Program Information and Curriculum

Program Description

The Regis diagnostic medical sonography program offers three sonography concentrations, abdominal, ob/gyn, and vascular, in one bachelor’s degree. Students receive didactic and clinical training in all three concentrations meaning applicants cannot select one concentration. Clinical, laboratory, and didactic education offer students the education and skills for the demanding role of a competent sonographer.

Students will complete over 350 hours of laboratory training at Regis, 1850 hours of clinical training, rotate through radiology, vascular, maternal fetal medicine, pediatric departments, and routinely be evaluated for competency. Clinical education will encompass direct patient contact while working with sophisticated equipment and highly skilled individuals in the field of sonography including diagnostic medical sonographers, vascular technologists, radiologists, vascular surgeons, and obstetricians. Upon completion of the diagnostic medical sonography curriculum, graduates are eligible to take the national registry exams.

The three concentrations in the program are defined below. Ultrasound physics, principles and instrumentation are included in the curriculum. In addition, the program has dedicated courses in the specialty topics breast, fetal echocardiography, musculoskeletal and pediatric sonography.

Abdominal sonography examines normal and pathological conditions of the abdominal organs, superficial organs, the male reproductive organs, and associated blood vessels.
Obstetrical and gynecology sonography examines normal and pathological conditions of the female reproductive organs and the pregnant uterus including embryonic and fetal periods.
Vascular sonography is non-invasive imaging of normal and abnormal blood flow patterns and perfusion within the circulatory system. Vascular and Doppler sonography detects atherosclerosis, stenosis, narrowing, blood clots, venous in sufficiency, evaluation of stents and grafts and organ blood flow perfusion.

Program Information

The program is a prescribed four-year program.
Training is in three concentrations abdominal, OB/GYN and vascular sonography, you cannot select one concentration.
Students are eligible to sit for national registry exams.
The program is full-time days, typically Monday through Friday.
There are no part-time, evening or weekend options.
There is no online option.
Didactic and laboratory education takes place on campus.
Clinical education takes place in a hospital.
Clinical is five semesters and goes through the summer between the third and fourth year.
Clinical is three days a week in the fall and spring semesters and four days a week in the summer semester, typically 8 a.m to 4:30 p.m.
Program ends spring of fourth year.

Curriculum

First year: Math and science prerequisites and core education requirements. First-year students must adhere to the prescribed Year One curriculum fall and spring semesters shown below.
Second year: Sonography didactic and laboratory education begins and continued core education.
Third and fourth year: Clinical education begins and continued sonography didactic, laboratory and core education.

Download a PDF version of the nine-semester course plan.

Year One

Fall Semester
Course	Credits
RC 101 First Year Seminar ¹	3
EN 105 Writing Seminar ¹^,²	3
MA 100A College Algebra ¹^,²	4
Philosophy Core ¹	3
BI 105 Anatomy and Physiology I/Lab ¹^,²	4
Total	16

Spring Semester
Course	Credits
EN 106 Critical Reading, Writing and Thinking ¹^,²^,³	3
PY 101 Introduction Physics for Health Sciences ¹^,²	3
MI 101 Exploring Medical Imaging ²	1
ID 304 Exploring Ethics ¹	3
BI 106 Anatomy and Physiology II/Lab ¹^,²	4
ID 230 Interdependence of Health Professions ¹^,²	3
Total	17

Year Two

Fall Semester
Course	Credits
DMS 250 Introduction to Sonography	2
DMS 252 Sectional Sonography I	5
DMS 254 Sonographic Principles and Instrumentation I	4
DMS 256 Scanning Laboratory I	3
Expressive Arts ¹	3
Total	16

Spring Semester
Course	Credits
DMS 258 Sonography and Patient Care	2
DMS 260 Sectional Sonography II	5
DMS 262 Sonographic Principles and Instrumentation II	4
DMS 264 Scanning Laboratory II	3
DMS 266 Hemodynamics and Doppler Sonography	1
Religious Studies ¹	3
Total	17

Year Three

Fall Semester
Course	Credits
DMS 350 Abdominal and Subspecialty Sonography I	4
DMS 352 Obstetrics/Gynecologic Sonography I	2
DMS 354 Vascular Sonography I	3
DMS 356 Scanning Laboratory III	1
DMS 358 Clinical Practicum I ⁵	3
Total	14

Spring Semester
Course	Credits
DMS 360 Abdominal and Subspecialty Sonography II	4
DMS 362 Obstetrics/Gynecologic Sonography II	2
DMS 364 Pediatric Sonography	2
DMS 366 Clinical Practicum II ⁴^,⁵	3
Literature or History ¹	3
Total	15

Summer Semester
Course	Credits
DMS 368 Clinical Practicum III (four days)	3
DMS 370 Vascular Sonography II	3
Total	6

Year Four

Fall Semester
Course	Credits
DMS 450 Obstetrics/Gynecologic Sonography III	2
DMS 452 Vascular Sonography III	3
DMS 454 Breast Sonography	2
DMS 456 Musculoskeletal Sonography	2
DMS 458 Clinical Practicum IV ⁵	3
Total	13

Spring Semester
Course	Credits
MI 408 Leadership in Medical Imaging ¹	3
DMS 460 DMS Capstone and Research Methods	6
DMS 462 Fetal Echocardiography	2
DMS 464 Clinical Practicum V ⁴^,⁵	3
Literature or History ¹	3
Total	16

Core educational requirement
Prerequisite course, must achieve a B- in MA 100A, BI 105, BI 106, ENG 105, ENG 106, ID 230, and PY 101, and C in all other prerequisite, core educational, and MI courses
First Year Seminar linked course
Winter session start, five days winter session (two weeks), three days spring semester
Three days

Important Reminders

Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 for all semesters and achieve minimum prerequisite grade requirements as noted above and on the admission requirements and progression page. Students must pass all DMS courses and MI courses with a B- or higher.
Students must complete the core educational requirements and all MI and DMS Courses. Total program credits 130.
Students are expected to review and track their own progress towards completion of degree requirements.