Frequently asked questions

You must be at least 18 years of age with a high school diploma or GED.

The Arizona Heart Foundation School of Ultrasound offers three ultrasound programs. AHF programs are 12-months long. The AHF Cardiac & Vascular program (https://www.azheartfoundation.edu/cardiac-vascular-ultrasound-program)starts every January, July at our Phoenix campus, and January and July at our Tucson campus . The AHF DMS & Vascular (https://www.azheartfoundation.edu/vascular-ultrasound-program)program starts every January and July at our Phoenix campus. Please see individual program pages for next start dates. The AHF Cardiac Ultrasound (/cardiac-ultrasound-program-washington)program starts every January and July at our Auburn, WA campus.

Our average class size is 18-22 students, with the except of the Cardiac Night Program which limits its class size to 10 – 12 students.

Classroom sessions and clinical rotations average 35-40 hours per week. Hours vary, but typically the Cardiac and Vascular day time programs run 7:30 AM – 2:30 PM Monday-Friday, while the Cardiac Night Program runs 1:00 PM – 7:30 PM Monday – Friday. When your clinical rotation begins, the schedule is built around 8-10 hour clinical days and start times can vary based on your assigned facility; however, almost all clinical rotations happen between 7:00 AM – 4:00 PM, Monday – Friday.

Every student is required to complete a minimum of 828 clinic hours to be eligible to sit for their appropriate registry.

We are proud to offer clinical rotations at hospitals, acute care facilities and outpatient facilities throughout the Continental U.S.; however, given that we are located in Arizona, and that the majority of our students are from the greater Phoenix and Tucson area, our main focus is on obtaining clinical sites in the greater Phoenix area and the state of Arizona. Sites can vary from year to year.

While we try to accommodate all Phoenix area students with a clinical site in the greater Phoenix area and Tucson area students with a clinical site in the greater Tucson area, there are only so many clinical sites available every rotation; so, students must be prepared to go wherever they are assigned within the Continental U.S. to complete their clinical rotation.

We historically place over 90% of our students!

We work with all graduates to help them secure a job in the sonography field by posting job listings, networking and helping to construct resumes showcasing applicable skills.

One of the main objectives of either program is to prepare our students to pass their boards with CCI which, once obtained, will be all that's required to work nationwide. The cost of the exam is included with your tuition; but if you do not pass the first time, you will be financially responsible for any subsequent attempts. You have one year from your job hire date to become a Registered Cardiac or Vascular Sonographer.

Please follow the links to the two credentialing agencies for information on their policies: CCI,(https://www.cci-online.org/) ARDMS.(https://www.ardms.org/)

Yes! We are institutionally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).(https://abhes.org/)