Lake Michigan College Launches Cardiac Sonography Program

New program aims to address local healthcare provider shortage of cardiac sonographers.

Mar. 24, 2026 at 6:00pm

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Lake Michigan College (LMC) has announced the launch of a new Cardiac Sonography Program as part of its Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. The college has spent the past year preparing for the new offering, which will provide hands-on training to students to become credentialed cardiac sonographers and meet the needs of local healthcare providers who have struggled to fill these positions.

Why it matters

The new Cardiac Sonography Program at LMC is a direct response to the shortage of cardiac sonographers in the region, with many local healthcare providers having to rely on traveling sonographers to fill open positions. The program aims to train students to become qualified cardiac sonographers and provide a pipeline of talent to support the local medical community.

The details

The Cardiac Sonography Program will include over 800 hours of clinical training to ensure graduates are prepared to pass board exams and immediately enter the workforce. Program Chair Elizabeth Zak says the combination of lecture courses, lab activities, and clinical rotations is key to setting students up for success. The new program is competitive with a limited number of openings, and the first cohort will begin in September.

  • The new Cardiac Sonography Program was announced in March 2026.
  • The first cohort of students will begin the program in September 2026.
  • The deadline to apply for the first cohort is May 12, 2026.

The players

Lake Michigan College

A community college located in Benton Harbor, Michigan that is launching the new Cardiac Sonography Program.

Elizabeth Zak

The Program Chair for the Cardiac Sonography Program at Lake Michigan College.

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What they’re saying

“This allows us to image the heart to look at for function, any mechanical or physiological abnormalities.”

— Elizabeth Zak, Program Chair, Cardiac Sonography Program

“A lot of our clinical partners had reached out to us in the last few years, stating they were having trouble finding echo techs to fill their positions.”

— Elizabeth Zak, Program Chair, Cardiac Sonography Program

What’s next

The first cohort of students will begin the new Cardiac Sonography Program at Lake Michigan College in September 2026.

The takeaway

The launch of the Cardiac Sonography Program at Lake Michigan College is a significant step in addressing the local shortage of qualified cardiac sonographers. By providing hands-on training and a pipeline of talent, the program aims to support the region's healthcare providers and improve access to essential cardiac imaging services for patients.