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Ultrasound (Diagnostic Medical Sonography)

Department Information

Location:

Trenholm Campus:
1225 Air Base Blvd, Building H
Montgomery, Alabama 36108

Contact:
Phone: 1-866-753-4544
Phone: 334-420-4200

Programs & Training

Ultrasound (Diagnostic Medical Sonography)

Thank you for your interest in our program. The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program at Trenholm State Community College provides students with the necessary education to gain entry-level positions in the field of medical imaging.

The Ultrasound Program will begin it’s next group in Fall of 2025. Applications will be posted here no later than May 1 and will be due by May 19, 2025.

Program Goals and Purpose

Diagnostic medical sonography is a multi-specialty profession comprised of abdominal sonography, breast sonography, cardiac sonography, musculoskeletal sonography, obstetrics and gynecology sonography, vascular sonography, and other emerging clinical areas. These diverse areas all use ultrasound as a primary technology in their daily work.

The diagnostic medical sonographer is an individual who provides patient care services using ultrasound and related diagnostic procedures. The diagnostic medical sonographer must be educationally prepared and clinically competent as a prerequisite to professional practice. Demonstration and maintenance of competency through certification by a nationally recognized sonography credentialing organization is the standard of practice in sonography, and maintenance of certification in all areas of practice is endorsed.

Diagnostic medical sonography is a multi-specialty profession comprised of abdominal sonography, breast sonography, cardiac sonography, musculoskeletal sonography, obstetrics and gynecology sonography, vascular sonography, and other emerging clinical areas. These diverse areas all use ultrasound as a primary technology in their daily work.

The diagnostic medical sonographer is an individual who provides patient care services using ultrasound and related diagnostic procedures. The diagnostic medical sonographer must be educationally prepared and clinically competent as a prerequisite to professional practice. Demonstration and maintenance of competency through certification by a nationally recognized sonography credentialing organization is the standard of practice in sonography, and maintenance of certification in all areas of practice is endorsed.

The diagnostic medical sonographer generally performs the following:
  • Obtains, reviews, and integrates pertinent patient history and supporting clinical data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results;
  • Performs appropriate procedures and records anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data for interpretation by a physician;
  • Records, analyzes, and processes diagnostic data and other pertinent observations made during the procedure for presentation to the interpreting physician;
  • Exercises discretion and judgment in the performance of sonographic and/or related diagnostic services;
  • Demonstrates appropriate communication skills with patients and colleagues;
  • Acts in a professional and ethical manner;
  • Facilitates communication and education to elicit patient cooperation and understanding of expectations and responds to questions regarding the sonographic examination.

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs. (2021, September 1). Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography. Seminole.

    1. Apply to the College
    2. Once you have been accepted to the College and assigned a student number, have Admissions assess transcripts of all courses from previous college coursework for transferability of courses. All questions regarding transferability of courses must be answered by the Director Enrollment Management, Valerie Porterfield (334-420-4464, vallen@trenholmstate.edu).
      • Once previous college coursework has been transferred and appears on your Trenholm transcript, consult with a DMS program official ((April Fricks or Tonya Caudle) to establish a plan for completion of remaining prerequisites. You may view your Trenholm transcript by visiting the MY TRENHOLM portal.
      • If you have not completed previous college courses, please sit for the ACCUPLACER exam. After completion, please consult with a DMS program official (April Fricks or Tonya Caudle) to establish a plan for completion of remaining prerequisites.
    3. Complete all prerequisites (including the completion of the ACT ≥20). All prerequisites MUST be completed by the application deadline date. Course schedules for all courses offered by Trenholm, can be found at My TRENHOLM portal by selecting the student tab, clicking on registration and clicking on student detail Schedule or concise student schedule..

      *Students seeking additional hours in order to achieve full-time status during the prerequisite phase may find the following courses beneficial: BIO 202 – A&P II, SPH 106 – Fund of Speech, or MTH 112 – Finite Math*

      • Prerequisites for the Program are:
        1. English Composition I (ENG 101)
        2. Physics Principles (PHY 112)
        3. Intermediate College Algebra (MTH 100)
        4. Anatomy & Physiology I (BIO 201) (BIO 103 is a prerequisite for this course)
        5. General Psychology (PSY 200)
        6. Humanities Elective (Literature, Area/Ethnic Studies, Art, and Art History, Foreign Languages, Music and Music History, Philosophy, Ethics, Religious Studies, Theater and Dance)
        7. Medical Terminology (BIO 120)
        8. Composite ACT score ≥ 20. The writing section of ACT is not required. ACT score must be from a national test – residual tests will not be considered.
        9. *Students seeking additional hours in order to achieve full-time status during the prerequisite phase may find the following courses beneficial: BIO 202 – A&P II, SPH 106 – Fund of Speech, or MTH 112 – Finite Math*
          ACT testing dates, registration, and facilities can be found by visiting www.actstudent.org.

