Diagnostic Medical Sonography (A)
Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) is a multi-specialty profession which utilizes high frequency sound waves to image the human body. Sonographers use their knowledge of anatomy, physiology and applied critical thinking to assess function and the presence of disease processes. Sonographers work under the guidance of an interpreting physician in a variety of health care settings. Concordia University Ann Arbor (CUAA) offers a Bachelor of Science Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. The degree includes four or more semesters of pre-professional course work to prepare and qualify the student to apply for the two-year professional DMS didactic and clinical training.
All DMS students who successfully meet DMS program requirements will graduate with a Bachelor of Science degree from Concordia University and are qualified to apply for national certification exams. Within the DMS program, students obtain the necessary preparation for their career through academic coursework and professional experience in a hospital and clinic settings.
Accreditation
The professional Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs affiliated with CUAA are accredited, upon recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS), by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).
Admission Requirement
Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) students are accepted at CUAA under the general admissions requirement for the pre-professional component. Students are encouraged to seek advising as soon as they are considering DMS as a major. They will be required to complete all the pre-professional coursework and activities to apply to the professional program. Placement is not guaranteed. Since the requirements are rigorous, students interested in the DMS program are strongly encouraged to meet with advising to outline a completion plan.
Pre-Professional Requirements
Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) students complete the general CUAA core courses. In addition, students are required to take additional courses required for the major (see required course list). Students must maintain a 2.8 overall GPA to apply to the DMS program(s). Students must maintain a B or higher grade in the following coursework: Anatomy & Physiology, Pathophysiology, Math, Med Terms, Communication and Medical Law & Ethics. Students will only be allowed to retake each required courses one time. Acceptance into the professional phase is not guaranteed. Students must also complete required patient care and shadowing experiences. These are specific to the professional programs. Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves each programs specific entrance requirements as they decide on the DMS major.
Professional Program Acceptance - Student Selection
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) programs are competitive and students are not guaranteed acceptance into the program(s). Students who satisfactorily complete their pre-professional requirements will apply for DMS program placement. Placement into the program is based on but not limited to the following: pre-professional course GPA, specific course grades (see pre-professional requirements above), face to face interview, previous work experience, letters of recommendations, and documentation of required patient care and shadowing experiences. Applicant requirements are determined by each respective accredited DMS program. Students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the professional program entrance requirements and meet with advising as soon as deciding on the major. Applications will be reviewed by the programs to determine if candidates are selected to interview. Interview preparation is strongly encouraged as the interviews, along with academic performance, comprise a significant portion of the candidate's application score. If accepted, the professional component of the program(s) is up to 24 consecutive months in length.
Other Program Requirements
Health Status
Accepted students must demonstrate compliance of all the following:
-
Annual physical examination and updated health history
-
Negative test for tuberculosis, as shown by a negative Mantoux test, a negative QuantiFERON-TB test (annually)
-
Immunity to rubeola, mumps and rubella as shown by a positive titer or documented vaccine
-
Immunity to varicella as shown by a positive titer, or evidence of two vaccinations
-
Seasonal influenza vaccine
-
Covid-19 vaccine
Medical Insurance
Background Check & Drug Screen
Technical Standards
All applicants to the School of Diagnostic Medical Sonography are notified of the minimum requirements appropriate to the profession of sonography. The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) technical standards for the profession of diagnostic medical sonography include the ability to perform all of the following with reasonable accommodations:
- Lift more than 50 pound routinely
- Push and pull routinely
- Bend and stoop routinely
- Have full use of both hands, wrists and shoulders
- Distinguish audible sounds
- Adequately view sonograms, including color distinctions
- Work standing on their feet 80% of the time
- Interact compassionately and effectively with the sick or injured
- Assist patients on and off examining tables
- Organize and accurately perform the individual steps in a sonographic procedure in the proper sequence
Students must be able to perform the essential functions of the profession and meet the academic and clinical standards of the curriculum. To seek exceptions to these standards or reasonable accommodations, students should initiate a request with the program.
Tuition
Students in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program will pay CU tuition during the pre-professional and professional aspects of the major. Students in the professional aspect of the major pay for 4 semesters and do not pay for summer, or any overload tuition charges. If the student is attending an affiliate hospital-based program, a percentage of the tuition will be given to that program. Students will be charged CU undergraduate tuition for the full program and receive all eligible institutional aid as long as the student is in enrolled in 12 or more credits. Only one student per year will be eligible to utilize the Concordia tuition waiver or tuition exchange. No more than one student per site may be on tuition waiver and/or tuition exchange at a time. Students receiving tuition benefits who are interested in the CU DMS program are encouraged to discuss options with advising and the imaging department chair.
Program Learning Outcomes
Concordia University (CU) students will apply to affiliated accredited programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS). Students attending an accredited DMS program will receive academic coursework and clinical education from instructors employed by the program and will participate in clinical rotations through their affiliated hospitals and clinics. The following affiliated DMS programs are accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) in cooperation with the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS):
Henry Ford Health System DMS Program
This is a 24-month accredited program in a hospital setting, specializing in Abdominal, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Musculoskeletal Sonography.
