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Boost Your Salary -- Become a Cardiovascular Technologist |
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November 1, 2005
By Sarah Clark
sarah.clark@educationfactor.com
Education Factor Columnist
Are you tired of working long hours and never making enough money to cover your bills? Go to school for training to be a cardiovascular technologist.
According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, cardiovascular technology and technician jobs commanded a median annual salary of over $36,000 in 2002. That's more than double what the average full-time retail department store salesperson makes, about $15,590 a year, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics. In addition, job growth for cardiovascular technologists is expected to increase by at least 36 percent from the year 2002 to 2012.
Specialists Who Use Ultrasound Technology
Cardiovascular technologists assist doctors in diagnosing and treating cardiac and blood vessel problems. With the use of ultrasound instrumentation, technology that uses high frequency sound waves, cardiovascular technologists view images in a patient's body. The ultrasound-generated image is used by doctors to determine a diagnosis of cardiovascular health.
Other ultrasound-related jobs include vascular technologists or vascular sonographers. Using ultrasound technology, vascular sonographers examine blood pressure, abnormalities in the arteries, and blood flow. These ultrasound procedures are typically performed during and after surgery.
Cardiac sonographers use ultrasound instrumentation to create echocardiograms, images used to assess a patient's heart function. If a doctor detects a heart murmur in a patient, for example, he or she may recommend an echocardiogram to determine whether the heart murmur is serious or innocuous.
Cardiovascular Technology Schools
Cardiovascular technology schools are most often established within community colleges, which offer two-year programs in cardiovascular technology. A good resource for identifying schools is the Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology, a group that has accredited 29 cardiovascular technology schools in the United States. If you desire a career change, it's never too early to start researching your opportunities.
Sources:
Bureau of Labor Statistics
About the Author
Sarah Clark is a freelance writer based in Arlington, Virginia.
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