DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Training

Hybrid / Distance Education Program

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) certificate program is programmatically accredited by CAAHEP for the Abdominal – Extended and Obstetrics and Gynecology concentrations. The DMS program is designed to prepare students to become skilled diagnostic medical sonographers. Students in this CAAHEP accredited program will learn to use ultrasound equipment to create images of internal body structures that doctors use to make diagnoses.

During the course of the program, students will learn about the basic principles for DMS scanning technology and gain hands-on experience with the various types of instrumentation employed in Abdomen, OB/GYN, and Vascular Sonography.

This comprehensive training program includes classroom instruction, hands-on training, and a clinical internship. Through this combination of classroom learning and hands-on experience, our graduates are prepared to enter the workforce as qualified ultrasound technologists.

Upon completion of the program, all graduates meeting the necessary requirements will be eligible to sit for the ARDMS examinations. For more details regarding certification requirements, please contact ARDMS directly.

Hybrid Learning

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is taught using a hybrid learning environment. All hybrid courses will utilize online and in-person instruction. Lectures may be offered on campus or remotely via a Learning Management System (LMS). Laboratory classes and practical training will be held on campus or at a clinical site.

Online classes will be taught synchronously. Synchronous instruction is real-time instruction that requires students to attend classes at scheduled times.

Clinical Internship for Diagnostic Medical Sonography

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program requires students to complete 900 clinical hours prior to graduation. Students will be placed at a clinical site by the AIMS Internship Department. The internship is designed to provide practical experience in a real work environment; students will have a mentor who trains and guides them. 80 clinical hours will be completed during the DMS 256 course, and the remaining 820 hours will be completed during the clinical internship. Students are not permitted to begin the internship until all required classroom and lab hours are completed.

AIMS Education has clinical affiliations with numerous healthcare facilities throughout New Jersey and the surrounding areas. Students will be placed at one or more of these affiliated sites and must complete their clinical hours based on the schedule provided by the school. Internship schedules are based on the availability of clinical sites. All students (Day and Evening) must be prepared to complete their internship during normal business hours (Monday through Friday). The majority of clinical sites do not allow students to complete clinical hours in the evening or on the weekend.

DMS Program Goal

The primary goal of this program is to prepare competent, entry-level diagnostic medical sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the Abdominal - Extended and Obstetrics & Gynecology concentrations.

Employment Opportunities for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers

Employment of diagnostic medical sonographers, also referred to as ultrasound technicians or ultrasound technologists, is in high demand and is expected to continue to grow well into the future. Ultrasound technologists generally work 40 hours per week, but some may be hired part-time as well. It is also possible to work nights, weekends, and holidays on a rotation basis depending on the facility in which they are employed. Upon completion of this certificate program, graduates often find employment in hospitals and imaging centers.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Responsibilities

A diagnostic medical sonographer's job duties vary depending on the field or specialty. Diagnostic medical sonographers use sound waves produced by ultrasound machines to view and interpret images to treat and diagnose medical conditions. Sonographers will operate equipment and communicate results during diagnostic examinations. 

Primary job responsibilities for the diagnostic sonographer include:

• Obtaining and recording patient history and ordering further testing if needed.
• Managing imaging departments and scheduling patients for procedures.
• Addressing patient inquiries and problems.
• Ensuring patients are in the appropriate position prior to the procedure.
• Using a transducer to study images of blood flow, tissues, and organs.
• Applying a gel onto the area of the patient's body where the waves will enter.
• Documenting pathological, anatomical, and/or physiological data for a physician's interpretation.
• Examining the blood vessels, heart, prostate, female reproductive system, breasts, and abdomen.
• Performing necessary clinical assessment during examinations.
• Pinpointing, documenting, and adapting procedures as needed to diagnostic, pathological, and anatomical images and information.
• Maintaining ultrasound supplies and equipment.
• Relaying findings from sonograms to the physician.
• Preparing preliminary reports after identifying normal and abnormal results. 
• Organizing daily work schedules. 
• Using sonographic equipment and performing diagnostic procedures. 

Diagnostic medical sonographers work with nurses, doctors, and patients of all ages. Similar diagnostic imaging roles include radiation technologists and magnetic resonance imaging technologists, who assist with interpreting and conducting X-rays and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans.

