Program Start Date: Fall term
Minimum Program Length: 96 consecutive weeks, 6 terms, 80 credits
Program ID:  AAS.DMS
Curriculum Code: 35218

Program Description

The purpose of the program is to provide students with the academic and clinical knowledge to competently perform as entry level sonographers that provide quality patient care, actively participate in the profession, and pursue lifelong learning. The goal of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is to prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior), learning domains.

Prerequisites

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is a two-year full-time Associate in Applied Science degree program offered at the Giles (Main) SCC campus. The program consists of six semesters and is divided into two phases. Phase I (prerequisites) includes the general education courses that must be completed prior to applying for Phase II which includes the  professional curriculum. Completion of Phase I does not guarantee progression to Phase II of the program. Upon successful completion of all Phase I courses, qualified students may apply for acceptance into Phase II of the program.  A selective ranking system is used that includes the grades earned in Phase I, attendance of an information session, and the grade point average related to the Phase I courses.  

The first two semesters are designed for completion of Phase I (prerequisites) general education courses required for submission of an application to Phase II (professional curriculum).  Phase II (professional curriculum) is designed to be completed in semesters 3-6. 

Practical Experience

Students acquire competency and proficiency via lab simulations and clinical experiences in affiliated hospitals, medical imaging centers, OB/GYN offices and doctor’s offices.

Professional Opportunities

Employment as Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Vascular Sonographer, Breast Sonographer, or OG/GYN Sonographer

Unique Aspects

A criminal background investigation (CBI) and drug testing are required at student expense for each Health and Human Services student who has been accepted into a Spartanburg Community College curriculum program of study. For more information, please visit the Criminal Background Investigations and Drug Testing information section of the SCC webpage.

EEDA Career Cluster

Health Science

Program Learning Outcomes

1. The program will graduate students who are clinically competent to perform appropriate procedures and record anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data.
2. The program will graduate students who apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to exercise discretion and judgement in performance of sonographic exams.
3. The program will graduate students who demonstrate appropriate communication skills.
4. The program will graduate students who will demonstrate professionalism and growth in the profession.
5. The program will graduate students who will attempt to obtain national credentialling success for the offered concentrations.
6. The program will graduate students who will demonstrate national credentialing success in offered concentrations.
7. The program will graduate students who will become employed as sonographers.
8. The program will monitor retention rates.
9. The program will monitor the graduate survey return rate and composite score.
10. The program will monitor employer survey return rate and composite score.