DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY

Want a Career that Makes an Impact on People's Lives?

• You would be creating high tech images used by physicians to make medical diagnosis
• You would be providing one on one care to both healthy and ill patients
• You would be working with a dedicated and knowledgeable group of medical professionals as an important member of their health care team

1. What is Sonography?
2. What is required of a Sonographer?
3. Have You Considered a Career in Sonography?
4. Why Casa Loma College’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program?
5. Admissions Criteria for Enrollment Consideration

What is Sonography?

Ultrasound diagnostic imaging is one of the fastest emerging fields in the healthcare industry. There is a very high demand for their unique skills. Ultrasound is becoming the diagnostic method of choice in many areas of medicine, with health care professionals often preferring ultrasound to other diagnostic scanning techniques (such as radiographic technology, or x-rays) due to the safety of this non-invasive technology and its ability to capture such detailed images. Ultrasound is perhaps most often associated with pregnancies, but now diagnostic medical sonography is used to scan everything from the nervous system to the digestive system, blood vessels, tumors, the eyes and more.

Sonography, is a diagnostic medical procedure that uses high frequency sound waves (ultrasound) to produce dynamic visual images of organs, tissues, or blood flow inside the body. This type of procedure is often referred to as a sonogram or ultrasound scan. Ultrasound Technicians use an instrument called a transducer to transmit high frequency sound waves through the body of the patient. As the sound waves bounce off the targeted body part or organ, their echoes are captured by specialized equipment that converts them into visual images. The internal images are then examined by a trained and credentialed diagnostic physician via digital imaging.

What is required of a Sonographer?

Sonographers have extensive, direct patient contact that may include performing some invasive procedures. They must be able to interact compassionately and effectively with people who range from healthy to critically ill.

• Lift more than 50 pounds routinely
• Push and pull routinely
• Bend and stoop routinely
• Have full use of both hands, wrists and shoulders
• Distinguish audible sounds
• Adequately view sonograms, including color distinctions
• Work standing on their feet 80% of the time
• Interact compassionately and effectively with the sick or injured
• Assist patients on and off examining tables
• Communicate effectively with patients and other health care professionals
• Organize and accurately perform the individual steps in a sonographic procedure in the proper sequence

(http://www.sdms.org)

Have You Considered a Career in Sonography?

Your first step is to enroll in Casa Loma College’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program, an institution and program nationally accredited by the Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES).

Why Casa Loma College’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program?

Our 23 month program offers an Associate of Science Degree specialized in Sonography and meets ARDMS Requirements for Certification in SPI Physics, Abdominal and Small Parts, and Obstetrics and Gynecology. Our class size will never exceed 12 students providing students ample time in laboratory and more one on one time with the instructor. Casa Loma College’s program is built upon sequential learning and therefore we do not enroll students continuously throughout the year. New classes enroll twice per year.

The first semester of the program includes general prerequisites of anatomy and physiology, math, physics, and communication. Once these preliminaries are out of the way, students will focus on core classes such as Abdomen and Small Parts, OB/GYN, Introduction to Vascular and Physics. Upon completion of core courses students have acquired the necessary knowledge and skills to attend two semesters of externship in clinics, diagnostic imaging centers or hospitals. During these two semesters, students will gain experience, develop skills, make connections, strengthen their resumes, learn about the field, and assess their interest and abilities.

Students enrolled with a prior two year allied health degree or bachelor’s degree is eligible to take certification exams upon program completion. Those enrolled without a prior degree in healthcare must have one year full time work experience prior to taking certification exams (exception SPI Physics).

Upon completion of the program you will receive a Diploma in Diagnostic Medical Sonography and join the growing ranks of Casa Loma College distinguished alumni, in addition to the prominent community of Sonographers.