The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program prepares the student to be a sonographer: a skilled healthcare professional who specializes in the use of ultrasonic imaging devices to produce diagnostic images, scans, videos or 3-dimensional volumes of anatomy and diagnostic data.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program combines didactic and clinical study that enables the graduate to function in the medical community as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. An Associate of Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree is awarded to those students who have successfully completed 67 credit hours of coursework. This includes 17 hours of general education credits and 50 sonography credits. The degree program is designed to be completed in four-semesters, 15 month time-frame of full-time study.

Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to take the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) examinations in the areas of:

  • Sonography Principles & Instrumentation (SPI)
  • Abdomen (AB)
  • Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)

To obtain the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) credential, an individual must pass the Sonography Principles and Instrumentation Examination in addition to at least one other specialty exam. Learn more about the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.

Graduates find employment in hospitals, physician’s offices, mobile services and private clinics.

ADMISSION DEADLINES

Spring Semester (January start)……………………… August 1

Click here to learn more about careers in diagnostic medical sonography.

Curriculum Plan for AAS in Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Semester I Total Credit Hours Theory Hours Lab Hours Clinical Hours
DMS 200: Introduction to Sonography 2 30 0 0
DMS 220: Cross Sectional Anatomy 2 30 0 0
DMS 260: Instrumentation I 3 45 0 0
DMS 273: Abdominal & Small Parts Imaging 5 45 60 0
  12 150 60 0
Semester II        
DMS 250: Clinical I 4 0 0 180
DMS 261: Instrumentation II 3 45 0 0
DMS 271: OB/GYN Imaging 5 45 60 0
  12 90 60 180
Semester III        
DMS 272: Introduction to Vascular Ultrasound 3 30 30 0
DMS 290: Seminar I 2 30 0 0
DMS 240: Advanced Imaging 3 45 0 0
DMS 253: Clinical II 8 0 0 360
  16 105 30 360
Semester IV        
DMS 291: Seminar II 2 30 0 0
DMS 254: Clinical III 8 0 0 360
  10 30 0 360
Prerequisite Courses
Human Anatomy & Physiology
College Algebra or Statistics
English Composition
College or Radiologic Physics
General Psychology

4
3
3
4
3

45
45
45
45
45

45
0
0
45
0

0
0
0
0
0
Totals 67 600 240 900

The goal of the program is to prepare competent entry-level general sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. Sonographers perform medical imaging using sophisticated ultrasound instrumentation.

SOUTHSIDE COLLEGE OF HEALTH SCIENCES DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM EFFECTIVENESS DATA

The information below represents program effectiveness data through AY 2021-2022 for the Southside College of Health Sciences Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program.

Graduation rates

Entry Year

150% Cohort Completion Rate

2019-20

80%

2018-19

86%

2017-18

86%

2016-17

100%

2015-16

80%

Graduation rates in the tables above are defined as follows (all semester counts exclude summer):

150% graduation rate is graduation within 1.5 times normal time. For example, if it normally takes 5 semesters to graduate, 150% graduation is graduation within 8 (5 x 1.5) semesters.

Retention and placement

 

Academic Year

Retention1

Job Placement2

 

2021-22

88%

100%

 

2020-21

88%

100%

 

2019-20

88%

86%

 

2018-19

87%

83%

 

2017-18

100%

80%

  1. Retention is defined as the percent of students who are retained in the program during the identified academic year.  This rate is calculated by the enrollment (as of June 30) plus graduates divided by beginning enrollment (as of July 1) plus new starts and readmits.
  2. Placement is defined as the percent of graduates (who graduated between July 1 and June 30) who are placed in the related field of study by September 15th of the year following graduation. This rate is calculated by taking the total number of graduates placed divided by the total number of graduates minus number of graduates unavailable for placement due to medical issues, active-duty military service or continuing education.

Credentialing exam pass rates

Year

Abdomen

OB/GYN

Sonography Principles & Instrumentation

2022

100%

83%

83%

2021

100%

100%

100%

2020

100%

100%

100%

2019

100%

100%

100%

2018

100%

100%

100%

CREDENTIAL SUCCESS RATES

  • Abdomen – 100%
  • OB/GYN – 83%
  • Sonography Principles & Instrumentation – 83%

The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) is an independent, not-for-profit organization founded in 1975 that administers examinations and awards credentials for Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer®, Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer®, Registered Vascular Technologist®, and RPVI ® – Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation®. ARDMS is the globally recognized standard of excellence in sonography and has certified more than 65,000 individuals.

Credentials awarded by ARDMS document personal achievement of recognized professional standards and are widely accepted in the medical community by sonography and vascular professional organizations.

Accreditation

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is accredited by:
Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) via the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS).

CAAHEP (Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs)
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone 727.210.2350
Fax 727.210.2354
www.caahep.org

Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS)
6021 University Boulevard, Suite 500
Ellicott City, Maryland 21043
Phone: 443.973.3251/ Fax: 866.738.3444
www.jrcdms.org

Sonography Disclosures
Associate's degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician
Program Length: 57 weeks

Students Graduating on Time

N/A* of Title IV students complete the program within 57 weeks

*Fewer than 10 students enrolled in this program. This number has been withheld to preserve the confidentiality of the students.

Program Costs*

$16,500 for tuition and fees
$1,000 - $1,500 for textbooks

Other Costs

Screening fee: $80
Compliance Website fee: $135 (approximate)

*The amounts shown above include costs for the entire program, assuming normal time to completion. Note that this information is subject to change.

Students Borrowing Money

The typical graduate leaves with N/A* in debt

*Fewer than 10 students completed this program within normal time. This number has been withheld to preserve the confidentiality of the students.

The typical monthly loan payment is N/A* per month in student loans with an interest rate of N/A*.

*Fewer than 10 students completed this program within normal time. This number has been withheld to preserve the confidentiality of the students.

Grading Scale

Letter Grade Numerical Equivalent Meaning Quality Points Per Credit Hour
A 93-100 Excellent 4
B+ 89-92   3.5
B 86-88 Above Average 3
C+ 83-85   2.5
C 80-82 Average 2
D+ 77-79   1.5
D 74-76 Unsatisfactory 1
F 0-73 Failure 0

Graduates Who Got Jobs

100% of program graduates got jobs according to the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools job placement rate.

Program graduates are employed in the following fields:

Licensure Requirements

Program meets licensure requirements in:

  • Virginia

Disclosures

In adherence to federal requirements for disclosures regarding Professional Licensure programs under 34 §C.F.R. 668.43, effective July 1, 2020, please click here to view a table that discloses whether Southside College of Health Sciences’ (SCHS) DMS Program curriculum satisfies a state (including District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands) professional board’s requirements to be eligible for licensure.

Last Updated: 5/13/2022
These disclosures are required by the U.S. Department of Education

For more information and course offerings and professional credentials, please call 804-765-5800.

Need Tech Help?

Need Tech Help?

Start A Chat

New Chat