Associate in Science Degree (CIP# 1351091004)
Limited-Access
This program is designed to prepare the student for employment as a diagnostic medical sonographer. The sonographer should be skilled by academic and clinical training to perform ultrasound examinations under the supervision of a qualified physician.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a dynamic medical imaging profession. It is presently being used to evaluate many soft tissue organs in the body. Some of these organs are the liver, gallbladder, kidneys, and pancreas. One of the most fascinating uses of diagnostic ultrasound is the examination and evaluation of the unborn child. With the most recent technical advances in ultrasound, the sonographer is now able to evaluate flow dynamics of many blood vessels of the fetus, pediatric and adult patient.
Properly-trained sonographers are in demand in hospitals, clinics, doctors’ offices, marketing, applications, and mobile services.
The General DMS Program sponsored by Valencia College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
Graduates are eligible to take the national certifying examinations administered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers.
Sonography is a limited-access program. Admission to Valencia does not imply acceptance to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program; students must apply and be accepted to the program. General admission procedures for this program are found in the Admissions section of this catalog. The School of Health Sciences provides information about specific program admission criteria.
Estimated program expenses are given in the Financial section of this catalog.
Admission requirements that must be satisfied prior to submitting an application to the A.S. degree Program in Diagnostic Medical Sonography are:
- Review the general admission requirements for Health Sciences programs in the Admissions section of this catalog.
- Submit a completed Valencia Application for Admission; satisfy the requirements for degree-Seeking Status and be in Active Student Status.
- Satisfy the college entry testing requirement and satisfactorily complete all mandatory courses in reading, Professions of Caring (HSC 1004) for students pending acceptance to a health sciences program, or New Student Experience (SLS 1122), mathematics, English, and English for Academic Purposes in which you are placed.
- Complete the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Prerequisite for Admission courses with a minimum grades of C.
- Have a minimum overall college GPA of 2.5 (including transfer work). NOTE: Transfer students with completed coursework at Valencia College also need to have a minimum institutional/Valencia GPA of 2.0 at the time of applying (in addition to the minimum overall college GPA of 2.5).
- Satisfy the designated entrance test requirements for Health Sciences programs.
- Submit the completed Valencia Diagnostic Medical Sonography program application with the application fee by the deadline.
The program curriculum includes all courses that are required for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography A.S. degree. A minimum grade of C must be achieved in all courses identified in the program curriculum, including the course required for admission. The courses in the curriculum are progressive in nature, with one course building on the preceding course. Because of this progressive relationship, all courses in a term must be completed with a grade of C or better in order to continue to the next term. If a student achieves less than a C or withdraws from any course that is required for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography A.S. degree, the student will not be allowed to progress in the program.
Students are strongly encouraged to consult their campus based Student Success Coach for assistance in determining the best education plan for their career goals.
Alternative Ways to Earn Credit toward this Degree
If you have earned your credential as a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS), you may be eligible to receive credit toward this A.S. degree. For more information, visit: https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/programs/as-degree/credit-industry-certification-agreements.php
Start Right
Degree-seeking students enrolling at Valencia for the first time will have a limited range of courses from which to choose for their first 18 college-level credits. Within the first 18 college credit hours, you will be required to take ENC1101 (3 credits), and if applicable, Professions of Caring (HSC 1004) for students pending acceptance to a health sciences program, or New Student Experience (SLS 1122), and a mathematics course appropriate to your selected meta-major (3 credits). The remaining courses will be chosen from the General Education Core Courses in humanities (3 credits), science (3 credits), or social science (3 credits), and/or the introductory courses within the A.S. degree programs. For specific courses see the Foundation Courses on the “Program Requirements” tab.
For course sequencing recommendations, see your campus based Student Success Coach or access the Course Planning Guide on the Health Sciences webpage https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/programs/health-sciences/diagnostic-medical-sonography/.
Potential Careers
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
Salary & Earnings Information
For career information related to this program, please visit O*Net OnLine.
Contacts
Future Students
To learn more about this program, contact Enrollment Services at enrollment@valenciacollege.edu or 407-582-1507 or visit https://valenciacollege.edu/sonography/.
Current Students
Active Valencia students who are pending program acceptance may meet with the pending Student Success Coach in the campus Student Services department. For Information Sessions, Admission Guides, Program Applications, and the most updated information, visit the website at: https://valenciacollege.edu/academics/programs/health-sciences/index.php. Accepted, in-program students will meet with their assigned Student Success Coach after confirming acceptance.
