Student Experience

What to Expect

Algonquin College is proud to provide a diverse and dynamic student experience. Check out the highlights below to get a sense of what to expect as a student in the Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography program.

  • Small class sizes
  • Unique simulation experiences
  • Dual credentials are in high demand with the aging population
  • Students gain experience on-site and in a clinical setting
    Students practicing taking images of the heart using the sonography equipment in the lab

Through theoretical courses, simulation, laboratory practice and extensive clinical experiences students acquire the ability to produce, evaluate and diagnose sonographic images of the heart. Students apply principles of health and safety, as well as quality assurance for safe and proper use of ultrasound in the clinical setting and develop critical-thinking and problem-solving skills to adapt theoretical knowledge to clinical practice. Students work within an inter-professional healthcare team to deliver safe patient assessment, diagnostic and therapeutic skills consistent with best practice standards for diagnostic cardiac ultrasound.

This program is accredited by the Accreditation Canada EQual, and graduates from accredited programs are eligible to write the national certification through Sonography Canada.

Success Stories and Testimonials

“I chose this program as I had taken cardiac physiology classes in the past and wanted to continue studying the heart. As an Ottawa resident, Algonquin College’s program was my best option.
What has stood out to me the most in the program is how each instructor is currently or has been a licensed and practicing sonographer thereby allowing them to bring real-world experience and knowledge to the classroom.
The highlights for me about the program are the amount of hours given to students to practice scanning during labs and open-labs on the weekends. This greatly helped improve my skills and to gain confidence prior to venturing into my placements.
Clinical placement experiences during this program are absolutely vital! It has been the perfect place to apply all the fresh knowledge we acquired over the past year while networking with potential future employers/coworkers. I still have colleagues from past clinical placements that I am still networking with.
Algonquin College has provided me with the opportunity to seek meaningful employment and discover a career I absolutely love. If it wasn’t for the instructors at the college, I may not have known how fulfilling this job could be.
I would recommend the program to anyone considering it with the caveat of how much dedication it requires. I would advise you to put in the extra effort, stay ten minutes late to have any questions answered by the instructors that you may have, and take the opportunity you have for extra time in the lab because it pay off and you will be rewarded for the extra effort.
If I could describe my experience at Algonquin College in one word it would be: Rewarding”
-Greg, Graduate, 2023, Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography

Work Integrated Learning

There is extensive clinical experience in level 3 and 4 of the program that takes place in a variety of settings, including large tertiary care hospitals, community hospitals, and independent health care facilities. The program includes two, 450 hour clinical placements where you enhance your technical, professional, interpersonal and patient management skills in a real world environment. These acquired skills help you to function as a member of a healthcare team.