Diagnostic Medical Sonography, AS

Curriculum

• Diagnostic Medical Sonography, AS (Knoxville, Indianapolis, Nashville, Pittsburgh)  
• Diagnostic Medical Sonography, AS (Asheville)  
• Diagnostic Medical Sonography, AS (Atlanta, Dallas, Orlando)  

Mission

The mission of the Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography is to provide undergraduate students with academic and clinical foundations to competently perform as entry-level Sonographers that provide quality patient care, actively participate in the profession, and pursue life-long learning. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers are skilled professionals in the medical field that use sound waves for the evaluation of the human anatomy including all major organs of the abdomen, pelvis, and obstetrics. They are a part of an integral health care team requiring highly skilled and competent professionals.

Role of the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer

Diagnostic medical sonographers use special imaging equipment that directs sound waves into a patient’s body (in a procedure commonly known as an ultrasound or sonogram) to assess and diagnose various medical conditions.

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Certification

CAAHEP Accredited Campuses (Asheville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Nashville): Students successfully completing the Associate of Science degree program in Diagnostic Medical Sonography are eligible to apply for admission to write the certification examination administered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). Successful completion of the ARDMS examinations provides licensure to practice as a registered sonographer.

Campuses Seeking CAAHEP Accreditation (Orlando & Pittsburgh): Students successfully completing the Associate of Science degree program in Diagnostic Medical Sonography are eligible to apply for admission to write the certification examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT). Successful completion of the ARRT examinations provides licensure to practice as a registered sonographer.

Overview of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Associate of Science Program

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Associate of Science degree program requires completion of 124.5 quarter credit hours in 27 months (full-time). The program is offered in an onground or hybrid delivery method. Both course delivery methods may not be offered at each campus. The degree curriculum integrates didactic and clinical instruction with increasing expectations at each level. A combination of courses from the general education/core and the diagnostic medical sonography major are required. Clinical sites utilized by the program are geographically dispersed. Students may have to travel outside of the local area for clinical placements. Some evening and weekend rotations may be required. Students must complete a separate application to the program and secure formal admission.

OnGround Delivery

The program is offered in an onground delivery model at the Asheville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Nashville, Orlando, and Pittsburgh campuses. Onground cohorts are admitted in January at the Asheville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Nashville, and Pittsburgh campuses.  The Orlando campus admits an onground cohort in October. 

Employing an onground approach, the curriculum integrates the finest elements of face-to-face learning interactions, immersive on-campus laboratory sessions, and clinical education experiences to meet the program objectives. The Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program offers a diverse array of instructional techniques tailored for in-person delivery and active participation using slide presentation, whiteboard explanations, group discussions, and multimedia displays. Learning takes on a more hands-on and experiential form when students engage in on-campus and in-person laboratory courses.

Program Goal and Learning Outcomes

The goal of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is to prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the abdominal sonography-extended and obstetrics and gynecology sonography concentrations.

Graduates of this program will develop skills to:

1. Be clinically competent to perform appropriate procedures and record anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data;
2. Apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to exercise discretion and judgment in performance of diagnostic sonography;
3. Demonstrate appropriate communication skills; and
4. Demonstrate professionalism and growth in the profession.

The program will continually monitor program effectiveness through assessment and evaluation to ensure that the needs of the community are met.

Admission Requirements

General admission to South College does not guarantee admission to the Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree program. Students who apply to the Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography program and fully meet the admission requirements but are not selected due to the unavailability of cohort spots may request to apply at another South College campus location. Applicants interested in the program are required to visit the college and meet individually with an admissions representative and program faculty to ascertain if their goals can be met by the college. Prospective students declaring Diagnostic Medical Sonography as their major must be generally admitted to South College and meet the following requirements in order to be considered for full admission to the program:

Effective with any cohort beginning Fall 2025 or later, the HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) examination will be a mandatory component of the admissions process for the DMS program at all campuses. Applicants will be required to complete the HESI exam as part of their application to assess their readiness for the program. This examination evaluates key academic skills necessary for success in healthcare-related fields, including areas such as math, critical thinking, learning style, personality style, vocabulary, and anatomy & physiology. Additional information about the HESI is available from the DMS Department at each campus.