Your Student Success Coach contact information can be found in Atlas. Log into Atlas, click on the Courses tab, and check your Academic Profile information to find a link to your Coach.
Money Back Guarantee
Money Back Guarantee is a tuition refund program that helps students who complete the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Associate in Science degree and are not employed within six months after graduation. For more information, visit https://valenciacollege.edu/students/business-office/tuition-installment-plan/money-back-guarantee.php.
Program Outcomes
- To prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the following learning concentrations: Abdominal sonography - Extended & Obstetrics and gynecology sonography.
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Perform effective communication skills within the healthcare environment.
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Provide a safe environment in the healthcare setting.
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Practice professional behaviors in a healthcare setting.
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Execute safe clinical decision making in medical imaging.
Plan of Study Grid | Prerequisite for Admission |
|---|
| BSC 2093C | HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY I +*~ | 4 |
| BSC 2094C | HUMAN ANATOMY AND PHYSIOLOGY II +*~ | 4 |
| PHY 1007C | PHYSICS WITH MEDICAL APPLICATIONS * | 4 |
| MAC 1105 | COLLEGE ALGEBRA +*~ | 3 |
| ENC 1101 | FRESHMAN COMPOSITION I +*~ | 3 |
| PSY 2012 | GENERAL PSYCHOLOGY +~ | 3 |
| +*~ | 3 |
| | Credit Hours | 24 |
| Year I |
|---|
| Fall Term |
|---|
| SON 1002C | METHODS OF PATIENT CARE * | 2 |
| HSC 1531 | MEDICAL TERMINOLOGY + | 3 |
| SON 1003L | SONOGRAPHY PRACTICE LAB * | 1 |
| SON 1000 | INTRODUCTION TO MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY +* | 3 |
| SON 1000L | SONOGRAPHY INSTRUCTIONAL LAB I +* | 1 |
| | Credit Hours | 10 |
| Spring Term |
|---|
| SON 1804L | CLINICAL SONOGRAPHY I +* | 2 |
| SON 1001 | ABDOMINAL SONOGRAPHY I *+ | 3 |
| SON 1001L | SONOGRAPHY INSTRUCTIONAL LAB II *+ | 1 |
| RTE 2762 | SECTIONAL ANATOMY +* | 3 |
| | Credit Hours | 9 |
| Summer Term |
|---|
| SON 1614 | SONOGRAPHIC PHYSICS I +* | 3 |
| SON 1814L | CLINICAL SONOGRAPHY II +* | 2 |
| SON 1112 | ABDOMINAL SONOGRAPHY II +* | 3 |
| SON 1112L | SONOGRAPHY INSTRUCTIONAL LAB III +* | 1 |
| | Credit Hours | 9 |
| Year II |
|---|
| Fall Term |
|---|
| SON 2121 | OB/GYN SONOGRAPHY I +* | 3 |
| SON 2824L | CLINICAL SONOGRAPHY III +* | 3 |
| SON 2618 | SONOGRAPHIC PHYSICS II +* | 3 |
| SON 2150 | NEUROSONOLOGY AND SUPERFICIAL STRUCTURES +* | 3 |
| | Credit Hours | 12 |
| Spring Term |
|---|
| SON 2122 | OB/GYN SONOGRAPHY II +* | 3 |
| SON 2834L | CLINICAL SONOGRAPHY IV +* | 3 |
| SON 2619 | SONOGRAPHIC PHYSICS III +* | 2 |
| | Credit Hours | 8 |
| Summer Term |
|---|
| SON 2061 | SEMINAR IN SONOGRAPHY +* | 3 |
| SON 2882L | MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY CLINICAL PRACTICUM +* | 2 |
| | Credit Hours | 5 |
| | Total Credit Hours | 77 |
Notes:
All accepted applicants are required to submit applications through Valencia for a criminal background check, fingerprinting, and drug testing. Applicants for Valencia’s Health Sciences Programs must be free of offenses that would disqualify them from a student clinical experience in a healthcare setting and must have their civil rights intact. This policy is in response to requirements by clinical agencies and state/federal regulations.
Specialized program courses are offered on the West Campus and may not be offered every session.
Upon earning the A.S. degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, eligible applicants can continue at Valencia to complete the Bachelor’s degree in Radiologic and Imaging Sciences or a bachelor-level Advanced Technical Certificate (ATC) in Echocardiography, Vascular Sonography, or Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). Additional education at the bachelor’s level and professional experience can enhance your skills and create more career opportunities.
Students who wish to continue their education should consult with their Student Success Coach to determine the best education plan for their career goals.
