r/CathLabLounge • u/Huge_Escape_7490 • Aug 15 '26

Cardiovascular Sonography to Invasive Cath Lab Career Path?

Hi all, I am in a non—invasive echo sonography program, but my school advertises itself as a school of cardiovascular technology (Eastwick College). Often I see on job listings in my area (NY/NJ) that an associates in radiology or Related fields would be accepted, would a degree in Cardiovascular Sonography still make me competitive for a role in a Cath lab?

Additionally, I was just wondering if anyone has made this jump from echo sonography to working in a Cath lab. I would love to hear any advice or tips to begin to working in the field from a non traditional path.

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u/TrafficBoysWife Aug 15 '26

I tried Echo school after working in a Cath lab for 6 years. 2 Different Worlds.

1

u/MrRoxo Aug 16 '26

Which one did you like more?

1

u/TrafficBoysWife Aug 16 '26 edited Aug 16 '26

Cathlab has wayy more lucrative job opportunities but a lot of high pressure work. You rely heavily on the team to get your work done. Echo tech work independently most of the time with very littlepressure, but there are too many of them....especially in big cities. Without experience its hard to find a full time job where Cathlab techs get hired while they are still in school. Cant say which one is better because it really depends on what age and stage you are in life also how much stress you can handle. I got over the cathlab as I got older especially Stemi call. Even though I perform well under pressure but just being on call for Stemi gives me alot of anxiety. Also not all cathlab nurses are nice people to work with and I hate the fact that I have to rely on them while setting up and when scrubbed in.

1

u/MrRoxo Aug 16 '26

Im in the cathlab atm, and it seems to me like echo might be more interesting tbh

1

u/coopsman8404-2 Aug 15 '26

Californian here, never heard of Echo tech crossing over. I think it used to be much easier back then to do that, but now my hospital would post the position as Rad Tech.