Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) Post-Associate Certificate

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) Post-Associate Certificate program allows students with an allied health degree in a patient care centered field or a previous Bachelor's degree, to expand their skillset and seek licensure to practice as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer. This dramatically expands opportunities for allied health practitioners in hospital, clinic and doctor’s office settings.

Upon completion of this program, students will be qualified to apply for licensure examination through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) under Prerequisite 2. Sonographers are considered licensed when they have successfully completed the ARDMS examinations in Physics (SPI) and at least one additional specialty (Abdomen, OB/GYN, Breast, etc.).

DMS BS Mission

The DMS BS Mission, is to provide quality education that prepares diagnostic medical sonographers for research-based practice improve health care in the community in which they practice.

Goal/Outcomes

To prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the abdominal-extended and obstetrics and gynecology sonography concentrations.

To accomplish this goal, our program provides students with extensive didactic and clinical training in the areas of ultrasound physics and instrumentation, abdominal, small part, gynecologic, obstetric, and basic vascular sonographic imaging. The coursework includes through evaluation of human anatomy, physiology, pathology, and sonographic findings. Focus is placed on educating students in standards-based practices of sonographic examinations.

Students develop professionalism, communication skills and leadership qualities through realistic laboratory simulations, project-based research projects, presentations, and in over 1600 hours of clinical experience in the real-world imaging environment.

These opportunities develop the student’s ability to:

• Provide basic patient care and comfort to all patients.
• Employ professional judgement and communication.
• Demonstrate competence in the use of acoustic physics principles, Doppler ultrasound principles, and ultrasound instrumentation through proper equipment operation and transducer selection.
• Evaluate the interaction between ultrasound and tissue and the probability of biological effects in clinical examinations.
• Produce and assess ultrasonographic images of normal and abnormal anatomy and physiology.
• Identify, document and develop differential diagnosis of abnormal sonographic and Doppler patterns.

Admission

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) Post-Associate Certificate is a limited admission program based on student merit. Students are encouraged to apply if they have one of the following:

• An Associate of Arts or Associate of Science in a patient care centered allied health field and all program specific prerequisites* or
• A bachelor’s degree and all program specific prerequisites*

*The following program specific prerequisites must be completed prior to applying for the program:

• English 102
• Introductory Physics (PHYS 100 or RAD 118)
• Certified Nursing Assistant Course (NURS 130 or EMS 118)
• Medical Terminology (NURS 140 or RAD 112)
• Human Anatomy and Physiology I & II (BIOL 223 & 224)
• College Math (MATH 120 or higher)

Schedule a Meeting

To schedule an advisement meeting with the Program Director or an Instructor, please click on the button below and select a time that works best for you:

Erica Salazar, DMS Instructor

Reme Huttman, Program Director

Application Process

Applications are due to the School of Health Sciences & Behavioral Health by May 1 of each year. Students will have the opportunity to apply under multiple track options. Students may select the Renown Track or the General GBC Track option. Students will be required to attend an interview and complete USA testing as part of the application process.

Resources:

USA Tesing

• USA Testing Information
• USA Scheduling and Purchasing

Curriculum

• Curriculum

General GBC Option

Students accepted into the general GBC track will attend didactic courses on the Elko campus or via Zoom. They will attend lab weekly the first semester and every one to three weeks the second semester. Lab will be held on the GBC Elko and Pahrump campuses. Students will receive clinical placement at a minimum of 2 different GBC clinical affiliates. A minimum of one of these may be at an out of town location.

Renown Satellite Site Option

Students desiring consideration for placement in the Renown Satellite site will have the option to request that site on their application. Students selected for the Renown site will attend didactic courses via Zoom. They will attend weekly lab the first and second semesters at the Renown Reno campus. All clinical placement will be completed at a minimum of two Renown sites in Reno, NV.

If a student is not selected as a Renown site student, they may be accepted into the General GBC track if positions are available.

Expenses

All expenses are estimated.

• Tuition (In state): $13,000
• Textbooks: $1200
• Uniforms, Shoes: $300
• Immunization Tracking, Background Check & Drug Screening: $100-150
• Differential Fee for CMI courses $120 per credit
• ARDMS Exams (each): $200-250
• Physical Exam: Individual amount
• Immunizations: Individual amount
• Health Insurance: Individual amount
• Travel/Living expenses: Individual amount

Accreditation

The Great Basin College Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS).

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs

www.caahep.org
9355 113th St N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775 727-210-2350

Great Basin College is accredited by:

The Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
8060 165th Avenue NE, Suite 200
Redmond, WA 98052 USA
(425) 558-4224

For More Information

School of Health Sciences & Behavioral Health
775-327-2317

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Why Great Basin College

Great Basin College offers associate and baccalaureate level education in academic, career and technical fields. Welcoming students from all corners of the country, both online and at our various campuses and centers, GBC's presence extends across two time zones and spans more than 86,000 square miles throughout Nevada. A leader in rural higher education, GBC takes pride in developing students who are well-prepared to meet the demands of industry and who contribute to the success and prosperity of the local economy.