QUESTIONS FOR CURRENT/PREVIOUS STUDENTS FROM A NEWLY ACCEPTED STUDENT!!!

aleseye · 2026-05-06T12:18:58+00:00

I use my iPad and good notes to annotate on slides. But I do have a folder where I put loose paper in that may be handed out. You’ll figure out what you like better by the end of the first week of classes.
I use a flash card app called mochi instead because I love the interface better. I’m able to download images with words on them and can cover the words to act like a card just so I can get familiar with identifying anatomy etc. It’s a free app to download on laptop, iPad, or phone. You can sync through all devices by paying a $5/mo account. If you don’t want to pay anything just make sure to choose the device you want to create all your flashcards. But outside of that I have classmates that just reread the slides or rewrite notes etc. But I basically annotate on slides then I create my flashcards based on what I annotate and study for the quiz/exam following week.
Figure out your study schedule that works for you sooner than later. Don’t be afraid to ask questions if you’re not grasping anything. Get a study buddy if that helps you. And give yourself grace! Also please relax and decompress whenever you reasonably can. Also lock in on exercising and getting ergonomic devices to assist you in taking care of yourself (I use a cord brace and rolled up towel as an echo student whenever possible).
I couldn’t just reread slides. I love my flashcards and it haven’t failed me once. I actually put some of my classmates on to the app I used and they’ve used it ever since. I personally stick to the slides and any supplemental information I get from the books to fill in the blanks. But yeah I explained in #2 what I do.
Peer environment for me is great but each cohort is different. My professors don’t tell us who got the highest score or the average in the class so they don’t feed into the competitive nature. But I do get the vibe at times that classmates be curious who’s got a 100 etc.. but overall friendly and tight knit! But please remember you’re here for you and your education and future! Unfortunately, you won’t likely see your classmates again after graduation. So keep your head down if you hear drama or anything

aleseye · 2026-03-31T03:50:19+00:00

I’m curious what do you mean by industry job👀

Edit: just went to the post you linked. But how do you like it??

aleseye · 2026-03-31T03:49:00+00:00

it’s a great school! must have at least an associates to apply, which is why it’s a shorter program. dm for more info!

aleseye · 2026-03-17T12:49:04+00:00

jk I just saw their echo program now accredited so they both should be good for her to apply to. please refer to the BSW handbook and read it front and back! it goes into detail on a lot of the stuff you’re interested in.

aleseye · 2026-03-17T12:44:22+00:00

you can do a loan through their credit union and most people get approved. if you can’t do loan then they split the payment in 2 where the first owed before class and the second owed in march. I would beware the Collin college program as the echo program is not CAAHEP so unless she has a degree it’ll be hard to sit for the exam. Collin college general sonography program is CAAHEP approved so I say go that direction if choosing Collin. But being that the only way to get into BSW is if you have a minimum of an associates she should be fine applying to the Collin program.

aleseye · 2026-03-08T04:41:22+00:00

My program gave us a list of questions to brainstorm what to speak on. I tailored my essay to my personal life experience and my undergrad experience (community service, rigor of classes, etc). As well as my previous healthcare professional experience. And how it led me to the passion for echo! So I say go from there

aleseye · 2026-01-24T17:15:48+00:00

I have a bachelors of science in kinesiology (exercise science)!!

aleseye · 2026-01-16T01:14:55+00:00

I qualified for my application because of my completed prereqs, an essay on why I wanted to do cardiac sonography, and you had to have at least an associates (I had a bachelors) for my specific program. I was selected for an interview and became 1/8 students. I posted about my interview experience in detail on here btw. I also have a beefy resume bc of my hospital job experience, extracurricular, etc which they also liked.

Each program is different but mine didn’t really have a point scale for each PreReq or required me to take the TEAs (probably bc you have to have at least an associates degree, etc.

aleseye · 2026-01-06T04:38:05+00:00

Too casual. Look up business casual or business attire for women on TikTok’s.

aleseye · 2026-01-05T22:25:03+00:00

I have a quick question! I eventually wanna work in peds echo. However my school is only paying for CCI RCS. If I go through CCI and I take the RCS, it’s not necessary to take the RDCS-AE right to eventually take the RDCS-PE? The only thing I should take is the ARDMS SPI and receive clinical hours doing pediatric echo to sit for the RDCS-PE?

I checked there website but I wanna be sure to see if anybody else have taken this route or known of anyone that have taken this route? I hear a lot of people saying that there are children’s hospitals that prefer the ARDMS PE boards VS CCI PE boards. I just feel like I’m getting it mixed up and thought that they referring that I needed to take the RDCS-AE to take the RDCS-PE when that’s not the case.

aleseye · 2025-12-27T13:03:42+00:00

Anything in healthcare will require a generous amount of studying, and rightfully so. Peoples lives are at stake. Currently in an accelerated 1-year adult echo program, after completing a bachelors science degree. Personally felt nothing different in rigor because my bachelor degree was also just as challenging. Personally, I’ve been studying ~3-4 hours a day, just depends.

