Echocardiography takes it name from the word "echo" (which comes from the Greek word "eche" which means sound) and "cardiograph" (which comes from the Greek words "cardio" and "graph," which means "heart writing").
An echocardiographer uses ultrasound equipment to examine a patient's heart and lungs. The ultrasound equipment works by collecting reflected echoes and Doppler signals from the images of the heart.
Echocardiographers are most commonly employed by hospitals, but they are also employed by private physicians and clinics. The demand for echocardiographers is rising as the population of the United States is aging and has more heart problems.
According to the US Department of Labor, as of 2006, the average median income of echocardiographers was $57,160.
Echocardiographers are not medical doctors, and thus they do not need to go to medical school. A typical echocardiographer completes a two-year associate degree, though there are options available for four-year bachelor's degrees.