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Diagnostic ultrasound uses high frequency sound waves and other diagnostic techniques for medical purposes. This health care service requires highly skilled and competent professionals who are an integral part of the health care team. The practitioner is competent in production, use, recognition and analysis of ultrasound images and patterns used for patient diagnosis and treatment. The practitioner must be knowledgeable in the health care system, pertinent clinical history and related diagnostic procedures, ultrasound physics and instrumentation, normal anatomy and pathological variants.
A diagnostic medical 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 have extensive, direct patient contact that may include performing some invasive procedures. They must be able to interact compassionately and effectively with people who range from healthy to critically ill.
The professional responsibilities include, but are not limited, to:
- Obtaining and recording an accurate patient history.
- Performing diagnostic procedures and obtaining diagnostic images.
- Analyzing technical information.
- Using independent judgment in recognizing the need to extend the scope of the procedure according to the diagnostic findings.
- Providing an oral or written summary of the technical findings to the physician for medical diagnosis.
- Providing quality patient care.
- Collaborating with physicians and other members of the health care team.
Offered on the Toledo-area campus, The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Majors offers students a combination of didactic instruction with practical application of knowledge and skills in affiliating hospitals.
Graduates must take and pass a national certification examination administered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers. The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists also offers a credentialing examination. Passing of this examination credentials graduates as Sonographers.
Department of Sonography
Accreditation
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Owens Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in collaboration with the joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS) through Spring 2024.
For more information regarding accreditation standards:
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Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
(727) 210-2350
www.caahep.org
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Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS)
6021 University Boulevard, Suite 500
Ellicott City, MD 21043
(443) 973-3251
www.jrcdms.org
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Instruction
All majors in Diagnostic Medical Sonography combine didactic instruction with practical application of knowledge and skills at affiliating institutions.
Health RequirementsDocumentation of the following must be in the medical imaging office by the deadline date provided. This deadline is strictly enforced. Getting the necessary testing completed is not enough, students must also submit the documentation to the office to be in compliance.
The following are clinical health requirements for students enrolled in any medical imaging program:
A physical examination yearly – $50
Proof of immunity or exposure to the following communicable diseases:
Rubella, Rubeola (not required if born prior to 1957), and Varicella – $25
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen or Antibody – $40 each
Hepatitis B Surface Antigen, no more than three months prior to the beginning of the series, or during the series if the series has been started but not completed.
Hepatitis B Antibody if the series is complete upon entrance to the medical imaging department.
Immunizations:
Tetanus/Diphtheria with a booster required every ten years, date required. – $24
Measles, Mumps, Rubella titre (MMR) – $25 each
Dates of two immunizations after the age of 1 year. However, if rubella and rubeola titers are positive for immunity, 2 dates are not required.
Hepatitis B, series of 3 immunizations, dates required. –$150 total
Students are responsible to submit the date of each of the 3 immunizations as soon as each dose is administered and to ensure that the series is completed in the proper time frame. There should be no more or no less than 1 month between the first and second injection and no more or no less than 5 months between the second and third injection. Failure to adhere to the required time frame for each immunization may result in additional lab testing, and in some cases, restarting the entire immunization series.
Students who do not receive the series must sign a waiver form, have a Hepatitis Surface Antigen test yearly and submit the results to the medical imaging department.
Tuberculosis Skin Testing:
A Two-Step PPD (Mantoux Test) is required every three years. – $25
One-Step PPD is required each year, in the intervening years. – $15
Date test administered, date read, and result of each step must be submitted. Students are responsible for getting a One-Step PPD annually and submitting the results. A Chest X-Ray is required only if the Mantoux is positive. X-Rays must be done for three consecutive years after the positive test.
10-Panel Drug Screen yearly. – $40
CPR – $80
All students must be certified in CPR either through the American Heart Association (AHA) - Basic Life Support (BLS) for Healthcare Providers or the American Red Cross - certification for Health Science Professionals.
Health Insurance – per our clinical affiliations students are required to provide proof of health insurance to a clinical site.
All costs are the responsibility of the student. Failure to comply will result in denied access to the clinical area.
