Adult Cardiac Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Mission Statement

In keeping with the mission of Collins Career Technical Center and the Lawrence County Board of Education policy, the Sonography Program is committed to providing its students with a well-rounded education in Adult Echocardiography and Vascular Learning Concentrations of Diagnostic Medical Sonography principles. Included as well are the opportunities for the student to develop advanced medical imaging skills to prepare the graduate for employment in the field of Medical Sonography. The faculty members of the Sonography Program are committed to assisting the student toward the greatest academic, personal, and professional potential through quality courses and instruction.

Program Objectives

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program will educate students desiring a position as a medical sonographer in a hospital, clinic, or physician's office. The program is designed to provide training in adult echo and vascular sonography. The curriculum includes a combination of classroom and laboratory instruction and clinical practice in area hospitals, doctors' offices, and clinics.

Program Goals

To prepare competent entry-level  sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the adult cardiac sonography concentration. To prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the vascular sonography concentration. The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is Six (6) semesters or twenty-two (22) months in length, as students are exempt from class the month of July. With the completion of the program, students will be eligible for the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, in the areas of physics, Adult cardiac, and vascular imaging.

Course Prerequisites

The classes listed in the "General Education Prerequisite" section are required to complete the DMS and CDMS programs at Collins Career Technical Center and must be completed before the start of the DMS program. These classes can be taken at almost any college or university (as long as the course is complementary to what is required), and we normally accept transfer credits. Supplying transcripts for verification and approval is part of the admissions process. Upon completion, students will be issued a certificate of completion in the field of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

Advanced Placement Guidelines

• Students requesting admission to the school via transfer from another approved Cardiac Diagnostic Medical Sonography school shall meet the school's current admission requirements and curriculum requirements for currently enrolled students.
• Students must submit an official transcript from an approved school listing completed courses.
• Students must submit copies of course outlines for which they request credit. Faculty will review transcripts and outlines to determine admission.
• Challenge examinations and skills assessments will be required to determine applicants' competencies.
• Tuition and fees will be determined on an individual basis.
• An applicant may be considered for admission with advanced standing if:
  • The applicant withdrew at the end of the term in a previous class with a passing grade in all courses. (It must have been within the last year. If over one year, the applicant must start at the beginning of the program.) OR
  • The applicant is a direct transfer from another school.

To apply for advanced standing, the applicant must

• Meet with faculty to determine admission.
• Applicants shall be admitted with advanced standing if there is an opening in the program and a plan can be developed that ensures that all the program objectives can be met.
• Students may request a transfer of college credits for Anatomy & Physiology, Medical Terminology, Basic Physics, and College Algebra. To accept credit for these courses, students must meet the following guidelines:
  • The course must have been completed at an accredited college.
  • The course must have been completed within the last five years. (If over five years ago, the student may be able to test our at the instructor's discretion.)
  • Finally, the course must have been completed with a grade of "C" or above.

Length of Course

The Diagnostic Imaging Program is a two-year program from January - December of each year. Students do not attend during July. If the student does not have all of the pre-requisite classes, they may take them in the Fall before the start of their first year. Classes meet on the Chesapeake campus Monday through Thursday from 8 am until 4 pm.

Click here to download the application checklist.

Clinical Sites

• Adena Regional Medical Center
• Charleston Area Medical Center
• Southern Ohio Medical Center 
• Highlands ARH Hospital
• Kings Daughters Medical Center

Clinical Obligations

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Programs at Collins Career Technical Center encompasses four (4) full semesters and two (2) Spring Intercessions at the sponsoring institution’s Chesapeake campus. The clinical education component of the program is completed beginning in the first semester after an 8 week didactic session. The schedule rotates every eight weeks between class/clinical time.

Students are expected to attend all clinical assignments, arrive on time at the clinical site, and be prepared to start their clinical training on time. Students are expected to attend during regularly scheduled classes or clinical time. Students will follow the sponsoring institution’s academic calendar regarding vacations. The sponsoring institution normally schedules breaks for the following: a spring break the week of Easter, a summer break the month of July, a fall break for the Thanksgiving Holiday, and a two-week winter break for the Christmas/New Year Holidays. However, the breaks are subject to change. The student is not required to attend clinicals during scheduled breaks. The sponsoring institution observes the following holidays during the semesters: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, President’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day, Election Day, Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year (subject to change).

Students will be expected to follow the guidelines of the clinical rotation policy. Students will not be asked to travel outside of a 3-hour radius of the sponsoring institution. Rotation plans are based on experiences provided by the clinical affiliate and the examination needs of the student. Rotation assignments/clinical schedules are completed for the upcoming semester of clinical experience 2-3 weeks before clinical rotations begin. Changes to the rotation plan are up to the clinical coordinator's and the program director's discretion. Students may be required to have an annual background check and drug screening and demonstrate documentation of current vaccinations required for clinical rotations as stated in the sponsoring institution’s admission policy.

Health Standards

All students are required to complete an individual student health questionnaire. For the CDMS Program, students must secure a physical examination before program acceptance. Students should be healthy enough to pursue the Cardiac Diagnostic Medical Sonography program successfully.

Technical / Clinical Standards

Cardiac Diagnostic Medical Sonographers function in a broad spectrum of clinical situations. To ensure patient safety and provide accurate diagnostic information, sonographers must be able to adapt and perform in a variety of settings. Therefore, specific skills and abilities are needed to function as a professional sonographer. The following are non-academic criteria that all Cardiac Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program students must meet to participate in the clinical courses and professional practice.

Physical Activity

• Long periods of standing and frequent walking.
• Repetitive motion activities (scanning, entering computer data) Grasping (positioning patients for exams)
• Pulling and pushing on equipment and stretchers.
• Lifting more than 50 pounds routinely.
• Speaking in a clear, understandable manner.
• Performing fine gross motor skills with both hands.
• Receive detailed information through oral communication and make fine discriminations in sound.
• Work with printed and written documentation.
• Hearing differences in breathing sounds and Doppler functions on the machine Assess patient conditions, i.e., color, respirations, motion, etc.
• Visually discriminate shades of gray and various shades of color.
• Visual assessment of images on computer terminals and video recordings.

Communication

• Communicate effectively with patients, physicians, and others.
• Assess non-verbal communication.
• Effectively and efficiently transmit information to patients, fellow students, faculty, and all healthcare team members while keeping within the confidentiality guidelines.

Intellectual and Quantitative Abilities

• Measure, calculate, reason, analyze, evaluate, and synthesize.
• Comprehend three-dimensional relationships