Sanford-Brown Institute Launches Graduates into Rewarding New Careers

Steven Cook had been employed for eight years as a veterinary technician when he decided that his true vocation was to work with patients of the human variety. He explored his options carefully, but it took just a single meeting with a faculty member from the Sanford-Brown Institute (SBI) – Fort Lauderdale to convince him that the school was exactly the right choice for him.

“I checked out every school in South Florida that offered healthcare career training programs. SBI was unsurpassed – it offered everything I wanted, and more. I knew by the school’s word-of-mouth reputation that it was a high caliber institution, but when I met personally with Cardiovascular Technology Program Director Daisy Herrero, RCIS, I was very impressed and I knew that this was the school for me. She was so knowledgeable, articulate and multifaceted; I wanted to have a teacher like her. I also found that SBI had the best lab facilities and a strong career development focus. ”

Cook enrolled in SBI – Fort Lauderdale’s Cardiovascular Sonography program, an 18-month course designed to prepare students for entry-level clinical positions in the healthcare industry. Students in the Cardiovascular Program learn to perform echocardiograms under the direction of a physician or cardiologist. Cook graduated in February 2009 with an Occupational Associate Degree in Cardiovascular Science, and he has only positive comments about his experience within the school. “My only regret is that I didn’t start sooner! I loved the school and the program. I am now employed as a cardiac ultrasound technician and making a good income. I enjoy my work and continue to learn; I am working now on my certification in vascular technology.”

SBI – Fort Lauderdale offers distinct advantages for students, like Steven Cook, who are seeking to gain a competitive edge in the job market. Among those advantages is an exceptional complement of practical, hands-on experience that includes laboratory time, working with high-tech patient simulators and integrated clinical experience in actual healthcare settings. In addition, SBI is distinguished by a staff of highly qualified faculty, each of whom is board-certified and clinically active in their respective fields, maintaining the most up-to-date, cutting edge skills and knowledge. The institution also features guest lectureships by visiting physicians and has relationships with manufacturers of the technical equipment used in diagnostic sonography.

According to Ron Gonzalez, RDMS, RDCS, RVT, Director of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at SBI-Fort Lauderdale, the emphasis on practical experience and the extensive lab facilities at the school make it unique. “We are the only program of this type in the region to have an ultrasound simulator. We can program the simulator to test the students and expose them to every kind of pathology. Our cardiovascular program also exposes the students to a variety of state-of-the-art scanning equipment that other schools don’t have.”

SBI’s Cardiovascular Sonography program offers an initial foundation of general education classes followed by the core curriculum. The core curriculum consists of a lecture component, an imaging laboratory component and a clinical component. Students study the anatomy and physiology of the heart, the heart’s electrical conduction system, and EKG readings. The final, 480-hour externship portion of the curriculum takes place at a clinical worksite and is structured to include supervised experiences in the clinical environment that require competencies, logs, and evaluations completed by the student. At the conclusion of the program, graduates possess the skills to seek entry-level employment as echocardiographers, performing sonography on the heart. Gonzalez says that students are ready to take their board exams immediately after completing the course.

“The job market is excellent for Sanford-Brown graduates,” he says, “especially in metropolitan areas. Graduates can expect to earn as much as $22-23 per hour. Many states have shortages in this field so there are plenty of jobs and opportunities to relocate.”

While the courses emphasize technology and the hands-on application of skills, Gonzalez says that human relationships are also a focus of the training programs. “We are creating sonographers but we are also building relationships and developing mentors. We teach our students how to interact with others.”

Steven Cook believes that Sanford-Brown Fort Lauderdale has given him an excellent foundation for a career with job security, personal satisfaction and challenges. “I’ve found that everything I learned in school applies on the job. SBI prepared me well. It’s an outstanding facility and I would encourage anyone considering a career in healthcare to take a tour and learn more about the programs.”

Sanford Brown Institute generally has new classes beginning every five weeks, and classes are conveniently offered during both day and evening hours.