Surgeon Danish Farook has been teaching the EKG Technician course for four years and has seen several of his students succeed in becoming technicians. Possessing an MD as well as being a surgeon, Dr. Farook has studied cardiac pulmonary medicine for the last six years. Although much different from his day job, he loves to teach students because he can pass down his knowledge to them, so they can be successful.
One reason why Dr. Farook enjoys teaching is that he believes the EKG class is clinically based. “It shows from the inside what they need to know in the clinical setting, what they are going to be asked, and what types of data to look for,” he says.
The class is supplemented with topic-specific lectures and readings, and students perform several EKGs in the classroom to prepare them for their health care career. It gives them hands-on opportunities to take their skills beyond the classroom. Dr. Farook adds that, “We offer the students more one-on-one time to understand the concepts of electrophysiology and cardiac pathology.” This one-on-one time is crucial when succeeding and passing the class.
Dr. Farook also recommends that his students network and try to volunteer or find internships to get their foot in the door. In his view, “I think the students vary in background. They definitely network and I’ve seen students go from the class to working. Some students are already working in the field where they are requested by their employer to go and take a class.”
There are high hopes for those trying to become EKG technicians. “The industry is growing more,” Dr. Farook says. “I think there is definitely demand.” He does caution that it’s still a process to land a job in the EKG field. He hopes that his students “essentially understand that they also need to start building a resume, and look for internships or volunteer at different hospitals to get into job placement.”
