DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY

Hybrid Learning

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography associate degree 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). Most 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 800 clinical hours prior to graduation. Students will be placed at a clinical site by the AIMS Internship Department. The internship courses are designed to provide practical experience in a real work environment; students will have a mentor who trains and guides them. The clinical internship courses must be completed within the semesters they are scheduled.

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

To prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the Abdominal - Extended and Obstetrics & Gynecology sonography 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 associate degree 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 DMS 122 - Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation II.

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 Sonography (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.

Classroom and Clinical Training Schedule

Students who enroll in a semester-based program must have flexible schedules and be able to attend classes and/or clinical training sessions during morning, day, and evening hours. Certain courses will only be taught in the evening regardless of the program’s standard schedule.

Program Length

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography associate degree can be completed in 6 semesters, or approximately 24 months. Students will enroll as a cohort and progress through the program at the same pace. Each cohort will complete three semesters per academic year.

• 24 Months
• 66 Credit Hours
• 800 Clinical Hours

Contracting Agreement for General Education Coursework

AIMS Education has entered into a contracting agreement with Geneva College in partnership with Portage Learning (Geneva-Portage). This agreement involves specific arrangements for general education coursework. As part of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, students will complete some of their first semester general education credits through Geneva-Portage. These credits must be completed during the first semester. Additional information about the courses taken with Geneva-Portage is provided at the link below.

First Semester Courses with Geneva-Portage

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
• A minimum score of 250 on each of the required Accuplacer tests
  • Reading, Writing, and Arithmetic
• Additional Requirements

Prerequisites for Enrollment

Applicants must have at least one of the prerequisites listed below.

• 30 college credits or more
• 1 year of healthcare experience related to direct patient care
• Graduate of the credit-bearing Patient Care Technician program at AIMS Education
• Graduate of the credit-bearing Medical Assistant program at AIMS Education

Selective Enrollment

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program has a selective application process. Meeting the minimum requirements 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.