Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) is a technical science that deals with the use of ultrasound for diagnostic purposes in medicine. Sonographers use high-frequency sound waves to image structures within the body. Diagnostic Medical Sonography offers graduates employment in hospitals, clinics, and private offices. Skilled sonographers can advance to administrative, teaching, research, or sales positions as well as specialized concentrations within the profession. Additional information on the profession can be found at American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Inc.

The VSCC DMS program is designed to provide didactic and clinical training in the field of general Diagnostic Medical Sonography. The student will receive training in the fields of acoustic principles, safety, abdominal, breast, obstetric, gynecologic, vascular, and small parts sonography. This program requires full time enrollment during the sixteen (16) month program. The program begins every August and graduation occurs 16 months later, the following December. (i.e., August 2024 start, December 2025 graduation.)

Students who complete the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program will receive a Certificate of Completion. Graduates of the program are eligible and encouraged to take professional certification examinations offered by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Inc. (ARDMS). This includes, but is not limited to, Abdomen; Breast; Obstetrics & Gynecology; Sonography Principles & Instrumentation; and Vascular Technology board exams.

Program Requirements

To be considered for admission into the diagnostic medical sonography program, applicants must satisfy all the requirements listed below:

1. Completed application and acceptance to Volunteer State Community College
2. Degree Requirement
    - Either an Associate of Applied Science degree in a patient care field, a bachelor’s degree of any kind, or successful acceptance and enrollment in the MTSU 3+1 pre-DMS major is a requirement of application of this program. 
   - You cannot enter this program without one of these three degree options fulfilled. You may not graduate high school and enter directly into the DMS program. 
   - An Associate of Science is not the same as an Associate of Applied Science degree.
3. Completion of all prerequisite courses
   All prerequisite courses should be completed by May of your intended application year. 
   A letter grade of a C or better is required to be considered an eligible candidate. 
   - Survey of Physics or Principles of Radiation Physics 
   - College Algebra, Pre-calculus Algebra, or Statistics 
   - Human Anatomy & Physiology I 
   - Human Anatomy & Physiology II 
   - Medical Terminology
4. Completion and on time submission of all required application documents

All required application documents must be mailed in one single envelope by the application deadline.

The application pool opens annually every January and the deadline for application is always the first Friday in May.

It is acceptable and permitted for students to take required prerequisite courses during the spring semester of their intended application cycle. Once final grades are posted for the required prerequisite courses, please email proof of your final grade to the Program Director. 

All required application documents can be found on page 2 of the Information Packet or under the “Application Checklist” tab of the VSCC DMS website.

Accreditation

The Volunteer State Community College Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is accredited in the General Concentration by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRCDMS). This allows our students to register for any of the RDMS specialty national board exams 60 days before graduation.

JRC-DMS
6021 University Boulevard, Suite 500, Ellicott City, MD 21043
443-973-3251 phone | 866-738-3444 fax

CAAHEP
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709, Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350 phone | 727-210-2354 fax

National Certification

While in enrolled in the DMS program, students will become eligible to register for multiple national board examinations. Students are strongly encouraged to register for the following American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) exams:

• Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI)
• Abdomen (AB)
• Breast (BR)
• Obstetrics & Gynecology (OB/GYN)
• Vascular (VT)

Graduates passing the SPI in addition to either the AB, BR, or OB/GYN exam(s) will earn the Registered Diagnostic Sonographer (RDMS) credential. Students may register for these exams 60-days prior to graduation.

Graduates passing the SPI and the VT exam will earn the Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) credential. Graduates may register for the vascular exam on the day of graduation.

The ARDMS offers several other specialty examinations, please refer to the ARDMS website for the most up-to-date information regarding the credentialing process.

Program Mission Statement & Program Goals

To prepare competent entry-level general sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. 

This includes equipping students to: 

1. Demonstrate knowledge in appropriate didactic areas. 
2. Integrate knowledge into competency-based clinical experience. 
3. Apply skills to exceed the standards of the profession. 
4. Analyze clinical data. 
5. Write effectively in more than one format as part of the writing across the professional curriculum initiative. 
6. Provide excellent quality care to enrich and support the community through active engagement. 
7. Engage and maintain personal and professional relationships. 

This program provides students with the opportunity to develop the technical knowledge and personal skills necessary for a career in the sonographic sciences. The curriculum is designed to combine compassion with integrity in order to shape a student into a skilled professional.

Professional Outlook

The job outlook for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers is very good. Nationwide, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects a 15 percent increase in the number of jobs between 2021 and 2031, much faster than the average for all occupations. Job growth in Tennessee alone is projected at 27% during the same time. In 2022, the median wage of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers was $ 39.11 an hour, or $81,250 a year. In Tennessee, the rates were slightly lower, with a median of $35.60 an hour, or $74,040 a year.