Cip Code: 51.091
The Weatherford College Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is a 22-month curriculum comprised of classroom, laboratory, and clinical learning experience. This is a full-time program. While the majority of coursework and clinical hours take place Monday through Friday from 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., some clinical rotations may occasionally include evening or weekend hours. Students will not be assigned to evening or weekend shifts unless the rotation is approved by the student in advance. Please refer to the “Clinical Placement Information” section for additional details regarding clinical education experiences if accepted. The curriculum consists of 65 semester credit hours and is designed to prepare students for entry-level careers in diagnostic medical sonography.
Weatherford College is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer. Applicants are considered on the basis of qualifications without regard to gender, age, race, color, creed, religion, national or ethnic origin, veteran status, or the presence of a non-job-related disability or any other legally protected status.
A sonographer provides a service to patients utilizing medial ultrasound (high-frequency sound waves to produce images of internal structures). Sonographers obtain patient history, as well as other supporting clinical information, prior to saving sonographic images of human anatomy. After obtaining the sonographic images, they develop a preliminary report and submit the study to a radiologist, who then reads the images to help diagnose patients.
The ARDMS registry pass rates for all three registries and job placement rates among the WC DMS program’s graduates are substantially higher than the global performance average. Please see “Program Effectiveness Data” for the most recent information regarding test-taker outcomes, pass rates, job placement rates, and retention rates.
The Weatherford College Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (www.caahep.org) upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355-113th St. N, # 7709
Seminole, FL 33775
P: 727-210-2350
www.caahep.org
Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS)
P.O. Box 2050
Ellicott City, MD 21041
P: 443-973-3251
www.jrcdms.org/
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACS)
1866 Southern Lane
Decatur, GA 30033
P: 404-679-4500
sacscoc.org/
Goal Statement
The goal of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is to prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the following concentrations it offers:
- Abdominal sonography- extended
- Obstetrics and gynecology sonography
- Vascular sonography
Learning Outcomes
- Provide an avenue for an associate degree in sonography education in the community.
- Present students with standards of sonography practice with an emphasis on legal and ethical practice.
- Prepare graduates to meet the needs of this community and surrounding communities.
- Prepare graduates to function safely and effectively in a variety of health care settings and with populations that may be diverse culturally, racially, ethically and developmentally.
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program prepares you for a fulfilling career as a sonographer.
The field of sonography offers a wide range of career opportunities! As a graduate, you will be trained to perform studies in abdominal, obstetric and gynecologic, and vascular sonography. You’ll also have the flexibility to choose your work environment, whether that’s in a hospital, outpatient clinic, speciality clinic, or as a traveling sonographer.
- The United States Bureau of Labor Statistics states that the job outlook for diagnostic
medical sonographers is 15% from 2023-2033
Reference: https://data.bls.gov/oes/#/area/0019100
Program Director
Kelly Staub has a Master of Science in Health Studies with a Focus in Higher Education from Texas Woman's University. She joined Weatherford College’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program full-time in 2016 as the Clinical Coordinator. She currently serves as the Program Director.
She is credentialed by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) in abdomen, breast, OB/GYN, and vascular ultrasound. She is also credentialed through the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists in radiography.
Kelly volunteers with the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, and ARDMS. She has served on the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography Board of Directors as a representative of the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography since 2022.
Clinical Coordinator
Tessa Gray has a Master of Science in Health Studies with a Focus in Higher Education from Texas Woman's University. After working in the field as a sonographer, she started working full-time at Weatherford College in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program in 2016. She currently serves as the Clinical Coordinator.
She is credentialed by The American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography in abdomen, OB/GYN, and vascular ultrasound.
Tessa serves as a committee member and volunteer for the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography and volunteers as a programmatic accreditation site visitor for the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
Related Programs
Transfer Options
Students who have previously attended another community college or university are encouraged to e-mail their unofficial transcript to Misti Ellis-Jackson at mellis-jackson@wc.edu to determine whether completed courses fulfill the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program prerequisite requirements.
Graduates of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program are encouraged to further their education by enrolling in Weatherford College’s online Bachelor of Applied Technology in Medical and Health Services Management.
Advanced Placement Policy
At this time, advanced placement is not offered for either sonography program at Weatherford College. Each applicant must meet all application requirements.
Scholarships
I am truly grateful for the school I've chosen among all DMS programs in this entire country. I worked as a healthcare professional in Japan but decided to move to the US and study medical ultrasound in depth. The Diagnostic Medical Sonography program in Weatherford College has an outstanding course curriculum that well prepares students for real-life clinical situations, and amazing instructors who are extremely helpful, organized, and willing to solve any problems a student might have. I would definitely recommend this program to anyone who is interested in sonography!