DMS200 Principles of Diagnostic Medical Sonography in a Patient Care Setting

                                                                                                                           3 credits
Diagnostic ultrasound will be studied in the context of providing a humanistic, accurate, and efficient diagnostic ultrasound exam to patients who are ill or in need of testing. This course will teach the history of ultrasound including medical applications. This course is designed to prepare the student to enter the clinical environment. Instruction includes: sonographer safety, ergonomics, legal, ethical, legislative, and regulatory issues including scope of practice and standards, patient care techniques, clinical assessment, and diagnosis and treatment. Interacting with cultural and social needs populations will also be covered. This course teaches student professionalism and leadership.

Prerequisite: Admission to DMS program.

DMS201 Introduction to Abdominal Sonography, Superficial, and Special Structures                                                                                                         4 credits
Clinically relevant normal and abnormal anatomy and physiology of the abdomen, typically encountered in diagnostic ultrasound imaging, will be delivered didactically and through practical imaging demonstrations with on-campus ultrasound equipment. Scanning techniques and protocols will be demonstrated and discussed. Students will evaluate superficial and special structures using diagnostic techniques for the thyroid, parathyroid, testes, breast, and superficial masses.

Co-requisites: Admission to DMS program.

DMS202 Obstetrical and Gynecological Ultrasound I                                  3 credits
Diagnostic medical sonographic imaging of the female (non-gravid) pelvic anatomy and respective physiologies are studied within the context of other imaging and testing techniques typically used to evaluate normal and abnormal pelvic status. Students become familiar with typical requests submitted to diagnostic ultrasound departments as well as with appropriate ultrasound imaging techniques. Lectures, practical demonstrations, on-line searches, and group discussions will be used to understand the normal growth and development of the fetus through conception to delivery and the post-partum status. Introduction to basic obstetrical pathologies will be discussed concurrently to compare and contrast to the normal condition. Second and Third Trimester evaluation of the normally developing fetus as well as pathological conditions will also be covered during this course.

Pre-requisites: DMS200, 201,203, 206; Co-requisites: DMS208, 209

DMS203 Primary Practicum                                                                            4 credits
This course includes the first supervised clinical experience by registered diagnostic medical sonographers in a diagnostic ultrasound imaging department of a hospital or clinic. The student will develop competencies in professional qualities particular to health care services, interpretation of medical requests, patient history intake, briefing, and preparation. Ultrasound scanning protocols appropriate to the patient's clinical status are learned while normal and abnormal anatomy is recognized and produced with a beginner's "hands-on" imaging experience. The student assumes accountability through accurate documentation and verification of professional qualities and clinical development as determined by the SCAN. Meticulous attention to this tool sponsored by the S.D.M.S. Educational Foundation represents the backbone of this competency-based training and is a critical requirement for success in the program.

Co-requisites: DMS200, 201,202.

DMS206 Clinical Physics in Diagnostic Ultrasound                                      3 credits
Instrumentation, operation, and architecture of diagnostic ultrasound systems with their transducers and accessories are studied with an effort towards establishing an overall program of quality assurance and biosafety. The interaction of the diagnostic ultrasound beam with normal and abnormal tissues is the hallmark of identifying disease states with ultrasound imaging. Through lectures, demonstrations, and phantom models, the recognition of artifacts specific to diagnostic ultrasound will be investigated to sort out the pathological from the normal and the artifactual. Further study of Gray Scale, Pulsed Doppler, and Colorflow ultrasound will be discussed in their relevance to various clinical disease states. Co/prerequisite: Admission to DMS program.

DMS207 Abdominal Techniques, Anatomy, and Pathology                          3 credits
Lectures, projects, online searches, discussions, and practical demonstrations with campus ultrasound equipment serve to identify all normal abdominal anatomy and physiology through advanced instrumentation techniques, patient positioning, and cross-sectional anatomy. Complimentary imaging modalities, laboratory results, and the role of diagnostic ultrasound, in its dependence on pertinent clinical history, will be studied relative to advanced disease states. Special structures such as breast, thyroid, parathyroid, testes, and superficial masses will be investigated in further detail to include biopsy and aspiration techniques as well as the use of Pulsed Doppler and Color Doppler evaluation.

Co/prerequisite: DMS 206, DMS208, DMS209/DMS201

DMS208 Evaluation of the Gravid and Non-Gravid Pelvis                           3 credits
Course content includes detailed study of the anatomy and physiology of the uterus, ovaries, vasculature, and adnexa visible by ultrasound imaging as well as pathologic states encountered during transabdominal, transvaginal, and translabial ultrasound evaluation of the female pelvis. Emergency applications of diagnostic ultrasound in the acute female pelvis are studied to include the role of ultrasound in the evaluation of ectopic pregnancy and First Trimester issues.

Co-requisite: DMS202

DMS209 Intermediate Clinical Practicum                                                      8 credits
Clinical assignment hours at the affiliation sites are increased to gain additional "hands-on" scanning experience as documented by The ScanŽ. Accountability for a complete pre-scan patient "information package" is encouraged and supervised by registered sonographers on-site. This course increases dexterity of scanning through eye/hand coordination techniques and gradually increases "probe time" so the student begins to approximate complete studies in the abdominal and ob/gyn specialties.

Pre-requisite: DMS203

DMS213 Extra-Cranial Doppler Model and Venous Duplex Techniques     3 credits
Practical demonstrations, reading, projects, discussions, and lectures are combined to solidify Pulsed Wave Doppler techniques in the evaluation of the Carotid Arteries. The Carotid Doppler model is broadened to apply to other areas of arterial vasculature, which can be similarly evaluated. The anatomy and physiology of the systemic venous system is studied with particular attention to the lower and upper extremity venous vasculature. Venous Duplex techniques commonly requested in the ultrasound department are also presented.

Co/pre-requisite: Admission to DMS program.

DMS214 Integrated Clinical Practicum                                                           7 credits
This clinical site module, under the direct supervision of registered sonographers or physicians, moves the student further along a clinical competence continuum in 2 ways: 1) it expands the variety of ―hands-on‖ diagnostic ultrasound examinations performed at the clinical site, 2) it moves the student closer to complete clinical studies. The competency-based training is accurately assessed and documented via the SCAN.

Co/prerequisite: DMS209

DMS215 Diagnostic Medical Sonographic Interpretation                             3 credits
Students are taught through case studies, lecture, and critique the art of differential diagnosis with regard to the diagnostic ultrasound examination results. A comprehensive approach to compiling a pertinent medical history, laboratory and test results, and results from other imaging modalities is presented in an investigative clinical fashion. Presented in advance teaching in cross-sectional anatomy and interpretation of pathology or sonographic exams as it relates to the abdomen, small parts, OB-Gyn, sonographic physics, and limited vascular systems. Course is intended to provide final preparation for ARDMS board registry examination.

Co/prerequisites:DMS216/ DMS206,207,208,213

DMS216 Advanced Clinical Practicum                                                         10 credits
This capstone experience taught by registered sonographers at affiliate sites in a "hands-on" fashion allows the student to address any lagging clinical areas in terms of repertoire or competency level as identified by the SCAN documentation. The student is challenged with increasing clinical productivity (scan time) and accountability and viewed more as an "entry level" sonographer contributing to the overall team effort of the diagnostic ultrasound department.

Co/prerequisites: DMS215/DMS214