Frequently Asked Questions

Prospective Students
(Degree or Certificate)

Welcome to the frequently asked questions page. This page is designed to answer the most commonly asked questions prospective students have about the DMS Program. Need more answers? Click here to go to the Inside Scoop Main Page and the DMS Student Handbook. Students are also strongly encouraged to attend a DMS Information Session to discuss any questions or concerns with a faculty member.

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What is the difference between the degree and certificate programs?

The Associates Degree program is designed for students who are not current licensed allied health professionals. Upon completion of the two year degree program, students will earn an Associates of Applied Science (A.A.S.) and will be eligible to take board exams offered through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS).

The Certificate program is designed for students who are currently certified or registry eligible in an allied health career (e.g. RT, RN, PTA, etc.) Students will earn a DMS Certificate upon completing the two year program and will be eligible to take board exams offered through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS).

For more information on DMS programs, click here MS Programs at MC.

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What is the application process for the DMS program?

Students interested in applying for either the degree or certificate DMS programs must submit the following information to the Admissions Office/Takoma Park Campus Certificate/A.A.S. Degree PRIOR to March 1st.

• Montgomery College Application and a one time fee (unless you have previously attended Montgomery College).
• Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Application (PDF)

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Are there prerequisites for the DMS program?

Yes. In order to be considered for admission there are prerequisites that must be met in English, Math, Biology and Physics. For specifics see the DMS application here DMS Application and DMS Admission FAQ's about Admissions to the program.

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What coursework will I have to take to fulfill the General Education Requirements for DMS Degree Students? Can I take these courses prior to admission into the DMS program?

Students in the Montgomery College DMS program must complete 33 credit hours of general education and other required coursework. Some of these courses (e.g. BI 204) have prerequisites that must be completed prior to taking them. Students are expected to complete these courses in addition to the credit hours required of the DMS curriculum.

Though students are not required to have completed all their general education and other required coursework prior to applying for the DMS program, it is highly recommended that they successfully complete as many as possible beforehand. The DMS curriculum is demanding and does not leave room for many other classes.

For a suggested course sequence for the DMS program, click here MS Programs at MC.

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Does admission take place once or twice a year? How many students are accepted into the program each year?

Admission to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program takes place only once a year. All admission applications, transcripts, and placement tests must be submitted BEFORE MARCH 1st for admission the following summer semester.

The DMS Program admits General Sonography, Echocardiography, and Vascular students once a year. Students will be required to choose their specialty track before beginning the program.

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What are clinical rotations? Are they required for the DMS program?

Clinical rotations are formal arrangements that provide DMS students with hands-on experience at an ultrasound facility. Clinical hours are required by the DMS program and for American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) certification upon graduation. By the end of the DMS program, students will complete 1560 clinical hours. While on-site, students are supervised by a clinical instructor who participates in the grading of required clinical competencies.

Learning to produce good ultrasound images takes a lot of practice. The only way to learn is by scanning. Face to Face Lab time provides each student with hands-on scanning. Open scans (extra supervised scanning times) are also available -- try to take advantage of them. Clinical time after the first semester is where much of the "hands-on" learning will take place. The DMS program classwork doesn’t provide hands-on experience for invasive studies (i.e. transvaginal, transesophogeal, and transrectal).

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Will I be able to choose my clinical sites?

Students are not permitted to choose their own clinical sites. One reason is because the list of clinical affiliates changes regularly; thus, site locations will vary. In addition, not every clinical site offers opportunities to gain experience in each specialty track. Students are assigned to clinical sites based on criteria including but not limited to:

• Student expression of desired track of study (General, Echocardiography & Vascular);
• Diagnostic lab availability (General, Echocardiography & Vascular);
• Complements the student's individuality (technical, interpersonal, etc)
• Rotational fairness to fellow students;
• Overall compatibility of student/mentor/site/affiliate;
• Exposure of student to in-patient and out-patient experience;
• Variety in clinical instructorship and case volume handled by the site;
• Student exposure to a variety of equipment (Acuson, ATL, GE, Diasonic)
• Student’s technical ability as indicated by their Acoustic Physics grades, Cross-Sectional Anatomy grades, etc.

For a list of current clinical affiliates, click here Clinical Affiliates.

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Can I work while attending the DMS program? How much time does this program take?

There are no policies prohibiting students from working while attending the DMS program. However, due to the challenging curriculum and clinical hours required of DMS students (especially during the second year), many have found working while in the program to be extremely difficult. That said, some students have successfully completed the program while working part-time.

