Lake Michigan College launches Cardiac Sonography program

Lake Michigan College is launching a new associate degree program: Cardiac Sonography. The new program joins the college’s other Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs, which include the OB/GYN and Abdominal-Extended areas of sonography training. Completing the new Cardiac Sonography program will allow students to sit for a credentialing board exam and become eligible to fill the many open positions in the region that are currently performed by traveling physicians as clinics cannot find local individuals who are qualified to fill the roles.

According to an article on Lake Michigan College’s website, Dr. LaToya Mason, who serves as the college’s Dean of Health Sciences, was quoted as saying of the new program, “Our program advisory committee members, along with leaders of major health systems in the region, enthusiastically support the creation of the Cardiac Sonography program to address this critical need. LMC’s proven experience in training highly skilled, career-ready graduates positions us well to do this.”

The college recently renovated and expanded its labs on the Benton Harbor campus to accommodate more sonography training. With the expansion, the college has doubled its capacity for training, having gone from three labs to six.

Beth Zak, who serves as faculty and the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Chair, said of the new program, “We’ve designed our program with over 800 clinical hours of hands-on training to ensure graduates are not only eligible for the board exams, but also possess the confidence and competence to excel in their roles on day one. Direct patient interaction prepares them to independently administer specialized tests, making them immediately valuable in the clinical setting. Experience has shown that on-campus training in the lab setting is essential for student success. We are able to provide consistent training that builds foundational skills and techniques before students enter the clinical training portion of the program.”

Dr. Ken Flowers, the Executive Vice President of Lake Michigan College, said, “By addressing an important workforce training need for our health care partners, we open up opportunities for local residents to gain the skills needed for these well-paying jobs. These are the types of careers that allow people to build lives in our communities and be part of a vibrant local economy that we all benefit from.”

For more information about Lake Michigan College, visit the school’s website.