SOUTH HOLLAND, IL–South Suburban College was recently notified that 100% of its 2018 Echocardiography Program graduates passed the critical certification exam of the CCI (Cardiovascular Credentialing International) for Registered Cardiac Sonographer. The news comes on the heels of the program’s first year under the exclusive accreditation of the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The SSC Echocardiography Program is one of just three accredited by CAAHEP in the State of Illinois.
“We couldn’t be happier for our graduates on their success, and look forward to great things from them in the field of cardiac sonography,” said SSC’s Echocardiography Program Coordinator, Zubeir A. Haroun, MPH, MBChB, RDCS, RCS. “The quality of our program, technology and students just continues to grow. I’m very optimistic about our future and am very proud of the progressive collaboration of our Allied Health Department.”
SSC’s program received the maximum five year accreditation from CAAHEP – the main programmatic accreditor of the health sciences professions. In collaboration with its Committees on Accreditation, CAAHEP reviews and accredits over 2,100 individual education programs in 30 health science occupations. CAAHEP accredited programs are assessed on an ongoing basis to assure that they meet the Standards and Guidelines of each profession.
Haroun said the program currently works with eleven regional hospitals providing clinical opportunities, and graduates are employed at Loyola University Medical Center, Advocate Christ Hospital, Advocate Trinity, Ingalls among other prominent Chicagoland and Indiana hospitals and medical centers.
Echocardiography or cardiac sonography, is a medical test that uses sound waves of high frequencies (ultrasonic) to create moving and still images of the heart. These pictures show the size and shape of the heart and how well the heart’s chambers and valves and other structures are working. Echocardiography has become an important tool in diagnosing or helping to diagnose heart diseases and conditions, and skilled cardiac sonographers are in high demand.
Interested applicants must complete prerequisites prior to application to the Echo Program for a fall enrollment cycle. In total with prerequisites, SSC’s Echocardiography AAS Degree requires 71 credit hours for completion, while its EKG Basic Certificate requires 27 hours. For more information, contact Zubeir A. Haroun at (708) 596-2000, ext. 2204 or ZHaroun@ssc.edu, or visit options.ssc.edu.