Medical Instrument Technician (Echocardiography)

Total Rewards of a Allied Health Professional

Functions

• Examines the patients using a variety of ultrasound modalities on clinical protocols in order to determine cardiac status.
• Independently makes standard examination.
• Produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode two dimensional pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display and color flow Doppler imaging.
• Performs routine procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves chamber enlargement and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular surgeries deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves etc.
• The MIT Echocardiography will identify and record anomalies indicative of disease injury or other medically significant conditions using ultrasound imaging and simultaneous Doppler techniques. The MIT understands cardiothoracic and cardiovascular anatomy and physiology as well as pathophysiology.
• Perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography (invasive) stress echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography.
• Adapts transducer positioning instrument controls and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings.
• Prepares preliminary diagnostic evaluation for review by staff physicians and house staff as necessary. Reviews revises and files final reports.
• Schedules all echocardiographic examinations which include screening and prioritizing echocardiogram requests based on clinical information provided by the referring physician.
• Is responsible for running all aspects of the echocardiography lab including ordering supplies and maintaining equipment including maintenance of TEE probe. Participates in the selection of new equipment and oversees the installation of new equipment modifications.
• May be required to perform vascular ultrasound examinations as required.
• Trains cardiology fellows in echocardiographic technique and assists in teaching them echocardiographic interpretation.
• Calling clients with appointment reminders or scheduling appointments.
• Conferring with cardiologist.
• Establishing excellent interpersonal relationships with other VA personnel Air Force personnel and all others with whom interactions are required.

• You must be a U.S. Citizen to apply for this job.
• All applicants tentatively selected for VA employment in a testing designated position are subject to urinalysis to screen for illegal drug use prior to appointment. Applicants who refuse to be tested will be denied employment with VA.
• Selective Service Registration is required for males born after 12/31/1959.
• Must be proficient in written and spoken English.
• Subject to background/security investigation.
• Selected applicants will be required to complete an online onboarding process. Acceptable form(s) of identification will be required to complete pre-employment requirements ( Effective May 7 2025 drivers licenses or state-issued identification cards that are not REAL ID compliant cannot be utilized as an acceptable form of identification for employment.
• Must pass pre-employment physical evaluation.
• Participation in the seasonal influenza vaccination program is a requirement for all Department of Veterans Affairs Health Care Personnel (HCP).
• Complete all application requirements detailed in the Required Documents section of this announcement.

• your performance and conduct;
• the needs and interests of the agency;
• whether your continued employment would advance organizational goals of the agency or the Government; and
• whether your continued employment would advance the efficiency of the Federal service.

To qualify for this position applicants must meet all requirements within 30 days of the closing date of this announcement.

Basic Requirements:

• United States Citizenship: Non-citizens may only be appointed when it is not possible to recruit qualified citizens in accordance with VA Policy.
• Education: There are no specific educational requirements for this occupation.
• Certification: Licensure or Certification is not required for this occupation; however it is strongly desirable at GS-6 or above as evidence of possession of the essential knowledge skills and abilities. For certain functional areas at the higher levels or supervisory assignments specific certifications appropriate to the specialty are indicated in this standard under Titles and Certification/Registrations.
  • Echocardiography Technicians operate diagnostic equipment to graphically record the position and motion of the heart walls or the internal structure of the heart and neighboring tissue by the echo obtained from beams of ultrasonic waves directed through the chest wall. Registration is offered by Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) as a Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS) or by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS).
• English Language Proficiency: Medical Instrument Technicians must be proficient in spoken and written English in accordance with chapter 2 section D paragraph 5a this part.

1. Knowledge of the anatomy and physiology of the heart and great vessels.
2. Knowledge of cardiac arrhythmias and their relationship to hemodynamic conditions of the cardiac cycle.
3. Knowledge of basic cardiac ultrasound physics and the acoustic mechanisms by which high quality cardiac images are obtained.
4. Ability to set up and adjust the ultrasound equipment to meet the conditions of the examination and the patient and to operate the equipment for standardized routine procedures.
5. Ability to interact with patients explaining procedures and positioning the patient for the procedure.

1. Ability to scan transthoracic echocardiograms in all views with colorflow and some Doppler.
2. Ability to conduct cardiac testing to determine the severity and variety of cardiac problems i.e. valvular dysfunction myocardial wall kinesia effusions endocardial lesions etc.
3. Knowledge of the set-up for transesophageal echocardiograms.
4. Ability to set up and adjust the ultrasound equipment to meet the conditions of the examination and the patient and to operate the equipment for more complex but standardized procedures.

1. Ability to produce diagnostic quality images and Doppler frequency shift recordings using M-mode two-dimensional pulsed and continuous wave Doppler spectral display and colorflow Doppler imaging.
2. Knowledge of normal echocardiographic findings and deviations produced by a wide variety of cardiovascular diseases.
3. Ability to perform complex procedures such as cardiac studies of the four chambers of the heart and valves using sector scanning techniques to detect stenotic and incompetent valves chamber enlargement and pericardial effusion and cardiovascular studies deriving pressure gradients across obstructed valves etc.
4. Ability to perform complementary ultrasonic examinations (including noninvasive) transthoracic Bubble studies and contrast echocardiography (invasive) stress echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography.
5. Ability to adapt transducer positioning instrument controls and examination techniques to the individual patient being studied and the problem being evaluated including recognizing pertinent abnormalities and documenting abnormal findings.