Diagnostic medical sonographers can specialize in various fields. For example, medical sonographers may focus on imaging the abdomen or breast. They may also create images of blood vessels or specialize in imaging the female reproductive system. 

Echocardiographers are sonographers who focus on heart imaging, and they visualize patients' cardiac arteries and heart valves. Many general sonographer positions require imaging experience in several areas, while other positions may call for specific specializations.

Many diagnostic medical sonographers may be asked to work weekends, holidays, or evenings depending on their employer, and most work full time. The role often requires you to be on your feet for most of the workday. 

Routine Daily Duties of a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

A diagnostic medical sonographer's daily responsibilities go beyond testing. They include:

• Maintaining daily logs of patients seen.
• Performing regular maintenance of machines.
• Maintaining adequate supplies.
• Performing sanitary and safety procedures after each test on the equipment.
• Engaging in consultations with supervisors and physicians daily. 
• Adjusting patient positions and selecting appropriate equipment settings to obtain the best angles and sites.
• Completes billing forms for exams.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Skills and Education Requirements

A career in medical sonography may be a good fit for people who enjoy working closely with others and want to gain highly technical skills. Sonographers must also have strong interpersonal skills, a keen eye for changes in imaging results, and a detail-oriented mindset.

AIMS Education's sonography training program in New Jersey will help individuals interested in this career fulfill the necessary education requirements. These include:

• Formal education and lab training
• Clinical internship hours
• Eligibility for professional sonography certification

Certification requirements - Graduates of a CAAHEP accredited Diagnostic Medical Sonography program are eligible to attempt certification exams offered by ARDMS.

Certification / Registry Exam Eligibility

AIMS students are eligible to take the Sonography Principles & Instrumentation (SPI) examination after successfully completing the following course - DMS 220: Ultrasound Physics & Instrumentation.

Up to 60 days prior to graduation, DMS students will be eligible to take the Abdomen (AB) and Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN) specialty examinations offered by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonograhy (ARDMS).

Graduates who have passed the SPI exam and a specialty exam (AB or OB/GYN) will earn the RDMS credential from ARDMS.

Eligibility requirements for the RDMS credential are solely determined by ARDMS, and are subject to change at any time. ARDMS is an independent organization. AIMS does not guarantee registry exam eligibility.

Program Length

• 2660 clock hours
• Classroom instruction and lab - 1760 hours
• Clinical hours - 900 hours
• The day program can be completed in approximately 29 months.
• The evening program can be completed in approximately 36 months.

Comprehensive Education and Training

• Medical Terminology
• Obstetrics and Gynecology
• Cross-Sectional Anatomy
• Vascular Ultrasound
• Patient Care & Safety
• Abdomen & Small Parts
• Ultrasound Physics & Instrumentation

Minimum Admission Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Passing score on the Wonderlic Scholastic Level Exam
• Additional Requirements

Prerequisites

Postsecondary or college-level courses

• English or communications course (or equivalent)
• Human anatomy and physiology course (or courses) that covers all body systems
• Algebra, statistics, or higher level math course
• General physics or radiographic physics course

AIMS Education has partnered with Portage Learning to offer these prerequisite courses via a self-paced, online platform.

Selective Enrollment

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography certificate program has a selective application process. Meeting the minimum requirements or recommendations does not guarantee you will be accepted into the program. From the pool of applicants, those who are considered most qualified for the study and practice of sonography will be admitted. Below is a list of qualifications that will help strengthen your application:

• Completion of a college degree in a science-related field
• Completion of all prerequisite courses with a B or higher
• Completion of at least 30 college credits with a cumulative GPA of 2.7 or higher (Recommended GPA varies based on pool of applicants)
• 6 months of patient care experience or healthcare education
• Graduate of the Medical Assistant program at AIMS with a 3.0 GPA or higher
• A cumulative GPA of 3.3 or higher from coursework completed at post-secondary technical/vocational schools. (Recommended GPA varies based on pool of applicants)

Additional Program Requirements

All sonography students are required to earn a cumulative GPA of 3.0 upon completion of the pre-diagnostic modules at AIMS.