Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program

Graduates of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program may be offered employment in hospitals, clinics, physician offices, and outpatient imaging centers. Experienced 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 Careers in Sonography at www.sdms.org.

National Outlook

National career information for careers in the field of medical imaging is available from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.

WHAT YOU’LL LEARN IN THE PROGRAM

Experienced, practicing sonographers and other health science professionals deliver didactic and clinical instruction in

• all aspects of diagnostic ultrasound with an emphasis on abdominal, obstetrics and gynecology, and superficial structures
• patient care skills, medical ethics, and the communication skills necessary to function as a member of the health care team
• the physics of ultrasound and will also learn how to operate ultrasound equipment in a safe and effective manner

Didactic courses are taught on the Barton campus, and the competency-based clinical education course provides over 1,000 contact hours of supervised clinical instruction at various clinical affiliates located throughout the Upstate of South Carolina and Western North Carolina, often available at an affiliated facility close to the student's home.

Qualified students are eligible to participate in Lambda Nu, a national honor society for radiologic and imaging sciences.

IS SONOGRAPHY RIGHT FOR YOU?

Sonography is a highly technical career that is best suited to individuals who are self-directed and motivated in the areas of technology and patient care.

Students interested in a career in medical imaging sciences are encouraged to obtain a strong background in high school sciences (such as biology, chemistry, physics) and math (algebra and geometry).

Sonographers must

• obtain and analyze ultrasound data and recognize pathology and/or physiologic changes as they occur
• compare images to other diagnostic imaging studies and then integrate this data to allow for proper diagnosis
• perform diagnostic procedures that involve blood and body fluids
• work and interact professionally with physicians
• follow strict protocol and comply with any/all established departmental procedures
• work in partnership with other health care professionals to provide the best medical care possible for all patients
• act as a patient advocate supporting patient rights and providing physical and emotional comfort
• take advantage of educational opportunities, including improvement in technical and problem-solving skills and personal growth

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

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 113th St N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
(727) 210-2350
mail@caahep.org

Professional Credentials

RDMS: Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (subject to passing national certification exam)
Certification is considered the standard of practice in ultrasound. Students who graduate from our program can obtain national certification. Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to take the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) examinations in the areas of

• Physics & Instrumentation
• OB/GYN
• Abdomen

To obtain the RDMS credential, an individual must pass the Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation Examination in addition to at least one other part.

Professional Licensure and Certification Requirements

Students who are considering an academic program that may allow them to pursue professional licensure in another state are strongly encouraged to check that state’s information and contact the appropriate licensing agency for additional information and guidance before beginning the program.

Greenville Technical College is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC) to award associate and baccalaureate degrees. Degree-granting institutions also may offer credentials such as certificates and diplomas at approved degree levels.

Questions about the accreditation of Greenville Technical College may be directed in writing to the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges at 1866 Southern Lane, Decatur, GA 30033-4097, by calling (404) 679-4500, or by using information available on SACSCOC’s website (www.sacscoc.org).

Diagnostic Medical Sonography
Associate in Applied Science

This seven-semester program is designed as a 1 + 1 program.

• Phase I includes all of the general education and related course work and may be taken day, night or weekend.
• Upon successful completion of all Phase I courses, qualified students may apply to Phase II, which includes all Diagnostic Medical Sonography coursework. Students are accepted based on the weighted admissions process (detailed in the DMS Program Requirements section below). Didactic courses are taught on the Barton Campus with required clinical training at various clinical affiliates located throughout the Upstate of South Carolina and Western North Carolina. Students will be responsible for transportation to clinical sites.
• Upon successful completion of the program, students will be eligible to take the national certification examination through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) in the areas of Physics & Instrumentation, OB/GYN, and Abdomen. To obtain the RDMS credential, an individual must pass the Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation examination in addition to at least one other exam component.

DMS program details from our current catalog »

Requirements for DMS Program Admissions

In addition to the Greenville Technical College admissions process, outlined in these Enrollment Steps, students interested in the DMS program must also

• understand the School of Health Sciences policies
• successfully complete Career Talk
• submit the weighted application for the program of interest

Policies

The DMS program strictly adheres to all the School of Health Sciences policies, which are detailed on the Health Sciences admissions information page.

Career Talk 

Participating in a Career Talk session for your program is a requirement for all Health Sciences students. Career Talk is an information session that covers all program information, the admissions process and all aspects of the career. Due to the complex nature of the weighted admissions process, students are encouraged to review the career talk as soon as they have an interest in the program to make sure they have a clear understanding of the career and the acceptance process.

 Access the DMS Career Talk »

Program Application Form

The application submission process for GTC's DMS program is now electronic. The electronic application will only be accessible during the application acceptance period of Jan 1 - May 1. Applications are not accepted during any other timeframe. Questions related to the Weighted Admission process may be directed to DMSadmissions@gvltec.edu.

• Specific information on how to complete the form and submit documents for volunteer hours, previous work experience and alternate degree information is included in the DMS Career Talk.
• To review the form prior to submitting, please view this sample form (pdf) »
  This pdf will not be accepted as an official application. It is for reference only.
• To submit an application, you must log in using your GTC student access.
  Access the DMS Weighted Admission form »

Overview of the DMS Program Admissions Process

The DMS program is designed as a 1 + 1 program, where Phase I includes your general education and related courses, which may be taken at Greenville Technical College or any articulating college.

Upon successful completion of Phase I, qualified students are eligible to apply to Phase II, which includes academic and clinical instruction.

Admission into the Greenville Technical College DMS program Phase I does not guarantee admission into Phase II of the program. Phase II admission is competitive, based on weighted admission scores and the relative scores of the applicant pool each year.

DMS Program Outcomes as required by CAAHEP

In compliance with the Commission on Accreditation for Allied Health Professions (CAAHEP) Standard V.A.4. Fair Practices, Publications and Disclosures: all accredited Diagnostic Medical Sonography programs must publish their Attrition, Job Placement and Credential Success Rates.

Program Goals

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.

*Programs that have 15 or fewer graduates over a three-year timeframe are required to demonstrate at least 50% of graduates attempt a national credentialing examination.

DMS Policy Manual »

Academic Program Director
Ronda Nicholson
Ronda.Nicholson@gvltec.edu
(864) 250-8110

Administrative Assistant
Cynthia Mastorakis
Cynthia.Mastorakis@gvltec.edu 
(864) 250-8290

Director of Clinical Education
Beth Darby
Beth.Darby@gvltec.edu
(864) 250-8328