Woman taking a sonogram of a man's chest

Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program

Earn your A.A.S. degree in less than two years, and become a sonographer, also known as an ultrasound technologist.

Our Diagnostic Medical Sonography program integrates important foundational knowledge in the sciences and medical imaging with clinical experiences under the supervision of professional sonographers. The program begins with introductory courses in areas like anatomy and physics, dives into how imaging technology works and leads into real-world lab rotations. 

#6
best jobs in healthcare in Money Magazine 2023
27.5%
job growth in the next 5 years
#19
highest-paying medical job in Forbes Advisor

Program Format

Our Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) Program is a full-time, lockstep, 5-semester program (22 months). All didactic ultrasound courses are taught during the first year of the program and our students are provided with the fundamental principles and clinical applications of sonography, as well as the anatomy, pathology, and scanning techniques for abdominal, OB-Gyn, and vascular sonography. Our students can practice and strengthen their technical skills through strong hands-on sessions in the ultrasound training laboratory. All our courses are designed to engage students in the study and practice of critical thinking, efficient communication, and professionalism.

In the second year of the program, students will have the opportunity to rotate in different clinical facilities locally and out-of-state and will be able to apply their acquired knowledge, reinforce their technical skills, and strengthen their critical thinking skills through the exposure of pathology and analysis of real cases.

What is Diagnostic Medical Sonography?

Diagnostic medical sonography, or ultrasound, is a medical technology using highly sophisticated, computer-based imaging equipment to produce dynamic multidimensional visual images of organs, tissue, and blood flow. As a radiation-free medical imaging modality, it provides important clinical information for the diagnosis and treatment of patients. 

Working as a sonographer is an especially rewarding career in the healthcare industry. Sonographers work closely with other members of the healthcare team and patients to obtain images to aid in diagnoses.

Where can I work as a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer?

Diagnostic medical sonographers work in a variety of healthcare and administrative settings including:

  • Hospitals
  • Clinics
  • Labs
  • Academia
  • Private offices
  • Industry

Responsibilities of a Sonographer

California is a great place to practice as a sonographer. Here’s why:

  • Reviewing patient’s medical records and history
  • Assisting and preparing patients for ultrasound examinations
  • Operating and maintaining ultrasound equipment
  • Explaining diagnostic procedures to patients
  • Ensuring patient safety and comfort during procedures
  • Evaluating, identifying, and interpreting abnormal imaging results
  • Communicating findings with physicians, nurses, and other healthcare professionals
  • Perform exams and/or ultrasound guidance during invasive procedures

Why Enroll in Our Program?

California is a great place to practice as a sonographer. Here’s why:

  • The overall employment for diagnostic medical sonographers is projected to grow 10 percent from 2022 to 2032 in the U.S., much faster than the average for all occupations.
  • About 9,600 openings for diagnostic medical sonographers are projected each year, on average, over a decade.
  • The state with the highest employment level for diagnostic medical sonographers is California, with an annual mean wage of $122,670.
  • Vallejo-Fairfield is considered the top-paying metropolitan area for diagnostic medical sonographers.

What You Will Learn

Our Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at TUC is committed to excellence in education by providing a high-quality educational experience to prepare competent, ethical, and culturally sensitive entry-level sonographers. Our classes are taught by experienced faculty with diversified educational and clinical backgrounds.

In this program, you will learn the academic and technical skills necessary to obtain superior diagnostic images and perform appropriate ultrasound examinations in a healthcare setting. You will also learn ultrasound physics, anatomy, and physiology, as well as medical terminology. During your final two semesters, you will rotate in different clinical facilities to provide you with the patient care experience necessary to succeed in the field. If you decide to continue with your healthcare education in the future, you will have a solid foundation in sciences at the culmination of this program.

Clinical education is an integral part of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography curriculum. Working alongside qualified clinical staff with real patients provides you with the opportunity to strengthen your scanning skills, build confidence, and get familiarized with the healthcare environment, in which you will ultimately work.

AAS in Diagnostic Medical Sonography Plan of Study

The AAS in Sonography is an 85-credit full-time cohort-based program and is completed in two years (five semesters).