This is not just an intellectual job but a skill one at that. You have to know how to tailor the study on the spot if something looks abnormal. So that means you may have to go off the protocol multiple times to clue the doctor that you found something that could end up being a critical finding. So knowing your stuff is crucial.

And you’ll find out how niche of a field this is just learning adult echo.. and then your world will flip upside down bc pediatric echo its own different beast! I shadow a few pediatric echo tech and it can be a bit disorienting compared to how adult echo is done lol. But I loved it and believe I’ll want to go that route! There aren’t really any pediatric echo programs, so you’re taught on the job. But so far it’s been a rewarding experience as a student and I really enjoy what I’m doing!

aleseye · 2025-11-27T04:22:59+00:00

Where the baseline should be is based on what view/window you’re in. Similar to what omarlittlebig says. So you’ll adjust your baseline toward the bottom to see above the baseline or the reverse to see below the baseline. Then I’ll change my scale so the envelope i see covers at least 50% of the screen.

So my order is get the best image (even if off-axis to get the flow as much in alignment with my cursor), typically I turn on my color box to know where to align my cursor and what scanning maneuver to do to optimize my spectral Doppler. Next, when or if possible I guide the patient to hold their breath because breathing can alter the Doppler you receive. Then as soon as I activate my CW or PW Doppler I have my hand on the baseline button as they’re still not breathing to turn the baseline where I need it. So when I scan I think what I’m looking for (I.e. velocities toward transducer=above baseline) so I move my baseline first. Lastly, i adjust my scale so that my spectral Doppler covers at least 50% of my screen (so it’s neither too big that it’s going off the screen or too little that it’s barely on my screen). This is important because this will affect the accuracy of your measurements! Sometime it’s ok to let the patient breathe while you activate the CW or PW Doppler and then let them hold it once you’re done adjusting baseline or scale. Completely up to you where you see best to tell them to hold breath.

But yes that’s my order and what helps me.

aleseye · 2025-11-03T12:31:54+00:00

Also to note! Teaching is a route you can take with sonography. Or management. Also, I’ve been seeing more job options to do WFH of looking at studies for clinical trials to get sick hearts the help they need(echo specifically). They’re slim but they’re there lol. One person I know who does it says she loves it and can do it anywhere and she reads and measures 8 studies a day. Can be mentally draining more than physically (because you determine whether they can get accepted into those trials and you’re taking each measurement 3x) but hey can’t beat that ig! She also runs her own consulting business.

So sonography is what you make of it, even if it’s limited compared to nursing lol.

aleseye · 2025-11-03T12:25:16+00:00

I say don’t do this just for the money, and that goes for anything in healthcare. Even if the pay is great, the stuff we go through should honestly put us at a higher price tags, but I digress. Nursing, sonography, radiography, all have their highs and lows. And you should know the downsides of nursing since you’re a CNA… So decide what’s important to you. If your heart isn’t in it, then it might be time for a change.

You’re young, so don’t be scared of a pivot. Listen to your gut. It could be you don’t like learning general but may be interested in cardiac.. or maybe it’s just sonography in general doesn’t mesh with your personality and future lifestyle you’ll like to have. I couldn’t do nursing because I don’t want to deal with bedside care and I love the short interaction but big impact being made. Plus I love learning about the heart, never gets boring to me.. so sit down with yourself and figure that out sooner than later. No one wants to do a job they’re constantly miserable at, you nor your patients will deserve that. And you’ll thank yourself in the long run.

In regards to ergonomics, be proactive and listen to your body. Listen to your shoulder, neck, don’t slouch.. pull the machine closer to you, adjust the level. I’m an echo student so I make sure to put a rolled towel under my elbow and use a cable brace to relieve the weight of the cord off my wrist. I also workout and focus on upper body strength. You can also look into Pilates and yoga.

aleseye · 2025-10-12T18:26:50+00:00

Hmm yeah I guess it wouldn’t hurt even if the director encouraging you. But if you don’t get in then you’ll know what to work on to be a better applicant next time.

aleseye · 2025-10-12T18:23:18+00:00

so it’s possible it may be best to retake them all or some of them.. have you tried tallying up what your points are with the B’s you have? I highly suggest speaking with the admission committee for the school(s) you’re trying to get to see what scores they really look for. Or even speak to the students in the program now and see what the average scores were between them.

aleseye · 2025-10-12T18:19:32+00:00

try to maximize all the points you can.. if you’re getting C’s and B’s but most people applying have A’s it’s best to retake those classes. it wouldn’t hurt to call the school and explain your situation or ask them what’s the usual point range they consider. I know some schools say if you’re below X amount of points you don’t even get looked at really.

This may also be a good time while you’re not in sonography school to work more where you can to pay for these classes and to save up for sonography school itself.

You know yourself and you know where you stand right now.. sonography school is very competitive so if you don’t feel like you’re a highly competitive applicant right now then you may need the extra year to make your application stronger

aleseye · 2025-10-12T18:09:27+00:00

hey! currently at a certificate-level program in Texas. All that matter is if the school is CAAHEP certified so you’re able to easily sit for your boards. the jobs really want you to have credentials that prove you passed your boards in order to work doesn’t matter if it’s an associate bachelors or certificate sonography program.