Background Checks Requirements
All students entering any medical imaging program are required to have completed a background check through the Department of Public Safety at Owens Community College. Students will be required to have additional back ground checks throughout their enrollment in the program. Students will be notified when it is time to complete this requirement.
Any student who has a conviction should complete the pre-application review process as the ARDMS indicates below.
Pre-Application Review
The following information comes from the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) web site. Please see www.ardms.org for more information.
ARDMS rules indicate that ARDMS may take action against an applicant, candidate, or Registrant in the case of conviction, plea of guilty or plea of nolo contendere to any crime. If you are presently charged with, or been convicted or found guilty of or plead nolo contendere to any crime (felony and/or misdemeanor), other than a speeding or parking violation, you may have questions concerning this rule and may wish to obtain clarification as to how it pertains to your circumstances.
ARDMS conducts a “pre-application review”, for a $125 non-refundable fee, for individuals who wish to determine the impact of a previous criminal matter on their eligibility to apply for ARDMS certification. The pre-application review process is recommended for individuals who have not yet applied for examination and are contemplating employment in the field of sonography and/or enrollment in a sonography program. Individuals who have already completed a program and are ready to apply to the ARDMS for examination should simply respond to the questions on the ARDMS examination application relating to criminal matters and provide the requested documentation regarding such matter(s).
The medical imaging department administrator at the clinical affiliates will be contacted regarding a conviction. The clinical affiliate reserves the right to accept or refuse the student. Depending on the results, clinical placement may not be possible, even if the ARDMS clears the student for credentialing purposes.
Technical Standards
Medical imaging is a practice discipline with cognitive, sensory, affective, and psychomotor performance requirements. Based on those requirements, this list of technical standards has been developed. Each standard has examples of activities that students will be required to perform while enrolled in their medical imaging program. These standards are a part of a technologist’s professional role expectations. These technical standards should be used to assist students in determining whether accommodations or modifications are necessary. Students who identify potential difficulties with meeting the standards must communicate their concerns to the college counseling/advising staff and department chair. Students have the obligation to identify and document their disabling condition and ask for appropriate adjustments. Owens Community College makes no pre-admission inquiries concerning an applicant’s disabling condition. Information related to an applicant’s disabilities is not a part of the information reviewed by the admissions committee. For the purpose of the medical imaging programs, a qualified individual with a disability is one who, with or without reasonable accommodation or modification, meets the selective admissions requirements for their program of study. Determination is made on an individual basis as to whether or not any accommodations or modifications can be reasonably made. Please contact the department chair with any questions.
- view Technical Standards Chart
Clinical Experience
This program is offered in cooperation with many area Sonography departments. The use of multiple clinical sites provides equity in clinical education as students have the opportunity to utilize many types of sonographic equipment and to participate in a wide variety of sonographic procedures. Students are required to complete 1,250 hours of clinical education. Students should note that there may be travel requirements of up to 60 miles, possibly more, from the Owens State Community College Toledo-area campus for their clinical site rotations.
- view Clinical Affiliations
Employment Opportunities
Currently, there is a need for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the community and a great need nationwide. Graduates may work in the areas of Abdominal, Obstetrics and Gynecology.
Sonographers are needed to fill positions in many hospitals and clinics providing patient services around the clock. Although most are employed on a full-time basis, there are many part-time job opportunities available in the Sonography field. The DMS programs at Owens Community College provide students with the skills to successfully qualify for positions in:
- Hospitals
- Clinics
- Private Offices
- Veterinary Medicine
- Research
- Commercial Sales
- Mobile
- Clinical Applications
Entry-level graduates, working full-time, can expect to earn $45,000 - $50,000 per year. Additional compensation can be earned if the technologist has on-call responsibilities.
Scholarships and Financial Aid
Owens Community College maintains an Office of Student Financial Services on each campus. The Office of Student Financial Services is the place for you to ask questions related to financial aid. Contact: 1-800-GO OWENS ext. 2387 or (567) 661-2387 Email: studentfinancial@owens.edu
Scholarships may be available through professional organizations. Please check the following link for further information:
- The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), www.ardms.org
- The Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS), www.sdms.org
Transfer Information
Graduates may pursue a bachelor’s degree at Bowling Green State University and Lourdes College. Meet with an Advisor or the Department Chair for more information.
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