Program information, goals, curriculum and outcomes
Ascension | Providence Hospital (Southfield Campus) DMS Program
This is a 21-month accredited program in a hospital setting, specializing in Abdominal, Obstetrics & Gynecology, and Vascular Sonography.
Pre-Professional Course Curriculum - DMS Major
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Core Requirements 1 | 45 | |
| Major Requirements (Pre-Professional) | 26 | |
| Electives | ||
Minor: Optional | ||
| Program Specific: (see professional curriculum) | 60 | |
Henry Ford Health DMS Program | ||
Ascension Providence Southfield Campus DMS Program | ||
| Total Hours | 131 | |
- 1
For transfer students, please see the Advanced Transfer Core.
| Code | Title | Hours |
|---|---|---|
| Concordia Common Core (18 credits needed) | ||
| REL 100 | The Bible (Bible Content) | 3 |
| REL 110 | Christian Faith (Christian Doctrine) | 3 |
| CCE 110 | Western Culture & Worldview | 3 |
| CCE 120 | Western Thought & Worldview | 3 |
| CCE 130 | Christian Citizen | 3 |
| CCE 140 | Science & Humanity | 3 |
| Liberal Arts Dimensions (27 credits required) | ||
| Faith & Life (3 credits) | 3 | |
Religion Elective REL above 204 | ||
| Society & Culture (3 credits) | ||
| COMM 460 | Cross-Cultural Communication | 3 |
| or GEOG 220 | Cultural Geography | |
| or HIST 163 | Non-Western World | |
| Natural World (7 credits) | ||
| BIO 151 | Functional Human Biology I | 4 |
| MATH 128 | College Algebra (or higher mathematics) 1 | 3 |
| Communication & Language (6 credits) | ||
| COMM 105 | Public Speaking 1 | 3 |
| or COMM 201 | Interpersonal Communication | |
| ENG 104 | Introduction to Writing (Writing) | 3 |
| Human Beings & Being Human (5 credits) | ||
| HHP 100 | Stewardship of the Body (Physical Development) | 1 |
| HHP Activity (range 104-169) | 1 | |
| PSY 101 | General Psychology | 3 |
| Human Creativity & Expression (3 credits) | 3 | |
Choice of Core elective (see Core Options) | ||
| Required Courses for Major (26 credits) | ||
| PHYS 151 | General Physics I (W Lab) 1 | 4 |
| BIO 152 | Functional Human Biology II | 4 |
| BIO 285 | Pathophysiology 1 | 3 |
| BIO 191 | Human Anatomy and Physiology I 1 | 4 |
| BIO 192 | Human Anatomy and Physiology II 1 | 4 |
| DMS 200 | Medical Law & Ethics 1 | 3 |
| RT 312 | Medical Terminology 1 | 1 |
| or RSC 106 | Medical Terminology | |
| Math elective - any Math above 128 1 | 3 | |
| Total Hours | 71 | |
- 1
A grade of B (3.0) or above is required
Additional Requirements
- 2.8 cumulative GPA required when program applications are due.
- Grade of B (3.0) in following courses: Communications, Math x2, Anatomy & Physiology x2, Medical Law & Ethics, Medical Terminology, Physics and Pathophysiology (see footnotes). Students only allowed to retake each course one time.
- Henry Ford: 40 hours of signed documented sonography observation, at least 20 of those hours done in Henry Ford Hospital.
- Ascension Providence: 80 hours clinical medical experience (volunteer observation or employment) completed within 12 months prior to application deadline.
- CPR for Healthcare Providers before the start of the DMS program.
- Students are encouraged to review requirements on affiliated program websites for additional information.
- Patient care or customer service experience is a plus.
Professional Curriculum - DMS
CU students attending an affiliate accredited diagnostic medical sonography program will receive academic coursework and lab instruction by the respective program's employed instructors and participate in clinical rotations through affiliated hospitals and clinics. Students attending affiliate DMS programs will remain CUAA students and pay CU tuition for 2 fall and 2 spring semesters. The program director and instructors within the respective affiliate program will determine assessments, standards and grades for students enrolled in their program. CUAA students successfully completing all requirements for the semester will be identified as passing on the CU transcript and issued a pre-determined amount of credits per semester, 60 credits in total for the program. Students who do not successfully complete all requirements as indicated by the program will be issued "no credit" on their CU transcript. Students are encouraged to work with advising to outline their academic roadmap and review credit distribution.
Course Descriptions by program
Henry Ford Health System DMS program
The Henry Ford Health System Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) Program is a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program at the approval of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS). This is a 24-month program in a hospital setting, specializing in Abdominal, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Musculoskeletal Sonography.
Ascension | Providence Hospital (Southfield Campus) DMS Program
The Ascension Providence Southfield Campus Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) Program is a Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP) accredited program at the approval of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS). This is a 21-month accredited program in a hospital setting, specializing in Abdominal, Obstetrics & Gynecology and Vascular Sonography.