We wish we could say that this program is easy, but it's not. This is especially true if you have anything else going on in your life. Here's an outline of how much in-class time you can expect to invest during the two years of the program.

** Notice that this is strictly for core DMS coursework.

Time Requirements – Outside of DMS class time:

1. If you have any of the general education requirements to complete (listed here), these will increase your total in-class time. Current students suggest that the more general education classes you can finish before you start the program the better.
   
2. Also, most classes involve considerable amounts of homework and project work. Current students suggest you plan on at least a few hours at school one additional day a week for watching required videos in the library, writing reports, finishing up projects and for optional, but much encouraged scanning during open scan labs.
   
3. Learning to produce good ultrasound images takes a lot of practice. The only way to learn is by scanning. Class time provides each student just 45 minutes a week of hands-on scanning. Open scans (extra supervised scanning times) are available -- try to take advantage of them. Clinical time after the first semester is where much of the "hands-on" learning will take place.

People say as a rule of thumb that you can expect to spend at least one hour outside of class for each hour in class. This varies from one person to the next, of course. Also, this is probably not true for the summer semester or during the second year. During these later semesters, much of the in-class time is actually spent in clinical practicum settings. Clinical work involves some outside homework, but the amount is typically less than it would be for ordinary classes.

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Will I be a certified sonographer upon graduation?

Upon graduation from the MC DMS program you will be eligible to take board exams offered through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS). Depending on which specialty track you complete (i.e. general, vascular, and echocardiography), ARDMS offers the following certifications:

• RDMS - Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer
• RDCS - Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer
• RVT - Registered Vascular Technologist

For more information on certification, click here: http://www.ardms.org

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How soon after I graduate should I take the registry exams?

Upon completion of the DMS program, graduates are required to provide the ARDMS a letter of verification, clinical verification form(s) and copy of their transcripts. Graduates have six months upon completion of the program to apply for their national board exams with the ARDMS. After these six months have expired graduates will have to get their employers to verify their competency level and patient load volumes.

We recommend that students take their board exams as soon as possible after graduating while their knowledge of a specialty area and acoustical physics and instrumentation is still fresh. It is our belief that the longer you wait to take your board exams, the more difficult it will be to pass them.

When planning your examination schedule, you should keep in mind that you are now required to take both a physics board exam and the corresponding specialty area exam within a 1 year span (regardless of which exam is taken first). For a list of additional considerations and ARDMS requirements for registry applicants, click here Overview of Applicant Process.

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Can I take the Board exams more than once if I do not pass?

Yes, according to the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) candidates who are unsuccessful in passing an examination and wish to reexamine can reapply. However, there is a mandatory 90-day waiting period after the date of the previous examination before a new examination-eligibility period can be scheduled. Students should be aware that individual employers may have their own policies governing Board exam failure.

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What percentage of students successfully complete the DMS program at MC?

75% of students who start the program will finish the program in two years. If a student does drop from the program it is usually because of personal, family, or time issues. They do have the option of returning and completing the program at another time.

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What percentage of students eventually pass their board exams?

MC students have a high pass rate. It does vary from year to year but the percent is higher than the national average. There are nine different exams, one for each specialty and its physics. Of these exams, a pass rate ranges between 85-100%.

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Will the college help students find jobs after graduation?

The college does not have a placement service for students. The DMS program does help with resume building, review courses for board exams, and job posting from employers. There is a nationwide shortage of sonographers and most of our students have jobs lined up before they finish the program from their clinical sites.

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Are there any health related side effects for sonographers or students?

There are no known harmful effects associated with the medical use of sonography. Widespread clinical use of diagnostic ultrasound for many years has not revealed any harmful effects. Studies in humans have revealed no direct link between the use of diagnostic ultrasound and any adverse outcome. Although the possibility exists that biological effects may be identified in the future, current information indicates that the benefits to patients far outweigh the risks.

Visit http://www.aium.org/patient/pamphlets/safety.asp for more information.

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After I complete the program, can I return and learn another track?

Sonographers who are currently registered in one specialty track may return to the DMS Program at Montgomery College to earn a certificate in another track. Montgomery College offers DMS certificate programs in General Ultrasound (Abdomen, OB/GYN, Breast and Pediatric Echo), Echocardiography, and Vascular. Returning students are required to complete one year that includes course work and clinical instruction in their desired specialty track. For more information on the DMS specialty tracks offered at Montgomery College, click here DMS Specialty Tracks.

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