Diagnostic Medical Sonography (AAS.DMS)

Mission
The Rowan College at Burlington County Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is dedicated to providing quality education for its students in order to promote excellence in the art and science of sonography. Guided by the RCBC mission and CAAHEP standards, the DMS program strives to provide academic and clinical experiences that produce competent and compassionate entry-level sonographers with a commitment to performance of quality imaging while providing excellent patient care and dedication to the pursuit of lifelong learning.

Goals
The RCBC DMS Program’s goal is to prepare competent entry-level general sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains. Graduates of the RCBC DMS Program will be able to perform, at a minimum, the following objectives:

Goal 1: Obtain, review, and integrate pertinent patient history and supporting clinical data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will identify the importance of obtaining patient history.
• Students will interpret patient history.
• Students will demonstrate application of didactic information necessary for specific DMS study results.
• Students will correlate pertinent data from a variety of medical sources.

Goal 2: Perform appropriate procedures and record anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data for interpretation by a physician.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will use appropriate knobology when scanning to produce optimal images.
• Students will reproduce scanning protocols for general sonography.
• Students will utilize critical thinking skills to modify protocols for non-standard patients.
• Students will perform sonographic procedures appropriately and accurately recording all anatomic and physiologic information for interpretation by a physician.

Goal 3: Record, analyze, and process diagnostic data and other pertinent observations made during the procedure for presentation to the interpreting physician.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will critique images.
• Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills necessary to analyze and process diagnostic data.
• Students will document and present complete and accurate sonographic findings to the interpreting physician and/or clinical instructors in order to facilitate patient diagnosis.

Goal 4: Exercise discretion and judgment in the performance of sonographic and/or other diagnostic services.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will demonstrate appropriate sonographer-to- patient relationship skills.
• Students will modify exam positioning and protocols due to patient condition.
• Students will recognize unique needs in a culturally diverse population.

Goal 5: Demonstrate appropriate communication skills with patients and colleagues.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will demonstrate oral communication skills necessary to communicate with patients and health care professionals.
• Students will demonstrate written communication skills necessary to communicate with patients and health care professionals.

Goal 6: Act in a professional and ethical manner.

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will demonstrate understanding of the HIPAA law.
• Students will exemplify professional manners within recognized ethical and legal standards at all times.
• Students will consistently manifest a professional attitude and honor the SDMS Code of Ethics.
• Students will demonstrate a respect for diversity and the ability to work with others and special patient populations.
• Students will demonstrate workplace behavior conducive to professional advancement.
• Students will differentiate between the ARDMS and ARRT exam(s), and additional certification opportunities.
• Students will recognize professional organizations pertaining to the field of ultrasound.
• Students will illustrate professionalism with acceptable grooming and appearance standards.

Goal 7: Provide patient education related to medical ultrasound and promote principles of good health:

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will summarize the value of life-long learning.
• Students will participate in personal and professional growth opportunities.
• Students will verbalize principles of good health.

Goal 8: Employ safety practices

Student Learning Outcomes:

• Students will demonstrate practices for optimal function of the sonographic equipment.
• Students will employ a safe work environment.
• Students will practice ALARA standards.
• Students will illustrate time management skills while performing abdominal ultrasounds.
• Students will administer standard infection control standards.

All students admitted to the Rowan College at Burlington County Diagnostic Medical Sonography program must meet technical standards and maintain satisfactory demonstration of these standards for profession throughout the program. It is the student’s responsibility to notify their instructor or director of DMS program if any changes in their ability to meet technical standards arises.

To provide quality ultrasound examinations, the student must:

1. Process senses of vision, touch, and hearing. Assistive technology, such as glasses, contact lenses and hearing aids are acceptable to enable the student to achieve functional use of the senses.

2. Have sufficient motor capability to carry out assessment activities.
3. Be able to lift, turn, transfer, transport patients and equipment.
4. Have the physical ability to perform CPR.
5. Be able to bend, squat, reach, kneel, balance, sit and stand for prolonged periods of time.
6. Be able to constantly lift up to 50 pounds.
7. Be able to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing utilizing English language.

^{Rowan College at Burlington County does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, color, national or ethnic origin, age, disability or veteran status. To learn more visit, rcbc.edu/titleXI.}

* DMS Program Pre-requisite Courses are a part of the admission requirements. All pre-requisite courses must be completed before the applicant is considered for acceptance.
**Students will develop ultrasonic skills in a healthcare diagnostic environment which may include private office, outpatient and/or hospital setting.
***Or assessment and completion of all required Developmental Reading or concurrent enrollment in REA 095.