1. Complete the Sonography program application form. The application deadline is available in the DMS Department at the applicable campus.
2. Submit documentation of a minimum high school and/or college cumulative GPA of 2.75. All official transcripts must be provided.*
3. Meet minimum score requirements on the college entrance examination, OR present documentation of a score of 19 or higher on the ACT Assessment Examination, OR present documentation of a 900 combined score or higher on the SAT I examination, OR meet the South College requirements for admission as a transfer student.
4. Admission to the cohort is based on the successful completion or transfer of the following prerequisite courses or their equivalents with a grade of “C” or better in a maximum of two attempts. If a student is unsuccessful in two attempts of any of the listed courses at South College, they will no longer be eligible for the program. Withdrawal from the same course twice at South College will count as a failed attempt.
   • Complete BIO 1030 Anatomy & Physiology for Imaging Science  or equivalent; MAT 1100 College Algebra  (or higher) or MAT 2501 Statistics ; PHY 2010 General Physics I  and PHY 2020 General Physics I Lab ;  AHS 1010 Medical Terminology ; and RAD 1125 Introduction to Imaging Sciences & Patient Care  with a minimum grade of “C” or higher in a maximum of two attempts at South College.* 
   • Complete a communications skills course that may be met by a variety of courses including Speech, English, or Composition with a grade of “C” or higher in a maximum of two attempts at South College*. 
5. Complete a HESI-A2 assessment*. Applicants are required to take the HESI-A2 assessment as part of the application process. Applicants have two attempts to complete the exam before the application deadline date set by the associated campus. The cost of the first attempt will be paid by South College. Costs associated with a second attempt is the responsibility of the applicant. While there is no minimum overall score requirement, applicants are strongly encouraged to achieve a high score to remain competitive.  
6. For applicants seeking readmission, a retake of the exam is not required if already taken. Reentries must have taken the exam with South College within the past 2 years.  Readmission eligibility will be assessed based on previous academic performance and adherence to program policies. Readmittance is at the discretion of the campus Program Director and clinical affiliate availability.
7. Complete a mandatory on-campus or online information session.
8. Meet specific health and/or essential functions pertinent to the responsibilities performed by the Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. Drug and background screenings are required by clinical affiliates. Failure to pass the screenings may disqualify a student as a candidate for admission.
9. Be able to commit to full participation in a rigorous educational program that requires class participation (whether onground or online depending on track), on campus lab participation, significant out-of-class preparation time, and clinical education assignments off-campus. Students may be required to attend clinical education assignments up to 2 to 3 hours distance from the base campus as assignments are made in consideration of the student’s home address.

*Each of these areas may be used to rank applicants for full program admission. If minimum standards are met by more applying students than clinical seats, these rankings determine program admission.

Admittance Decisions

Applicants to any Imaging Science program are ranked based on academic scores. Emphasis is placed on math and science coursework related to the Imaging Sciences at all certificate and degree levels. The weight distribution for ranking is as follows: Science (Anatomy & Physiology, Introduction to Imaging Sciences and Patient Care) & Math: 60%, Medical Terminology and Communication: 15%, and HESI: 25%. Those programs admitting on a rotational basis and class sizes admitted are dependent on available clinical sites. 

In addition to coursework, each student must provide proof of ability to perform the skills needed to practice in the imaging sciences effectively. Healthcare facilities must meet federal guidelines, and students must also meet these requirements in order to be allowed to gain clinical experience in these facilities. To meet these requirements, each student must supply proof of a negative TB test, hepatitis B vaccine or waiver, physical exam certifying ability to function in the required capacity, proof of immunizations (including MMR immunity), and CPR training. A criminal background check and drug screen are required for admission. If the background check reveals previous convictions, it is up to each clinical site to determine the eligibility of students to attend clinical at the site. Students who are denied clinical experiences due to past convictions may be unable to progress in the program which will result in failure to complete the required courses for the program. In any case where a drug screen is positive and an authorized prescription is not produced to validate the presence of the drug in the individual’s system, a student may be disqualified as a candidate for admission. Upon notification of the drug screen results, the student will have 5 working days to provide prescription validation. Students are responsible for costs associated with any required testing.