From Staffing Crisis to Sonography Pipeline, with Amy Dillenbeck

What does it really take to build a hospital-based echocardiography program from scratch—inside one of the busiest labs in the country?

In this episode, Lara Williams is joined by Amy Dillenbeck, who leads the echo training program at Cleveland Clinic, for a candid, behind-the-scenes conversation about launching a sonography school after COVID-era staffing challenges pushed facilities to think differently.

Amy walks through the early overwhelm (researching successful programs, navigating Ohio requirements, creating objectives and lesson plans, recruiting, marketing—plus all the unexpected parts like scheduling, payments, and yes… snow days). They discuss why the program intentionally accepts only 8 students per year, how clinical support from staff sonographers makes or breaks the student experience, and how the results have exceeded every expectation—100% graduation, placement, and board pass rates, plus 23 hires in 3 years helping strengthen staffing and elevate lab culture.

They also dive deep into HOCM, where Amy shares what she’s seeing shift in evaluation and why sonographers play a critical role in not missing LVOT obstruction. You’ll learn the practical “how-to” behind goal-directed Valsalva—a more standardized, measurable approach that can improve consistency and help unmask gradients without losing your images.

Finally, Amy and Lara talk ASE, attending Scientific Sessions, why involvement builds confidence and opportunity, and what the FASE designation can mean for sonographers who want to lead, teach, and level up.