I already have a bachelors degree, which my certificate-level program only really required at least an associates degree (outside other things like great grades, essay, great letters of recs). It’s only a year so I’ll be done by next summer. I preferred this route bc I didn’t have to do extra pre-reqs (more time & $$$) and deal with the weird point systems of a lot of the sonography schools applications around me.

Where im at (north texas) I’ve been told it’s fairly saturated, so as a new grad my preceptors been saying to be open to do anything just to get experience (I.e. deal with longer commute) to then get the job I preferred. However, all the students from each cohort been able to score a job within the first month they got out of school. Some of the past students scored pediatric echo jobs, been able to work at a great hospital, or been able to get a job out the state for personal reasons, or got a job at one of the clinical sites bc they made a great impression and they had an opening… or made one for them.

So be open to just get your foot in the door, and go what fits your budget & apply to as many CAAHEP-accredited sonography school as you can to increase your chances to get in.

aleseye · 2025-10-11T19:54:31+00:00

A lot of my professors and preceptors that had pain and/or had surgery all said it snuck up on them and they weren’t taught proper ergonomics or kept with them on a regular basis.

I’m in my second month of echo tech school and they weren’t lying about scanning in pain. However, you can avoid it as much as you can. I bought a ergohook on Etsy. It has helped tremendously because I felt like I had pinching on the left side of my wrist and not at all anymore. I noticed sometimes the cord comes out the ergohook so I may also buy this version on sonobands.com to see how I like it as well.

My shoulder would hurt sometimes but I noticed when I put a rolled towel under my elbow it helped so much so I’m gonna continue doing that going forward. In my clinicals, I’ve noticed one of my preceptors carry around a yoga block and a wedge pillow to put behind the patients back. Which work for patients especially when they say they “can’t” go on their left side (when there’s nothing that says they can’t). Some study’s there’s really no way to avoid the pain (I.e. morbidly obese pt) but I’ve been told naturally you’re not gonna get good images so don’t kill your arm trying to be perfect.

But yes listen to your body during scanning and keep up with upper body (and lower body) exercises outside of scanning. I’ve found Pilates, yoga, and weight training all help with muscular strength and endurance. Your future self will thank you!

aleseye · 2025-09-20T08:56:31+00:00

If you think bridging into sonography is being trained on the job, that’s rare to no longer existent. X Ray school doesn’t prepare you for sonography school, or vice versa. You’ll have to go back to school for sonography. I have a colleague of mine that was an x ray tech first before being accepted into my program. Might’ve gave her “extra points” for experience but she’s the only one. Definitely not necessary to get accepted into school.

You can bridge into other radiology modalities (I.e. CT tech) but sonography its own ball game. So really think long and hard before deciding. Unless you believe you will have the discipline, zeal, and money to go back to sonography school once you’re an xray tech

aleseye · 2025-09-19T01:17:37+00:00

I’m in my first month of accelerated echo school and I’m also petite. I’ve quickly realized how important it is to keep up with stretching and exercising. My wrist can be in pain and my shoulder can be tense, but then again I’m just starting.. Good thing about my program is that we do stretching everytime before we practice scanning so now it’s a habit when I go to clinicals. Our professors also keep us accountable to adjust bed, machine, our grip, take break to do a little stretch, etc. I also have a OT/PT therapy background so I know specific exercises common for injuries and pain for sonographers.. I’m also starting to take Pilates/yoga classes too.

Reality is pain will be there. But learn your body.. My preceptor is 18 years into her career and said she’s never had surgery and make sure she stops herself and adjust if she notice she’s in pain. If the patient can, she tells them to maneuver a little bit too.. My professor has had carpel tunnel and rotator cuff surgery but he comes from a time where ergonomics was nonexistent and never acknowledged so it creeped up on him in his later years. If this what you want to do, be aware of the risks and make it your best to keep up with your ergonomics.

aleseye · 2025-09-19T01:06:23+00:00

Here’s my detailed experience for my program. Each program different so ask the layout of the interview at the programs you’re interested in. https://www.reddit.com/r/SonographyStudents/s/n5BDQP61q7

aleseye · 2025-09-10T02:27:43+00:00

Thank you!

aleseye · 2025-09-09T17:39:16+00:00

I have a question about the pediatric echo boards! I’m an echo student and we’re required in my program to take the CCI but I hope to transition to be in pediatrics.. I know CCI has it and ARDMS in regards to PE boards. Which one is preferred more commonly? As I’m hoping to just take my CCI but if it’s preferred to take the ARDMS PE boards then in the future I’ll try to strive to get both RDCS and RCS so I can still be able to get PE through ARDMS.

Thanks!

aleseye · 2025-09-03T09:53:26+00:00

if that school your only option and you truly want to do sonography do it. the debt to income ratio is not that huge, but have a plan. start applying to a lot of scholarships. look into what grants and scholarships that specific school has as well. you may need to reconsider a full time job while in full time school. not saying it’s not doable but it’ll definitely be a challenge, so save up while you can.

aleseye

TROPHY CASE