YEAR ONE

YEAR TWO

Please read the admissions process carefully. All application requirements MUST be completed before submission of the online application.

Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) offers a two-year, professional program, leading to an Associate of Applied Science Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree (AAS.DMS). Learning is facilitated through classroom activities, practice labs and clinical experiences in area healthcare facilities.

Note: Applicants need to only complete one application through the online system, and incomplete applications will not be processed. All documents (high school and college transcripts) MUST be on file when the application is submitted.

Admissions Process:

The DMS program has a limited number of spaces (maximum of 14 each year) and admission into this program is very competitive.

The admissions application for Fall 2021 opens November 1, 2020 and closes on January 31, 2021. Admissions decisions will be sent by late April 2021.

Application Criteria:

Applicants to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program are based on the following standards:

• Completion of the Admissions Application to RCBC.
• Applicants must attain a minimum age of 18 years at the time of the start of program.
• Submission of proof of high school completion via
  • High school transcript
  • GED
  • Translation of foreign credential
• Official transcripts from previously attended colleges and/or universities transcripts to:
  Office of Outreach & Admissions
  900 College Circle
  Mount Laurel, NJ 08054

Specific prerequisite courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or better to apply:

• BIO 110 Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology I
• BIO 111 Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology I (lab)
• ENG 101 College Composition
• MTH 107 Introduction to Statistics
• PHY 107 Fundamentals of Physics
• BIO 114 Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology II
• BIO 115 Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology II (lab)
• ENG 102 Composition II
• PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
• HIT 106 Medical Terminology
  • HIT 105 will satisfy the Medical Terminology requirement if taken prior to Fall 2020

*Note: Applicants who do not complete all the prerequisites listed above will not be considered.

• All required prerequisite courses listed will be reviewed utilizing a Point Scale within a rubric model.
• Students with the highest points (without any failures and repeats) will be admitted first.
• Achievement of a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 or greater in all college coursework.
• Students with non-repeated failures in pre-requisite courses will not be admissible.
• Students with more than 2 failures in total of any of the prerequisite courses listed on the rubric will not be admissible. For the DMS program admissions purpose, C-, D or F are considered failures.
• Students who have been in other DMS programs must have the program director from that college or institution email a letter to the RCBC DMS email (dms@rcbc.edu) with attention to the program director, Ms. Courtney Dyott, BS, RDMS indicating they were not dismissed for clinically unsafe behavior. Please note this only applies to students who did not fail or were dismissed from a previous DMS program. Students who failed and/or were dismissed from another DMS program are deemed inadmissible.

*Note: Meeting all admission standards DOES NOT guarantee admission into the program.

Admissions Decisions

Applicants will be selected according to total points earned based on the admission rubric. This rubric will evaluate the academic performance of a student within the pre-requisite courses.

RCBC DMS Admission Rubric

All applicable courses are evaluated using the following scale:

A = 10 points
A- = 9 points
B+ = 8 points
B = 7 points
B- = 6 points
C+ = 3 points
C = 2 points
C-, D, or F = 0 points

The grades of the required pre-requisite courses will be factored into the chart below and averaged for a total score based on each attempt.

Applicants will be notified of decisions by late April 2021 via their RCBC student email account.

Acceptance into the Program:

Accepted students will be notified by RCBC email of their conditional acceptance into the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. Conditional acceptance includes but is not limited to the following:

• Attendance at the mandatory DMS orientation for the Fall 2021 start (date TBA)
• Proof of medical/health insurance.
• Completion of physical clearances including but not limited to:
  1. Physical exam and medical history
  2. Titers and proof of immunity
• Clear criminal history background check, fingerprinting and PA child abuse clearance
• Negative urine drug test
• Reliable transportation (to clinical sites in NJ and/or PA) and associated fees
• Students will be enrolled on a Part-time Financial Aid Eligible Schedule while in the program; however, this is a rigorous program and students will be expected to apply full-time hours to their studies.

*Note: Students who are not accepted or decline admission to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program must reapply in a future application cycle. Acceptance on a future application is not guaranteed.

Our Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is striving to reach its goals to help our students and graduates to achieve their career and educational goals. Therefore, DMS program faculty and administration are employing the highest standards of education and training. We, at DMS program, are committed to molding students who come to us into the entry-level professional Ultrasound Sonographers that will be an excellent addition to any hospital or out-patient facility nationwide.

Download the Outcomes for the Past DMS Program Graduating 2019

Download the RCBC DMS Attrition and Job Placement Rates