Medical Imaging, Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Associate of Applied Science

See Inside. Save Lives.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program trains students to use high-frequency sound waves to create detailed images for assessing and diagnosing medical conditions. Students gain practical experience in labs and clinicals with ultrasound equipment to image the abdomen, pelvis, and superficial structures. They also gain experience with imaging in obstetrics and gynecology.

Career Opportunities and Income

Visit sanjac.edu for information regarding career opportunities and potential earnings in the Greater Houston region.

Job Entry Requirements. In accordance with Texas House Bill 1508 amendments to Texas Occupations Code Sec. 53.152, the College informs all students in this program who may have a criminal background that a criminal history could keep graduates from being licensed by the state of Texas. Students with any questions about their background and licensure may speak with the program’s department chair.

Learning & Career Pathway

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Associate of Applied Science degree, is intended to provide students with all skills needed to enter the workforce. At this time, this degree is what employers value and hire for job entry, so the College does not currently have other certificates or degrees related to this learning pathway.

Learning Outcomes and Career Skills

A student completing this award will be able to:

• Function in the health care setting with appropriate medical and patient care knowledge, sonographic equipment, patient safety guidelines, and universal precautions.
• Interpret patient laboratory findings to assist the physician in a diagnosis.
• Adjust technical factors to achieve ALARA principles during sonographic examinations.
• Exhibit clinical competence in patient care, equipment manipulation, image evaluation, and technical factor selection.
• Embody the skills necessary to perform patient assessment and care.
• Adjust technical factors to meet the needs of individual sonographic exams.
• Utilize effective verbal and written communication skills as required in a healthcare setting.
• Maintain the values of a professional sonographer by following ethical guidelines and exhibiting professional behavior.

Program Accreditation

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 113th Street N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350
www.caahep.org

The program’s current accreditation award is 5 years.

External Learning Experiences

This program includes external learning experiences outside of the classroom, e.g., an internship, externship, clinical, practicum, or cooperative learning experience. Those experiences are typically on-site at a business or organization.

All students participating in external learning experiences are required to comply with the immunization requirements and policies of the external learning sites. Some learning sites outside the college have their own vaccination requirements. These rules come from those facilities and are not mandated by the college. Failure to meet those immunization requirements may limit a student’s ability to complete the program and/or may delay the student’s graduation date. San Jacinto College does not process exemptions, and students should address potential vaccination exemptions directly with the external learning site.

Locations

• Central

College Admission

San Jacinto College is an open admission institution. All students are welcome to apply and will be admitted to the College. You may begin the process on the College’s “How to Apply” webpage.

Program Admission

In addition to being admitted to the College, students must also be admitted to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program which has additional requirements and/or steps. The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program uses selective admission. Meeting minimum admission requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program. 

Information about the admission requirements can be found on the program page of the college website.

Plan of Study

3MED-SONO

 Capstone Experience: DMSO 2266 Practicum IV - Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer

¹

For credit earned in a required biology or physics course to be applied to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, credit must have been earned within five (5) years of the first term in which the student enrolls in the program and with an earned grade of a C or above.

²

Higher level math such as Calculus may be evaluated for possible substitution if a student was placed out of College Algebra. Substitutions must be approved by the Department Chair and Dean of Nursing and Imaging

³

For credit earned in DMSO 1110 Introduction to Sonography to be applied to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, credit must have been earned within five (5) years of the first term in which the student enrolls in the program and with an earned grade of a C or above.

Students must earn a C or better in all Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMSO) and all plan of study courses; the student will not be permitted to continue or to graduate from the program until that course has been repeated and a grade of C or above has been earned.