Diagnostic Medical Sonography (B.S., A.S., Certificate) Now online!
School of Arts and Sciences

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Diagnostic Medical Sonography Online Program FAQ

General Information

WHEN DID THE DMS PROGRAM BEGIN AT MOUNTAIN STATE UNIVERSITY?

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program was established at Mountain State University in 1994. The entire faculty that makes up the DMS department, graduated from the program that we are now teaching in. There are approximately 30 traditional students that begin the DMS program annually. Since this time, the program has evolved and has taken our DMS program online. Our online program is being offered nationwide and accepts 20 students, two times a year.

IS THE DMS PROGRAM AT MOUNTAIN STATE UNIVERSITY ACCREDITED?

The DMS Program at Mountain State University is accredited through Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). Furthermore, Mountain State University is nationally accredited through the Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association. Our initial accreditation through CAAHEP occurred in 1995, with revisits occurring in 2000 and 2006. The DMS program at Mountain State University is in compliance with our accreditation body and strives to provide the highest, quality education to all of our students at MSU.

WILL THE CREDITS THAT I EARN AT MOUNTAIN STATE UNIVERSITY BE ACCEPTED BY OTHER COLLEGES OR UNIVERSITIES?

Each college/university has their own process that they follow in order to determine if credits will transfer from another school. You will need to contact the institution that you plan on transferring to in order to ensure that they will accept the credits earned while you were a student at MSU.

DOES THE DMS PROGRAM AT MOUNTAIN STATE UNIVERSITY ACCEPT STUDENTS FROM OUTSIDE THE U.S.?

Currently, MSU only accepts students within the U.S., Canada and Puerto Rico.

WHAT ARE THE START DATES FOR THE ONLINE DMS PROGRAM?

The online DMS program accepts students into the program two times a year. The start dates begin in February and September. Each start group will include 20 students selected from the selection pool.

WHAT IS THE REGISTRATION PROCESS FOR THE DMS PROGRAM?

Once you are a student in the DMS department at MSU you will be registered by an advisor within the DMS program. Every student will receive a registration form at least four weeks prior to the next semester beginning. If you have not received a registration form prior to the two week starting date, please contact Ashley Coleman (304.461.3259) or Katie Saddler (304.461.3231). If you need to fax in unofficial transcripts or any other pertinent information you can fax that information to 304.253-3485 and include attention to the person that you wish to receive the information. Please keep in mind that you will need to have any previous colleges that you have attended to send your official transcripts to Mountain State University. Once you have signed your registration form, you will need to fax it back so that we can ensure that you are registered for your courses.

WHAT IS A DMS HOLD?

A DMS hold may be placed on your account to prevent a student from registering themselves for courses. All DMS registrations MUST be paper based and approved by the DMS program.

WHO DO I CONTACT TO COMPLETE MY FINANCIAL AID OR IF I HAVE QUESTIONS PERTAINING TO MY FINANCIAL AID?

In order to ensure that you have completed all of the information for you financial aid; you will need to make sure that you visit the virtual financial aid office at https://mountainstate.vfao.com/ and complete all of the necessary information. If you have any questions pertaining to your financial aid you can contact financial aid at faid@mountainstate.edu or you may call the VFAO at 877-906-1723. DMS faculty and staff will not be able to answer any questions pertaining to financial aid.

It is the responsibility of each student to make sure their financial aid and VFAO semester interviews are complete in time to register for each semester. Not having up-to-date information may cause a delay in your registration. Registration dates are set by student services. If you have a student account hold that is not cleared by the registration deadline, you may not be permitted to register. This can cause a delay in your entrance into the DMS program as well as a delay in graduation.

WHAT IS THE SELECTION PROCESS FOR THE DMS PROGRAM?

Once a student has completed all of their prerequisite courses or is enrolled in the remainder of their prerequisite courses prior to the next start group; the student will receive a student information packet from the DMS Program that documents the process that they will need to follow in order to complete the requirements for the selection process.

