Admission to BSW THHs Cardiovascular Institute is a competitive process and a limited number of applicants are accepted each year. The student should demonstrate a dependable, mature demeanor and interact well with other people. The student should have a genuine desire to care for the disabled and sick, and have the ability to work well under pressure.

The application process is open to applicants who meet all of the following minimum criteria at the time of program commencement:

1. 18 years of age
2. 2-year Associates Degree from an accredited college or university*
3. 8 credit hours of Anatomy & Physiology with Labs, grade of “C” or better, within the last 5 years
4. Provided a signed shadowing form demonstrating that they have observed or "shadowed" in an echocardiography clinical setting for 8 hours or more
5. Possess the physical and mental qualities required to work in this profession**
6. Proof of current immunizations and TB test***
7. Proof of current certification for Basic Life Support (BLS)

*Bachelors of Science degrees or higher are preferred.
** See "Physical, Interpersonal, Communication, Mobility, Tactical, Hearing and Visual Demands", page 40.
*** Immunizations must be current prior to school start.

Provide this list of immunizations to your Primary Care Provider (PCP):

• 2 Mumps, measles, rubella (MMR) vaccines or positive titers
• 2 Varicella (Chicken Pox) vaccines or positive titers (history of Chicken Pox is not acceptable)
• Tetanus, Diphtheria, Pertussis (Tdap) given after age 18 years
• Influenza (Flu) only in flu season
• Tuberculosis (TB) test (TST within last 3 months or Quantiferion within last 6 months)

Hepatitis B (Recommended, but not mandatory)

Download shadowing form

The total cost to the student for the Adult Echocardiography Program is $21,000.00 plus a $100.00 application fee (non-refundable). Program tuition includes:

• All administrative fees, lab fees, and required textbooks
• 4 sets of student hospital scrubs
• 1-year student-rate membership to the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), which includes access to its respected journal and members-only website content
• 1-year student-rate membership to the American Society of Echocardiography (ASE), which includes access to its respected journal and members-only website content
• Upon successful completion of the program, examination fee reimbursement for either the CCI or ARDMS national credentialing examination for adult echocardiography.

The Cardiovascular Institute at Baylor Scott & White The Heart Hospital – Plano was founded on March 23, 2020. This 114-bed hospital specializes in advanced cardiothoracic surgical techniques and transcatheter cardiovascular therapies, including minimally-invasive robotic surgery and transcatheter valvular implantation.

In March 2020, and for the second year in a row, Baylor Scott and White The Heart Hospital – Plano was recognized as one of the World’s Best Hospitals 2020 by Newsweek. The hospital ranked #27 in the nation for Cardiology & Heart Surgery in the U.S. News & World Report 2019-20 Best Hospitals list and achieved "High Performing" in five types of care:

• Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair
• Aortic Valve Surgery
• Heart Bypass Surgery
• Congestive Heart Failure
• Lung Cancer Surgery

The Heart Hospital - Plano has earned a distinguished three-star rating from The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) for its patient care and outcomes in isolated aortic valve replacement surgery (AVR), isolated coronary bypass surgery (CABG), and AVR plus CABG surgery. The three-star rating, which is one of the most sophisticated and highly regarded overall measures of quality in healthcare, places The Heart Hospital - Plano among the most elite for cardiac surgery in the United States and Canada.