Curriculum

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The Ascension Sonography Program curriculum is carefully designed to facilitate student learning as they progress through the program. In the first year of the program, emphasis is on anatomy & physiology, patient care, fundamentals of ultrasound and learning to perform sonographic procedures while the second year of the program focuses on technical and theoretical aspects of medical imaging, pathology and applying knowledge of sonographic principles and instrumentation. The program curriculum adheres to the professional curriculum from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (www.ARDMS.org) and meets the required content of the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (www.ARDMS.org) certifying exams.

The Sonography Program course credits and descriptions by semester are below. A link to an at-a-glance of the program curriculum is below.

Sonography Program Curriculum

General Education (Transferred In)

COURSE	CREDITS
Algebra, Statistics or Higher Math	3.0 credits
General Physics or Radiographic Physics	3.0 credits
Communication Skills	3.0 credits
Human Anatomy and Physiology	5.0 credits
Medical Terminology	1.0 credits

Junior Year: Semester I (Summer)

Course	Credit Hours and Course Description
Intro to DMS	Intro to DMS - DMS 111 (16 lecture hours, 24 lab hours, 1.5 credits) This course provides the diagnostic medical sonography student with an orientation of the program, introduces the student to the sonographic equipment, sonographic anatomy and sonographic scanning so the student can transition into the clinical site with basic knowledge of a sonographer and their expectations. This course will give the student’s knowledge of the protocols being utilized in their clinical settings. The students will have a very basic and limited understanding of normal anatomy, physiology, protocol, and scanning techniques with the more frequent exams seen in general and vascular sonography so the students can transition into their clinical site with a better understanding of sonography. This course contains educational objectives, learning activities and scan labs directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Patient Care	Patient Care - DMS 112 (28 lecture hours, 9 lab hours, 2.0 credits) This course provides the diagnostic medical sonography students with the basic concepts of patient care including consideration for the physical and psychological needs of the patient. Some topics to be covered include: Safety and transport of a patient, infection control, isolation techniques, aseptic technique, handling acute situations, pharmacology, emergency recognition and response, and vital signs. This is a time for the students to develop their own patient care techniques while developing an understanding of body mechanics, patient assessment techniques, ethical, legal, and professional issues. This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Fundamentals of Ultrasound	Fundamentals of Ultrasound - DMS 113 (16 lecture hours, 0 lab hours, 1 credit) This course is designed to provide the diagnostic medical sonography students an understanding of work related musculoskeletal injury, incidence of sonographer injuries, and prevention of such injuries by following proper ergonomic guidelines. This course will also provide the student with knowledge of and the importance of professional development and continuing education within the field of Diagnostic Medical Sonography. The student will be able to discuss and define the use of Information Technology within the field of Radiology. This course will also give the student a good understanding of Medical Ethics and Law as it pertains to the Patient’s Bill of Rights and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Clinical Observation	Clinical Observation - DMS 119 (20 lecture, 52 clinical hours, 2.0 credits) This course provides the diagnostic medical sonography student with an introduction to sonographic anatomy, sonographic scanning, and patient care. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.

Junior Year: Semester II (Fall)

Course	Credit Hours and Course Description
General Sonography I	General Sonography I - DMS 121 (38 lecture hours, 60 lab hours, 4.5 credits) Upon completion of this course, the diagnostic medical sonography student will gain knowledge and understanding of the normal organ systems and vascular structures of the abdomen and superficial organs. The student will gain knowledge to recognize and identify the sonographic appearance of normal anatomic structures, including anatomic variants and normal Doppler patterns of the abdomen and superficial organs. The students will gain knowledge of the invasive procedures that are performed with ultrasound guidance. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
OBGYN Sonography I	OBGYN Sonography I - DMS 122 (30 lecture hours, 18 lab hours, 2.5 credits) This course is designed to provide the diagnostic medical sonography student with a thorough understanding of normal and abnormal female pelvic anatomy, pathology associated with the female pelvis, conception, infertility, embryonic development, first trimester normal anatomy and sonographic technique and appearance of the aforementioned topics. This course will also teach pelvic Doppler technique. The students will gain knowledge of the invasive procedures that are performed with ultrasound guidance. This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Vascular Technology I	Vascular Technology I - DMS 123 (30 lecture hours, 57 lab hours, 3.5 credits) This course is designed to provide the diagnostic medical sonography student with the knowledge of the peripheral venous system and peripheral arterial system to include anatomy, physiology and pathology of the aforementioned system. This course is also designed to provide an understanding of miscellaneous arterial and venous anatomic and pathological conditions related to the profession of sonography. This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Ultrasound Physics I	Ultrasound Physics I - DMS 124 (57 lecture hours, 0 lab hours, 3.5 credits) This course allows the diagnostic medical sonography student to develop a fundamental knowledge of the physical and vascular principles that are used in the field of diagnostic medical sonography. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Clinical Practicum I	Clinical Practicum I - DMS 129 (312 clinical hours, 6.5 credits) This course has students rotate through various clinical sites. This course provides the diagnostic medical sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer. Students will be assigned approximately 16 clinical hours per week. Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus.

