Post Associate Certificate in Diagnostic Medical Sonography

The DMS Certificate program allows students with an Allied Health Degree in a Patient Care centered field 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 1. 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.)

Mission

The mission of the Post Associate Certificate in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS), 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

The goal of the DMS program is to prepare competent entry-level general sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior) learning domains.

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 1400 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 Post Associate Certificate in DMS 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, Associate of Science or Associate of Applied Science in a patient care centered allied health field and all program specific pre-requisites*
• A bachelor’s degree and all program specific pre requisites*

*The following program specific pre-requisites must be completed prior to beginning the program:

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

Application Process

Applications are due to the Health Science and Human Service Department by April 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 as part of the application process.

General GBC Option

Students accepted into the general GBC track will attend didactic courses on the Elko campus or via interactive video. They will attend lab weekly the first semester and every three weeks the second semester. Lab will be held on the GBC Elko campus. 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 Track Option

Students selecting the Renown track option will be reviewed under the GBC application policy. If they meet all GBC requirements, they will be added to the Renown track applicant pool. A Renown committee will review the applications and select students for interviews. Interviews will be conducted by the Renown Committee and a GBC representative. Students selected for the Renown track will attend didactic courses via interactive video. They will attend weekly lab the first semester at the Renown Reno campus, every three weeks the second semester. 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 track student, they may be accepted into the General GBC track if positions are available.

Expenses

All expenses are estimated.

• Tuition (In state): $9,072
• Textbooks: $900
• Uniforms, Shoes: $300
• Immunization Tracking, Background Check & Drug Screening: $100-150
• Liability Insurance: $40
• Lab Fee (per credit for CMI courses): $65
• ARDMS Exams (each): $200-250
• Physical Exam: Individual amount
• Immunizations: Individual amount
• Health Insurance: Individual amount
• Travel/Living expenses: Individual amount

Accreditation

Great Basin College is accredited by Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)

8060 165th Avenue NE | Redmond, WA 98052 USA

(205) 525-9848

For More Information

Winni Stevenson
775-753-2300
winni.stevenson@gbcnv.edu

Why Great Basin College

Great Basin College wants to be your choice for higher education. GBC offers associate and baccalaureate level instruction in career and technical education and academic areas. About 4,000 students are enrolled annually online from across the country and on campuses and centers across 86,500 square miles, two time zones, and ten of Nevada’s largest counties. We border Arizona, Oregon, Idaho, Utah, and California. We are GBC!