Info Session

Program Description

The Abdomen-Extended and Obstetrics & Gynecology DMS Program at Houston Community College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS). This program offers four (4) semester program with graduates receiving an Advanced Technical Certificate or an Associate Degree.  The goal of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is to prepare competent entry-level general sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) domains for the abdominal-extended and obstetrics and gynecology sonography concentrations. Graduates of the program are eligible to take the Ultrasound Physics and Instrumentation, Abdomen, and Obstetrics & Gynecology exams offered through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).

CAAHEP
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
727-210-2350

JRC-DMS
6021 University Blvd., Suite 500
Ellicott City, MD 21043
443-973-3251

Description of Semesters

First semester

Foundation courses are taught in the first semester, which establish a knowledge base and skills needed for success in the subsequent semesters.

In the first semester, students enroll in DMSO 1441 Introduction to Abdominopelvic Sonography, DMSO 1451 Sonographic Cross-Sectional Anatomy, DMSO 1210 Introduction to Sonography, DMSO 1202 Basic Ultrasound Physics, and DMSO 1355 Sonographic Pathophysiology.  These five courses are interrelated to prepare students for knowledge and skill-based that aims toward the spring semester experience and for a more in-depth study of abdominal pathology.  DMSO 1441 is a lecture/lab course, topics covered include (a) basic sonographic cross-sectional anatomy in the abdomen and pelvis, (b) protocols of the abdominal and pelvic organs, (c) normal anatomy scanning techniques using different scanning planes and transducer selection, (d) ultrasound system orientation and care, (d) transducer motions, and (f) ultrasound windows of the upper abdomen.  The laboratory portion of this course allows students to gain hands-on experience relative to the previously mentioned subject matter.  Students are proficiently tested on protocols of individual abdominal organs and accomplish a complete upper abdomen scan at the end of this semester.  Also, the transabdominal protocol for the male and female pelvis is introduced upon completion of DMSO 1441.  DMSO 1351 Sonographic Cross-Sectional Anatomy and DMSO 1355 Sonographic Pathophysiology present anatomy and pathological findings associated with abdominal organs and image analysis.  DMSO 1210 teaches the history of the sonography field, sonographic terminology, appropriate communication, professional behavior, and patient care applications that are found in the field of sonography. Students may take this course prior to joining the DMS program.

Second semester

In the second semester, the students enroll in DMSO 2441 Sonography of Abdominopelvic Pathology, DMSO 2405 Sonography of Obstetrics/Gynecology, DMSO 1342 Intermediate Ultrasound Physics, and DMSO 1266 Sonographic Practicum I, DMSO 1342 Intermediate Ultrasound Physics.  DMSO 1342 covers (a) interaction of ultrasound with tissues, (b) mechanics of ultrasound production and display, (c) various transducer designs and construction, (c) quality assurance, (d) bioeffects, (e) image artifacts, and (f) sonography Doppler.  DMSO 2441 incorporates pathology into the abdominal protocols, in addition to normal and pathological protocols of gynecology and first-trimester pregnancy.  DMSO 2405 and DMSO 2441 compliment course DMSO 1266 Practicum I, in which the student is to complete scanning proficiencies at their assigned clinical site.  These proficiencies include systems covered in the first and current semesters.  At the end of each rotation, the students must complete the required competencies on actual patients.  The clinical preceptors and staff sonographers at the clinical site evaluate each student.  Students may or may not be assigned to a different hospital each semester.

Third semester

Students enroll in DMSO 2342 Sonography of High-Risk Obstetrics, DMSO 2353 Sonography of Superficial Structures, DMSO 2266 Sonographic Practicum II, and 2351 Doppler Physics.  In course DMSO 2266, students take a proficiency test on a complete abdomen, pelvis, and obstetrical proficiency exam.  The clinical instructor and staff sonographers at the clinical education centers evaluate each student.

Fourth semester

The students enroll in DMSO 2130 Advanced Sonographic Practices, DMSO 2467 Sonographic Practicum III, and DMSO 2243 Advanced Ultrasound Physics.  The students can proficiency test on abdomen normal and pathological cases, obstetric and gynecologic (transabdominal, transvaginal and pathology) cases, scrotum, and progressive proficiency such as invasive procedures, which are listed in the syllabus.  Clinical practicum is a capstone experience of all skills needed for entry-level into the workplace.  The students play an active role as a team player, and they are expected to complete the proficiencies with indirect supervision.  The students must be able to complete exams as well as present cases to a physician (following the rescan of a sonographer).  DMSO 2130 and 2243 are capstone educational classes that prepared students for registry exam preparation.