Points for the selection process are based on the following:

• Cumulative GPA
  
• All prerequisite courses completed prior to selection process
  
• Entrance Exam
  
• Interview Process
  
• Graduate of an AMA approved Health Science Program (**Not required to enter into the program, however, these applicants will receive additional points during the selection process.)
  
• Other Medical Experience/Shadowing Experience
  
• Program documents signed and returned by date indicated

WHEN WILL I BE ELIGIBLE TO SET FOR MY REGISTRY THROUGH THE AMERICAN REGISTRY OF DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY (ARDMS)?

Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) exam that is required for the RDMS, RVT or RDCS may be taken once you have successfully completed one physics course. You will need to provide the ARDMS with a copy of your transcripts and will not need anything further from the DMS department in order to set for the SPI exam. For more information, please visit the ARDMS website at www.ardms.org.

Once you have completed your course work and clinical hours for the associate’s degree; you will then be eligible to sit for your abdomen or ob/gyn specialty exams. Prior to registering for one of these specialties through the ARDMS you will need documentation from the director of the DMS program that will be sent with your registration form.

If you choose to pursue your bachelor’s degree in DMS, you will be required to be completely registered through the ARDMS in abdomen or ob/gyn prior to completing your bachelor’s degree. Once you have completed your bachelor’s degree you will then be eligible to sit for your adult echo, pediatric echo or vascular technology exam.

Clinical Rotations

Question: Will I Have to Come to the MSU Campus?

Answer: Each student will have to make at least one trip to the Beckley, WV MSU campus before attending their first clinical rotation for a minimum of three days.

QUESTION: WHEN WILL I BEGIN MY CLINICAL ROTATIONS?

Answer: If a contract has been set up with your clinical site then you will begin clinicals during your 3rd semester in the DMS program. Please remember that once a clinical site has agreed to become a clinical affiliate, it can take between 3 and 6 months for all contracts to be finalized.

QUESTION: HOW MANY CLINICAL HOURS ARE REQUIRED FOR THE DMS PROGRAM?

Answer: Associate level clinicals require 1,281 clinical hours in abdomen and OB/GYN. These hours are divided up over 3 clinical rotations. Students are required to obtain 427 hours per clincial rotation.

If a student pursues a bachelor’s degree, the student will be required to complete an additional 854 hours. These hours are obtained through two additional clinical rotations at a vascular and cardiac facility.

QUESTION: HOW MANY HOURS PER WEEK AM I REQUIRED TO BE AT CLINICALS?

Answer: Students are required to attend clinical sites a minimum of 27 hours per week. In the event that a clinical facility is unable to accommodate the amount of hours required, your clinical coordinator will adjust your schedule accordingly. No student is permitted to exceed 40 hours per week. At the beginning of each clinical rotation, the student is required to submit a schedule to their clinical preceptor for approval of their schedule. When the preceptor approves the schedule then a copy needs to be sent to your clinical coordinator for your file. This schedule has to be followed in order for the hospital to have a structured working environment. The hours must be agreed upon by the student as well as the preceptor.

Each clinical rotation is set up as a 16 week course. In order to stay on schedule with the clinical rotations, you will need to complete a minimum of 27 hours per week. However, the rotation may be completed as early as 11 weeks or be extended until the student is able to complete the required hours for each rotation. These hours may be obtained in any way that is accommodating for the student as well as the preceptor.

QUESTION: WHAT IF IT TAKES ME MORE TIME TO COMPLETE MY CLINICAL TIME?

Answer: Online students are allowed to extend their clinical time if they are unable to complete the rotation during the 16 week period. However, the student cannot progress to the next clinical rotation until all hours are completed for the rotation that they are currently in. When a student’s clinical rotation exceeds the 16 week period their graduation date will be extended the same amount of time that they have to make up for their clinical rotation. The student will receive an incomplete until the required hours and course work have been completed.

QUESTION: WHAT IF A CLINICAL SITE CAN NOT BE FOUND FOR ME?