Fall One

Composition & Communication (4 credits)

This course engages students in the study and practice of critical thinking, reading, and writing. The course will focus on the analysis and composition across varied rhetorical situations and in multiple genres. Students will be introduced to the functions, foundations, models, and modes of communication to bring their existing communication skills up to a professional level.

College Math (3 credits)

This course covers the concepts of variables representing numbers. Students will learn to strengthen their algebraic skills in linear equation solving quadratics, factoring, rational expressions, radicals, graphing linear equations and inequalities, and related applications.

Anatomy & Physiology/Lab (4 credits)

This course will provide a comprehensive study of the anatomy and physiology of the human body. It will focus on the basic principles of cells, tissues, and organs. The structure and function of the integumentary, skeletal, muscular, and nervous systems will also be covered. The course will provide laboratory activities that include the use of scientific methods, observation of tissue specimens, and dissection laboratory.

Medical Terminology (2 credits)

This course offers a systematic approach to understanding medical terminology through the analysis and translation of medical terms. Students will be able to practice and use this specialized language in preparation to work in the clinical setting.

Introduction to Physics (3 credits)

This course covers the basic concepts, principles, and history of physics. Topics include a description of motion, Newton’s Laws, conservation principles (energy and momentum), waves, thermodynamics, electricity, magnetism, optics, and modern physics.
Co-requisite: College Math

Introduction to Ultrasound (3 credits)

This course will introduce the student to the field of sonography. It will cover equipment usage, ergonomics, scanning techniques, medical ethics, and legal issues concerning the sonographer. Emphasis will be placed on patient care, professionalism, and infection control. This course is the foundation for all sonography courses.

Spring One

Sonographic Cross-Sectional Anatomy (3 credits)

This course will explore the structure of the human anatomy in all body planes with emphasis on the cross-sectional mode. The spatial relationship of organs, vessels, bones, muscles, and connective tissues will be examined. It will cover a review and comparison of normal and abnormal structures in ultrasound and other medical imaging modalities.
Pre-requisite: Anatomy & Physiology/Lab

Ultrasound Physics I & Lab (3 credits)

This course will provide the fundamental principles and clinical applications of ultrasound physics and instrumentation essential to understand the properties of sound and ultrasound used in diagnostic imaging. The course will cover Doppler, spectral analysis, B-Mode, and M-Mode. The interaction of ultrasound and tissue, ultrasound artifacts and bio-effects will also be examined.
Pre-requisite: Introduction to Physics

Abdominal Sonography I & Lab (4 credits)

This course is designed to introduce the student to abdominal diagnostic medical sonography and abdominal scanning techniques. The anatomy and physiology associated with visceral and vascular conditions will be explored. It will provide the foundation of abdominal sonography and it will include a strong hands-on component in the ultrasound training laboratory.

Obstetrics & Gynecology Sonography I & Lab (4 credits)

This course is designed to introduce the student to pelvic anatomy and obstetrical scanning procedures and techniques. It will focus on normal obstetrical anatomy and fetal development. Laboratory sessions will provide several scanning exercises of the female pelvic cavity.

Venous Testing & Lab (4 credits)

This course will cover the venous anatomy and physiology of the upper and lower extremities associated with venous circulation. It will focus on anatomy, pathology, treatment options, and data analysis and interpretation. Laboratory sessions will provide advanced instrumentation and proper scanning techniques of the venous system.

Small Parts Sonography & Lab (4 credits)

This course will cover the sonographic evaluation of superficial structures such as the thyroid and parathyroid glands, breast, male reproductive system, and the neonatal head, neonatal spine, and neonatal hip. It will focus on anatomy, pathology, treatment options, and data analysis and interpretation. Laboratory sessions will provide advanced instrumentation and proper scanning techniques of superficial structures.