Junior Year: Semester III (Spring)

Course	Credit Hours and Course Description
General Sonography II	General Sonography II - DMS 131 (36 lecture hours, 54 lab hours, 4 credits) Upon completion of this course, the diagnostic medical sonography student will gain knowledge and understanding of the normal and abnormal organ systems and vascular structures of the abdomen and superficial organs. The student will gain knowledge to recognize, identify, and appropriately document the abnormal sonographic and Doppler patterns of disease processes, pathology, and pathophysiology of the abdomen and superficial structures. The student will learn how to modify the scanning protocol based on the sonographic findings and the differential diagnosis. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
OBGYN Sonography II	OBGYN Sonography II - DMS 132 (28.5 lecture hours, 12 lab hours, 2 credits) This course is designed to provide the diagnostic medical sonography student with a thorough understanding of, normal and abnormal 1^st, 2^nd and 3rd trimester fetal development, pathologies that can occur during fetal development and prognosis and treatment of such pathologies during pregnancy and after birth. This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Vascular Technology II	Vascular Technology II - DMS 133 (28.5 lecture hours, 57 lab hours, 3.5 credits) This course is designed to provide the diagnostic medical sonography student with the knowledge of the abdominal vascular system to include anatomy, physiology and pathology of the aforementioned system. This course is also designed to provide an understanding of miscellaneous arterial and venous anatomic and pathological conditions related to the profession of sonography. This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Ultrasound Physics II	Ultrasound Physics II - DMS 134 (54 lecture hours, 0 lab hours, 3.5 credits) This course is a continuation of Ultrasound Physics I and allows the diagnostic medical sonography student to develop a fundamental knowledge of the physical and vascular principles that are used in the field of diagnostic medical sonography. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Clinical Practicum II	Clinical Practicum II - DMS 139 (304 clinical hours, 6.5 credits) This course is a continuation of Clinical Practicum I as students continue to rotate through various clinical sites. This course provides the diagnostic medical sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer. Students will be assigned approximately 16 clinical hours per week. Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus.

Senior Year: Semester IV (Summer)

Course

Credit Hours and Course Description

Clinical Practicum III

Clinical Practicum III - DMS 219 (312 clinical hours, 6.5 credits)

This course is a continuation of Clinical Practicum II as students continue to rotate through various clinical sites. This course provides the diagnostic medical sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer. Students will be assigned approximately 40 clinical hours per week. Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus.

Senior Year: Semester V (Fall)

Course	Credit Hours and Course Description
General Sonography III	General Sonography III - DMS 221 (19 lecture hours, 21 lab hours, 1.5 credits) This course is designed to provide the diagnostic medical sonography students an understanding of normal and abnormal conditions associated with a pediatric patient, including normal and abnormal neurological development of neonatal head and spinal cord. This course will also give the students the knowledge of the ultrasound exams performed less often, such as the peritoneal cavity, the retroperitoneum, MSK, GI Tract, abdominal wall, and Elastography. This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
OBGYN Sonography III	OBGYN Sonography III - DMS 222 (28.5 lecture hours, 8 lab hours, 2 credits) This course is a continuation of OBGYN Sonography II. This course is designed to provide the diagnostic medical sonography student with a thorough understanding of pathologies that can occur during fetal development and prognosis and treatment of such pathologies during pregnancy and after birth as well as medical ethics associated with pathological processes. High risk fetal development will also be taught in this course. This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Vascular Technology III	Vascular Technology III - DMS 223 (30 lecture hours, 57 lab hours, 3.5 credits) This course is designed to provide the diagnostic medical sonography student with the knowledge of the extracranial cerebrovascular and intracranial cerebrovascular systems to include anatomy, physiology and pathology of the aforementioned system. This course is also designed to provide knowledge of the vasculature with organ transplants. This course contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Clinical Practicum IV	Clinical Practicum IV - DMS 229 (464 clinical hours, 10 credits) This course is a continuation of Clinical Practicum III as students continue to rotate through various clinical sites. This course provides the diagnostic medical sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer. Students will be assigned approximately 24 clinical hours per week. Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus.

Senior Year: Semester VI (Spring)

Course	Credit Hours and Course Description
Research On Case Studies	Research on Case Studies - DMS 231 (0 lecture hours, 57 lab hours, 1.5 credits) This course allows the diagnostic medical sonography student to develop professional awareness of the knowledge that can be gained, by doing follow-up work and research on interesting cases. This course unit contains educational objectives and learning activities directed toward aiding the student in obtaining this goal.
Registry Review	Registry Review - DMS 232 (21 lecture hours, 36 lab hours, 2.5 credits) This course will review all subjects covered throughout the course of the program. The goal is to prepare diagnostic medical sonography students for taking the ARDMS registry examinations upon completion of the program. The course will also teach the students how to write a resume and how to excel in an interview.
Clinical Practicum V	Clinical Practicum V - DMS 239 (440 clinical hours, 9.5 credits) This course is a continuation of Clinical Practicum IV as students continue to rotate through various clinical sites. This course provides the diagnostic medical sonography student with the clinical opportunity to develop their scanning techniques and patient care skills with the guidance of a staff sonographer. Students will be assigned approximately 24 clinical hours per week. Students will perform competency exams as required by the syllabus.