Echocardiography has come a long way from its humble beginnings. The addition of M-Mode, two dimensional real time imaging, Doppler, color flow, and now three and four dimensional imaging have all changed the way echocardiography is practiced. Diastolic assessment and changes in nomenclature have even changed the language of Echo. This course covers echo from M-mode to 3-D. After completion you will be confident in choosing the proper tools to assess common pathological conditions such as valvular abnormalities, systolic, and diastolic function. Development of a consistent protocol is mandatory to avoid missing pathology and our scan lab with state of the art equipment and low student instructor ratios will give you the time and opportunity to practice, practice, practice.
Faculty: Shawn Shanmuganathan - No relevant financial relationships to disclose.
Tuition
- Advanced Registration $3020 = more than 60 days before the course
- Regular Registration $3220 = 30-60 days before the course
- Late Registration $3420 = 30 days or less before the course
Target Audience
Physicians who want to learn basic echocardiography procedure skills and entry level interpretation, and sonographers or other health professionals learning to perform adult echocardiography procedures.
CME Credit
- “The Advanced Health Education Center is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education to provide continuing medical education for physicians.”
- “The Advanced Health Education Center designates this educational activity for a maximum of 40 hours AMA PRA Category I™. Physician should claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity."
Private Ultrasound Tutorials
We understand that you may want/need to practice your new skill set more than the regularly scheduled courses allow. You can add an extra day of scanning in addition to this course by calling AHEC and speaking to a faculty member about our private tutorial option. Additionally, this tutorial is a one on one session with our expert faculty and can be designed to enhance your already developed skills. Call AHEC at 1-800-239-1361 for more information or click here for more details. Private Ultrasound Tutorials
AHEC Cancellation and Refund Policy for Skills Courses
AHEC defines a skills course as a limited enrollment course where a received registration with payment reserves your place in a course (i.e. all Ultrasound courses, Mammography Initial Training and other theory courses). For cancellations received at least two weeks prior to the course date, a refund less a 30% processing fee will be given. Within two weeks of the course, no refund is given, but a tuition credit – less a 30% processing fee – may be applied to a future course. No refunds or tuition credit is given for non-attendance. Facilities may substitute employees by notification to AHEC at least one week in advance.
Objectives
At the completion of this course, the learner will be able to:
- Explain normal cardiovascular anatomy and physiology and relate cardiovascular functions to disease.
- Discuss cardiac mechanical and electrical physiology and relate this information from the echocardiogram to the basic electrocardiogram.
- Operate several ultrasound units for the production of 2-D, M-Mode and Doppler echocardiograms
- Perform an echocardiogram using the protocol defined by the American Society of Echocardiography, i.e. parasternal long and short, apical 2, 4, 5, and long, and subcostal long and short axis.
- Quantitatively analyse the results of 2-D and M-Mode echocardiogram.
- Analyse the results of an echocardiogram for normal versus abnormal findings.
- Analyse echocardiograms for common cardiac pathologies.
- Identify and resolve basic technique and equipment problems that interfere with the quality of studies.
- Define the clinical responsibilities of an echocardiographer who is confronted with significant clinical findings.
- Conduct a basic patient history and assessment that relates to interpretation of echocardiographic findings.
- Operate several cardiac ultrasound instruments and apply various types of cardiac Doppler; pulse wave, continuous wave and color flow mapping. *Describe the normal cardiovascular blood flow through the heart and the great vessels as defined by Doppler velocity measurements and profiles.
- Quantify Doppler findings in echocardiography.
- Analyse common cardiac Doppler findings for common cardiac pathologies.
- Identify the diseases or cardiac pathologies that require definition by Doppler examination.
Course Topics
- Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation
- Cardiovascular Anatomy and Physiology and EKG
- Equipment Orientation
- Anatomy and Physiology and Cardiac Catheterization
- 2-D Imaging
- M-Mode
- Acquired Heart Disease
- Congenital Heart Disease
- Doppler Instrumentation and Controls
- Doppler Normals
- Cardiac Quantification
- Cardiac Doppler in Disease
- Special Procedures
- Contrast Echocardiography
The Advanced Health Education Center designates this educational activity for a maximum of 40 hours AMA PRA Category I™. Physician should claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.
Shawn Shanmuganathan BS, RDMS, RVT
Shawn has been a Nuclear Medicine Technologist and Ultrasound Technologist for over 40 years. He received his Bachelor’s Degree in Biology from Loyola College in Madra, India, a post graduate diploma in Nuclear Medicine Technology from John F. Kennedy Medical Center in Edison, New Jersey, and a post graduate diploma in Diagnostic Ultrasound from the State University of New York in New York City. The majority of his career has been in Texas as a Sonographer, Chief Sonographer and Program Director. Shawn also was the Program Director for an ultrasound training program for five years. Shawn is a very experienced and knowledgeable instructor. His passion for teaching is obvious in the classroom.