Summer One

Ultrasound Physics II (1 credit)

This course is a continuation of Physics I & Lab, and it is designed to review the ultrasound physics principles and concepts previously learned. It will focus on hemodynamics, Doppler, and color Doppler imaging. It will prepare the student for the Sonographic Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) exam.
Pre-requisite: Ultrasound Physics I & Lab

Abdominal Sonography II & Lab (4 credits)

This course is a continuation of Abdominal Sonography I & Lab. It will review abnormal abdominal anatomy and physiology with an emphasis on invasive procedures and Doppler correlation. Laboratory sessions will include advanced instrumentation and scanning techniques of the abdomen.
Pre-requisite: Abdominal Sonography I & Lab

Obstetrics & Gynecology Sonography II & Lab (4 credits)

This course is a continuation of Obstetrics and Gynecology Sonography I & Lab. It will provide an in-depth analysis of the organs contained within the female pelvic cavity with emphasis on pathology and fetal abnormalities. It will focus on treatment options, data analysis, and interpretation. Laboratory sessions will include advanced instrumentation and scanning techniques of the female pelvic cavity.
Pre-requisite: Obstetrics & Gynecology Sonography I & Lab

Extra & Intracranial Ultrasound & Lab (4 credit)

This course will cover the hemodynamic principles and the role of sonography in the evaluation of extracranial and intracranial cerebrovascular circulation. It will focus on anatomy, pathology, treatment options, diagnostic criteria, and data analysis and interpretation. Laboratory sessions will include advanced instrumentation and proper scanning techniques of the extra and intracranial arterial vessels.

Arterial Testing & Lab (4 credits)

This course will review the arterial anatomy and physiology of the upper and lower extremities associated with arterial circulation. It will focus on anatomy, pathology, treatment options, diagnostic criteria, and data analysis and interpretation. Laboratory sessions will provide advanced instrumentation and proper scanning techniques of the arterial system.

Clinical Preparation & Lab (3 credits)

This course is a review of the principles of diagnostic ultrasound, and it will reinforce the technical skills through laboratory sessions. It will introduce the student to the clinical environment in preparation for their clinical experience. Topics such as patient care, ergonomics, sterile techniques, age-specific competencies, and ethics will prepare the student for a successful clinical experience.

Fall Two

Clinical Externship I (9 credits)

This course is designed to familiarize the student with the clinical environment, improve their technical skills, and strengthen their critical thinking skills through the exposure of pathology and analysis of real cases. The student will review and reinforce the knowledge and technical skills acquired through the didactic courses and will be able to develop proficient skills to obtain the required clinical competencies.
Pre-requisite: Clinical Preparation & Lab

Biomedical Ethics (3 credits)

This course will provide a fundamental understanding of the major ethical issues in medical sciences. It will cover ethical issues concerning life and death, health care, and medical research. The course will place an emphasis on moral theories and issues, exploring ideas from a variety of disciplines.

Spring Two

Clinical Externship II (9 credits)

This course is a continuation of Clinical Externship I. The course will familiarize the student with the clinical environment, improve their technical skills, and strengthen their critical thinking skills through the exposure of pathology and analysis of real cases. The student will review and reinforce the knowledge and technical skills acquired through the didactic courses and will be able to develop proficient skills to obtain the required clinical competencies.
Pre-requisite: Clinical Externship I

Sociology of Health Care (3 credits)

This course provides an overview of the sociology of medicine, with a focus on the relationships between social conditions, as the context, and health and disease in human populations, as outcomes. Utilizing sociological methods of analysis, the course investigates the history, function and structure of health care institutions, the roles of patients and health care practitioners, as well as social processes and social behaviors that influence the incidence of sickness and health.

Program Learning Outcomes

Students graduating from the AAS in DMS program will be able to:

  • Demonstrate clinical procedural proficiency.
  • Employ proper patient care technique.
  • Demonstrate oral and written communication skills.
  • Exhibit the professional ethical standards.
  • Exercise effective communication with patients.

Accreditation & Licensure

Touro University California (TUC) is fully accredited by WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC). In May 2023, WSCUC approved TUC to launch the new degree program of Associate of Applied Science in Medical Diagnostic Sonography (AAS in DMS).

The program provides the theory, skill, and experience necessary to apply to sit for the exam to become a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS).

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