Answer: DMS students are provisionally accepted into the program until a completed contract is in place for that student. Once the contract has been completed then the student will officially be accepted into the DMS program. If a hospital cannot be located in your area, you will still be allowed to continue taking didactic courses until a site becomes available for you. The student may choose to attend a clinical site that the DMS program has already established if they are willing to travel to that clinical site.

DMS Clinical Coordinators will try to find a clinical site within three hours of a student’s location. If they cannot, a student may have to travel further. If you refuse to travel to your clinical placement, this will be documented as a refusal and finding another clinical site will no longer be considered a priority. Refusals must be submitted in writing to your clinical coordinator. Once your refusal is received, your clinical coordinator will complete a refusal form indicating your decision to not attend the site assigned to you. This form must be signed and returned to your clinical coordinator. Failure to sign and return a refusal form will result in dismissal from the program. Furthermore, three refusals of clinical placement will result in dismissal from the DMS program.

DMS Courses

QUESTION: WHEN DO I BEGIN TAKING COURSES IN THE DMS PROGRAM?

Answer: The DMS program consists of two start dates per year. These include: Spring (February) and Fall (September). The exact dates are not determined until just prior to the courses beginning. However, a list of courses that you will be required to complete during each rotation can be obtained from your instructor.

QUESTION: CAN I SET MY OWN SCHEDULE OF COURSES ONCE I AM IN THE DMS PROGRAM?

Answer: No. Once you begin taking courses in the DMS program, you will be required to follow the schedule of courses that have already been set up by the DMS program. These courses cannot be split up.

QUESTION: WHEN CAN I ADD/DROP FROM A COURSE?

Answer: Add/Drop period must be done during the first week of the course opening. After the first week the student must withdraw from the course. If you drop one of your DMS courses, you must drop all of them. If a student wishes to drop their DMS courses, they will have to submit a letter to the Assistant DMS director who will then submit the letter to the Student Progress Committee for approval. Failure to follow this policy may result in the student not being able to return to the DMS program at a later date.

QUESTION: WHEN CAN I WITHDRAW FROM A COURSE?

Answer: A student may withdraw from a course prior to 50% of the course being completed. After the course is half over the student will not be allowed to withdraw.

** If you withdraw from one of your DMS courses, you must withdraw from them all. If a student wishes to withdraw from their DMS courses, they will have to submit a letter to the Assistant DMS director who will then submit the letter to the Student Progress Committee for approval. Failure to follow this policy may result in the student not being able to return to the DMS program at a later date.

QUESTION: WHO DO I CONTACT TO DROP/WITHDRAW FROM A COURSE?

Answer: Any student enrolled in DMS online courses MUST contact Katie Saddler (ksaddler@mountainstate.edu) or Ashley Coleman (acoleman@mountainstate.edu) in order to drop or withdraw from an online DMS course. Students must also submit a letter to the Director of the DMS program and the Student Progress Committee Chairperson detailing their need to drop or withdraw from the DMS program. If this policy is not followed, a student may not be able to return to the DMS program at a later date.

QUESTION: WILL THIS AFFECT MY GRADUATION DATE?

Answer: Yes. Your graduation date will be prolonged when you drop or withdraw from a course.

QUESTION: WHAT HAPPENS IF I FAIL A COURSE?

Answer: When an online Associate Degree DMS student receives a failing grade in a DMS course the student will be placed on probation for one year and must audit all previous courses at no extra cost to them. However, all audited courses must be passed. Bachelor Degree DMS students who receive a failing grade in a DMS course will be able to retake that course the next time it is offered. Any student that fails two courses while in the DMS program will be dismissed from the program.

Clinical Paper Work

QUESTION: WHEN DO I NEED TO HAVE MY CLINICAL PAPER WORK SUBMITTED TO MY CLINICAL COORDINATOR?

Answer: All paper work including physical, CPR certification, drug tests, shot records and any other required documents must be submitted to your clinical coordinator prior to entering into the clinical setting. Failure to do so will delay the student from entering into the clinical setting.