Diagnostic Medical Sonography (B.S., A.S., Certificate)

What is Diagnostic Medical Sonography?
Sonography is high frequency sound waves used with a medium to acquire a noninvasive view of the following: Abdomen, OB/Gyn, Cardiac, and Vascular System.

What kind of degree can I get in Diagnostic Medical Sonography?
Mountain State University offers two degrees in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, and Associate Degree and a Bachelor Degree.  Mountain State University also offers a Certificate in Diagnostic Medical Sonography to professionals who already have a two year degree (and are licensed, registered, or certified) in an AMA approved profession.

What is the length of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program?
Once a student is accepted into the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program, it will take them 18 months to receive an Associate Degree and 26 months to receive a Bachelor Degree.  A person registered in the Certificate Program will take 18 months to complete the program.

What are the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program requirements?
To be eligible to come into the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program, a student must either be completed or enrolled in the 40 hours of prerequisites with a cumulative GPA of 2.5 by the application deadline.  You can find a complete list of the prerequisites in the MSU Catalog, or on the Mountain State University website at www.mountainstate.edu. If a student is found to be eligible for the program, they will be contacted to take the entrance exam.

When do I need to apply to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program?
When you apply to Mountain State University, you need to put Diagnostic Medical Sonography as your intended major.  The last day for applications is March 15 of every year.

How many students does the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program accept every year?
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program accepts 29 full-accepted students and 2 alternate students.  The alternate students start didactic courses with the full-accepted students, but are placed last in clinicals.

When will I know if I have been accepted into the program?
We start accepting students on April 15 of every year, and will continue to accept students through July 1 until the class if full.

When does the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program start?
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program starts in the middle of May every year with our mini-mester consisting of DMS 101.

What is the cost of the program?
To get the current cost of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program courses, you need to call Mountain State University at 800.FOR.MSU1.  The program has additional costs for background checks, books, drug test, etc.  For information in these additional costs, please call 304.929.1450.

What are the days and times of my classes, clinicals, and labs?
You will be in classes, clinicals, and labs Monday-Friday 8am-5pm, 48 weeks of the year.

Where will I be doing my clinicals?
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program has clinical sites along the east coast, but we mainly use the West Virginia and Virginia sites.

What type of on-campus facilities does the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program have?
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program has four ultrasound labs each containing ultrasound machines having applications to scan Abdomen, OB/Gyn, Small Parts, Echo, and Vascular.  The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program performs free OB ultrasounds three days a week for student learning.

What experience does the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program Faculty have?
All of the instructors for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program have a Bachelor Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography from Mountain State University.  They are all registered by the ARDMS.  Registries include: RDMS, RDCS, and RVT.

How much will I get paid being a Sonographer?
The SDMS (Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography) has posted on their website that the “sonographer can expect a starting salary in a range of $15.00 to $18.00 per hour not including benefits.  (Salary information is based on 1998 salary survey)” You can access this information from the SDMS website at www.sdms.org