The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program offers three separate certificates: Adult Cardiac, Vascular, and Abdomen Extended/OB-GYN. Each certificate program is 12 months in length. The cardiac and vascular certificates are 34 credit hours and the Abdomen Extended/OB-GYN certificate is 40 credit hours. These certificates provide a balance of didactic and clinical experience that will equip the student with the knowledge and skills to be an entry-level sonographer. The sonography program didactic courses are online and students must have access to high-speed internet, webcam, microphone, and possess excellent computer skills.
Program Mission
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is focused on the development of qualified sonographers who provide optimum patient care through technical competency and professional conduct. The program will provide the knowledge and cognitive skills underlying the intelligent performance of major tasks typically required for an entry level staff sonographer.
Washburn University Assessment – Program Student Learning Outcomes
Upon completion of the program students will be able to:
- PSLO 1: To prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge) learning domain.
- PSLO 2: To prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the psychomotor (skills) learning domain.
- PSLO 3: To prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the effective (behavior) learning domain.
Accreditation
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), upon recommendation of the:
Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS)
6021 University Blvd., Ste 500
Ellicott City, MD 21043
Admission Requirements
The following two criteria are required to apply to the sonography program. To apply you can be in the process of completing both criteria, but they must be completed prior to starting the sonography program.
Criteria 1: Associate degree or higher in one of the healthcare programs listed below
- Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
- Registered Nurse: RN or ADN
- Radiologic Technologist
- Respiratory Therapist
- Physical Therapist/Physical Therapist Assistant
- Occupational Therapist/Occupational Therapist Assistant
- Exercise Physiologist (if working in a hospital with direct patient care such as cardiac rehab or ekg)
- Licensed Practical/Vocational Nurse
- Employer & Clinical Site Exception Policy (*Degree requirement can be waived. More information on sonography website)
Criteria 2: Completion of Required Sonography Prerequisites
Basic medical science and interpersonal communication education is required as a foundation for the clinical role of the diagnostic medical sonographer. All prerequisite courses must be at the post-secondary/college-level education courses completed with a letter grade of C or higher.
- Communication (examples: English, composition, speech)
- Human Anatomy & Physiology I & II (if combined, they must total at least 5 credit hours)
- Mathematics (examples: contemporary college mathematics, intermediate algebra, college algebra, statistics, trigonometry)
- Physics (examples: radiologic physics, general physics)
- Medical Terminology (if embedded in another course title, a course description must be provided to show that medical terminology was covered in the class)
Applicants residing outside the United States and Canada are not eligible for the Washburn University sonography program.
Interested applicants or employers should contact the Washburn University Allied Health Department with any questions or visit the Diagnostic Medical Sonography website.