          ORI 101 is a Corequisite and needs to be completed before graduation.

When & how can I apply?

The DMS Program accepts a class once per year. The next class will begin in August 2024.

        • A DMS Application will be uploaded to this webpage no later than April 15, 2024.
        • Must include all documents.
          • Unofficial copies of transcripts from ALL colleges previously attended.
          • An unofficial copy of your Trenholm State transcript showing completion and/or transfer of ALL prerequisite courses and ACT scores).
          • An unofficial copy of your ACT scores.
        • Applicants will be ranked and selected based on ACT scores.  The top scoring applicants will be assessed and scored according to the DMS points system.

The purpose of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is to provide educational opportunities in the ultrasound sciences to members of the communities supported by Trenholm State Community College. To that end, the objectives of the program and its curriculum are designed to:

Goal 1

To prepare competent entry-level general (Abdomen-extended and Obstetrics & Gynecology) sonographers in cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), & affective (behavior) learning domains.

Goal 2

To provide local employers with a pool of qualified, highly-skilled technologists who are able to perform routine, emergency, mobile, surgical and special ultrasound procedures in a global society.

Goal 3

To provide students with the support and materials needed to succeed in desired field.

Goal 4

To graduate students with the ability to demonstrate the knowledge base (cognitive domain) in order to succeed in the Ultrasound field.

Goal 5

To graduate students with the ability to demonstrate the clinical proficiency (psychomotor domain) in order to succeed in the Ultrasound field.

Goal 6

 To graduate students with the ability to demonstrate the behavioral skills (affective domain) in order to succeed in the Ultrasound field.

Goal 7

To develop graduates who will successfully meet the entry-level expectations of employers representing a global society.

**IMPORTANT NOTE: AS PART OF THE APPLICATION PROCESS, YOU MUST BE ABLE TO VIEW YOUR ACT SCORE IN THE TRENHOLM PORTAL. APPLICATIONS SUBMITTED WITHOUT AN OFFICIAL ACT SCORE IN THE STUDENT PORTAL WILL BE CONSIDERED INCOMPLETE. FOR ANY QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO ACT BEING POSTED IN YOUR STUDENT PORTAL, USE THE FOLLOWING LINK FOR CONTACT INFORMATION.

The Program

  • Accepts a class once a year.
  • Is accredited by CAAHEP under the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS).
  • Typically accepts 15 students per year based on clinical site availability.
    • Is 4 semesters (approximately 17.5 months).
    • Is Monday – Friday typically 40 hours/week.
    • Posts course descriptions, course sequence, and other pertinent information can be found in the College Catalog.

Sample Degree Pathway

Program Curriculum

First Semester
DMS 202 - Foundations of Sonography
3
DMS 206 - Gynecological Sonography
4
DMS 215 - Introduction To Sonographic Principles & Instrumentation
2
DMS 229 - Sonography Preceptorship I
2
DMS 233 - Sonographic Lab I
1
12 credit hours
Second Semester
DMS 205 - Abdominal Sonography I
4
DMS 207 - Abdominal Pathology
3
DMS 216 - Sonographic Principles & Instrumentation I
3
DMS 220 - Obstetrical Sonography I
3
DMS 230 - Sonography Preceptorship II
3
16 credit hours
Third Semester
DMS 217 - Sonographic Principles & Instrumentation II
2
DMS 221 - Obstetrical Sonography
3
DMS 225 - Superficial Sonography
1
DMS 231 - Sonography Preceptorship III
4
DMS 234 - Sonographic Lab II
1
**DMS 240 - Sonographic Principles & Instrumentation Seminar
2
DMS 245 - Sonography Case Presentation
1
14 credit hours
Fourth Semester
DMS 232 - Sonography Preceptorship IV
5
DMS 235 - Sonographic Lab III
1
DMS 241 - Sonography Seminar
3
DMS 250 - Introduction To Adcanced Sonography
3
12 credit hours
General Education - 22 Hours
Core - 54 Hours
Associate In Applied Sciences - 76 Hours

Frequently Asked Questions

Tuition & Fee Schedule

You can find tuition rates on our Tuition & Fee schedule

Important Dates

Refer to the College Calendar for all important dates.

ACCUPLACER Testing

The answer is yes, unless you qualify for exemption.

Full FAQ

Still have more questions? Please view our full FAQS page 

DMS Program Effectiveness Data

Gallery

Contact Us

Program Contact

April Dozier Fricks
Program Coordinator/Instructor
334-420-4334
africks@trenholmstate.edu

Program Contact

Tonya Caudle
Clinical Coordinator/DMS Clinical Instructor
334-420-4358
lcaudle@trenholmstate.edu

Location

Trenholm Campus
1225 Air Base Blvd
Montgomery, AL 36108
Detailed Directions