St. Joseph’s Health Celebrates the Graduation of Cardiac Sonography Class of 2024

SYRACUSE, N.Y.— While the nation faces a sonographer shortage, particularly in the field of cardiac sonography, St. Joseph’s Health is proud to graduate 10 people from its rigorous Cardiac Sonography program. The graduates were celebrated at a commencement ceremony in November.

This highly specialized,13-month certificate program equips students with the skills and knowledge to perform diagnostic procedures in adult echocardiography settings. Graduates learn to evaluate the heart's structure and function through techniques such as transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), transesophageal echocardiography (TEE), and stress echocardiography (SE). The program combines intensive classroom learning with 46 weeks of hands-on clinical training at St. Joseph’s Health and other medical facilities, fostering a foundation of excellence in cardiac imaging.

The Class of 2024 includes Carl Butch, Sarah Casselman, Morgan Giordano, Samantha Kellogg, Svitlana Khmelnytska, Kristen Nunes, Miah Rafferty, Alysia Rising, Brianna Wallace and Nafysa Williams.

“We have risen above challenges and persevered,” said graduate Sarah Casselman. “I will forever be thankful for the cardiology department, which helped me build a strong foundation.”

“At this moment, we are officially cardiac sonographers, and we'll go all around the world performing this task,” said Svitlana Khmelnytska. “This is only the beginning of our journey, and the future is looking so bright.”

The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 14 percent growth in employment for diagnostic medical sonographers from 2020 to 2030, significantly outpacing the average growth rate for all occupations. This increase is attributed to an aging population, rising rates of chronic conditions such as diabetes and heart disease, and the expanding use of sonography imaging for diagnostic and screening purposes.

Danielle Gage, MSN, RN, Program Administrator, opened the graduation ceremony with warm congratulations, while Steven Walling, BS, ACS, RCS, RDCS, FASE, and Dr. Gangadhara Kabbli, MD, delivered inspiring keynote speeches. Kimberly D. Whigham-Barr, MSN, RN, CNL, presented graduates with their certificates.

“Congratulations to the Class of 2024 for your hard work, perseverance and dedication to becoming compassionate and skilled cardiac sonographers,” said Gage. “You are now equipped with the knowledge and clinical expertise to make a meaningful impact in the lives of patients.”

The graduates are now entering the health care field and contributing to improving cardiac care. They are also eligible to sit for CCI certification, with opportunities for further specialization through ARDMS certification.

For more information about the program, visit sjhsyr.org/school-of-cardiac-sonography.