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Diagnostic Medical Sonography with Echocardiography program

Undergrad major

Use ultrasound to find heart conditions

Are you interested in using ultrasound to help detect heart disease and other issues with the heart?

Cardiac sonographers, or echocardiographers, are healthcare professionals who can help physicians diagnose these issues by creating an echocardiogram, also called a heart ultrasound or sonogram.

UWL students in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program can choose the Echocardiography emphasis to specialize in this area. Diagnostic Medical Sonography is an undergraduate major that is nationally accredited and offers hands-on experiences with clinical rotations at reputable, regional healthcare centers including UW Health and Mayo Clinic Health System.

photos courtesy of Mayo Clinic Health System

Time to complete

The program takes four years to complete including two years of general education and pre-requisite courses at UWL, followed by two years at UW Health in Madison, WI or Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN.   

Career opportunities

Cardiac sonographers work independently while also serving on a team with radiologists and nurses. They work in the Radiology Departments of hospitals and clinics, emergency rooms, surgery suites, medical laboratories, industry, public health and other locations.

Medical diagnostic sonographers work full or part time during the day, evenings or weekends (depending on shift assigned) and earn approximately $80,000/year.

What distinguishes UWL’s program?

Hands-on experiences in clinical setting

After students complete their pre-professional and general education courses at UWL, they attend UW Health or Mayo Clinic for a 21-month program of specific didactic courses and clinical experiences.

Eligibility for certification

Graduates of the program are eligible for certification through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

Strong foundational curriculum

The general sonography curriculum stresses anatomy, physiology, hemodynamics and pathology. In addition to anatomy, the knowledge of ultrasound physics is also critical to the performance of ultrasound examinations and the generation of diagnostic medical images.

Benefit of a bachelor's degree

While associate’s degrees are also available for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, a bachelor’s degree offers more opportunity for career advancement because of the rigorous and broad foundational courses.

Sample courses

BIO 313 Human Anatomy and Physiology II A comprehensive study of the cardiovascular, respiratory, digestive, urinary, reproductive and endocrine systems. Required elements of the laboratory portion of this course include computer simulations, microscopy, mammal organ dissections and study of cadaver prosections. Lect. 3, Lab 2. Prerequisite: earn a "C" or better in BIO 105, CHM 103, and BIO 312. Students who have completed this course, or who are currently enrolled, may not register for this course again until after freshmen registration (unless they have instructor/department consent). Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

HP 250 Medical Terminology for Health Professions Students in various allied health fields will learn to use medically related terms in their professional communication. This covers the study of the language of medicine used in clinics, hospitals, and other health agencies. The student will develop a working knowledge of terms, word roots, and abbreviations with emphasis on spelling, definitions, and pronunciation. An introduction to health care records, disease process, operative, diagnostic, therapeutic, and symptomatic terminology of body systems will be covered as they pertain to medical practice. Online course. Offered Fall, Spring, Summer.

PHY 134 Physics for Nuclear and Radiological Sciences This course is an introductory study of physics concepts using algebra and trigonometry, designed for nuclear and radiological science students. Topics include kinematics, vectors, Newton's laws of motion, circular motion, energy, momentum, waves, electric forces and fields, electric potential, and magnetic fields. Wherever possible, applications to medical fields are discussed. Note: This class is specifically designed for students in the Nuclear Medicine Technology and Radiologic Science programs. Lect. 3, Disc 1. Offered Annually.

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