Diagnostic Medical Sonography
This degree prepares you for an entry-level job administering diagnostic ultrasound exams.
Area of Interest
Program Dean
PVCC Academic Division
Faculty Contact
Majors in a Minute Video
Credit Hours
Required Courses
- SDV 100: Orientation - 1 credits
- ENG 111: College Composition I - 3 credits
- BIO 141: Anatomy and Physiology - 4 credits
- MTH 115: Technical Math - 3 credits
- ENG 112: College Composition II - 3 credits
- BIO 142: Human Anatomy and Physiology II - 4 credits
- PHY 100: Elements of Physics - 4 credits
1st Semester (Fall)
- DMS 206: Introduction to Sonography - 2 credits1st Semester (Fall)
- DMS 207: Sectional Anatomy - 2 credits1st Semester (Fall)
- DMS 208: Ultrasound Physics & Instrumentation I - 2 credits1st Semester (Fall)
- PHI 220: Ethics - 3 credits1st Semester (Fall)
- PSY 230: Developmental Psychology - 3 credits1st Semester (Fall)
2nd Semester (Spring)
- DMS 209: Ultrasound Physics & Instrumentation II - 2 credits2nd Semester (Spring)
- DMS 211 - Abdominal Sonography - 4 credits2nd Semester (Spring)
- DMS 212 - Obstetrical & Gynecological Sonography - 3 credits2nd Semester (Spring)
- DMS 219: Ultrasound Physics & Instrumentation Lab - 1 credits2nd Semester (Spring)
- DMS 231: Clinical Education I - 3 credits2nd Semester (Spring)
3rd Semester (Fall)
- DMS 232: Clinical Education II - 4 credits3rd Semester (Fall)
- DMS 242: Advanced Obstetrical and Gynecological Sonography - 3 credits3rd Semester (Fall)
4th Semester (Spring)
- DMS 241: Advanced Abdominal Sonography - 4 credits4th Semester (Spring)
- DMS 223: Intro to Vascular Ultrasound - 2 credits4th Semester (Spring)
- DMS 233: Clinical Education III - 5 credits4th Semester (Spring)
5th Semester (Spring)
- DMS 222: Sonography Registry Review - 2 credits5th Semester (Spring)
- DMS 234: Clinical Education IV - 6 credits5th Semester (Spring)
Transfer Information
Admissions Requirements
Application Deadlines
The application for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is are now open for Fall 2018.
- After applying to PVCC, students must ALSO Apply to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program. Completion of general education courses is one criteria used to make admissions decisions.
- Please review the admissions requirements and information book.
Information Sessions
Attendance is required at one of the sessions for any new student interested in pursuing an A.A.S. degree in diagnostic medical sonography beginning with the fall 2019 semester. Information sessions will discuss class expectations, success tips, student materials and supplies and class registration.
Information Sessions are on the following dates:
- September 25th at 4 pm in M229
- October 23, 2019 at 4 pm in M229
- November 20, 2019 at 4 pm in M229
- December 4, 2019 at 4 pm in M229
All remaining sessions will be held in the Main Building Auditorium, room M229, located on the college’s Main Campus at 501 College Drive in Charlottesville.
Program Information
The two-year associate degree in sonography is designed to provide a quality entry-level education in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains through a competency-based clinical and didactic instructional curriculum in diagnostic sonography. Graduates of the program will be eligible to take the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography Boards for Abdomen and/or OB/GYN and physics or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) sonography exam.
Program Outcomes: Program Outcomes as of 9/19/2019
Program Accreditation: CAAHEP via JRC DMS: https://www.caahep.org
Occupational objectives: Hospitals remain the primary employer of sonographers, but there are increasing numbers of jobs available in physician offices, outpatient surgery centers, and free-standing diagnostic imaging centers. The profession of diagnostic medical sonography includes general sonography (defined as abdomen, obstetric, gynecologic, superficial parts, and other appropriate areas), cardiac sonography, vascular technology, and various other subspecialties. Entry-level sonographers usually work in general and obstetric/gynecologic sonography. With further experience and training, they can move into the other specialties.
Graduation Requirement: Students entering the Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree program are required to take one Writing Intensive Course (WIC) in order to graduate. The writing intensive course for this program is DMS 222 which has a prerequisite of ENG 111 and ENG 112. Students who are awarded transfer credit for this course from another institution may fulfill the writing Writing Intensive Course (WIC) requirement for this degree program by completing another Writing Intensive Course (WIC).