Diagnostic Medical Sonography
If caring is your calling, the Associate's of Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at the Baptist School of Health Professions provides the education and professional training necessary to prepare for the ARDMS certification examination in Obstetrics/Gynecology, Abdomen, and Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT) in Sonography examination. Graduates are required to complete registration and successfully pass credentialing examinations within one year of employment.
A sonographer is a highly skilled professional who uses specialized equipment to create images of structures inside the human body that are used by physicians to make a medical diagnosis. Sonographers develop close relationships with ordering physicians and radiologists and have extensive direct patient contact. Diagnostic medical sonography is a multi-specialty field. Sonographers may specialize in abdominal, obstetrics and gynecology, neurologic or vascular imaging. Sonographers may go on to earn credentials in Diagnostic Cardiac Sonography and Vascular Technology.
Other opportunities exist in education, administration, research, and in commercial companies as education/application specialists, sales representatives, or technical advisors. Job opportunities will vary by geographic area. Sonographers willing to relocate or have multiple specialties will also have good prospects. The median salary is $72,510 (May 2018 Bureau of Labor Statistics). Actual salaries and employment opportunities may vary depending upon geographic location, market employment trends by local area, employer size, employee experience, and employee credentials. Prospective students should research the local employment opportunities as a part of their decision-making processes.
The Department of Medical Imaging Technology offers a blended Associate of Applied Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the credentialing examinations for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) or the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS). The diagnostic medical sonographer is able to practice in a variety of medical imaging settings after graduation to include hospitals and imaging centers. The Department of Medical Imaging Technology is committed to quality education using the guidelines set forth by the code of ethics for the profession of diagnostic medical sonographer.
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is five semesters in length. It is a full time program. All general education classes are held online. All core courses are held in a classroom or laboratory. There are a total of 1200 clinical hours, in which students train at a variety of clinical education settings. These clinical settings include hospitals and outpatient medical imaging clinics, where students are exposed to and trained to perform imaging studies on outpatients, inpatients, surgical patients, and trauma exams.
The program currently has clinical sites in the immediate San Antonio area and out of area sites. Students should have reliable transportation, because of possible assignment to any clinical location. We can only accept the number of students that can be safely accommodated at the clinical sites that are available to us. The clinical coordinator places students at clinical sites based on the types of procedures being taught. Students will attend up to nine hours per day, two to three days per week for the clinical practicum, in which the clinical day begins at 8:00am. Students will attend clinical on the opposite days of their didactic course days. Working while attending the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is extremely challenging for most students. It is highly recommended that work be limited to 20 hours per week because of the time commitment required for classes, virtual lab, clinical, study and preparation.
Prerequisites
Applicants must meet the following criteria:
- Anatomy & Physiology I
- Anatomy & Physiology II
- College Algebra
- Intro to Physics/Physics I
- Speech/Communications
Length: 5 Semesters (80 Weeks)