Frequently Asked
Questions
Revised 10/02/08
1.
What makes
program different from other colleges?
program is CAAHEP (
Health Programs) accredited.
2.
What does CAAHEP mean to a DMS graduate?
A student (other than an RT(R) or Bachelor
Degree
graduate) who graduates from a
non-accredited DMS
program must work for an additional 12 months
before they
are eligible to take the national registry boards
(ARDMS.)
For more qualification information for
national board
eligibility, log onto:
www.ardms.org.
The board results,
since its inception in 1975, range between 50-79%
for
physics, abdomen and obstetrics/gynecology.
Waiting an
additional 12 months may not help with increasing
the
registry results, especially in physics.
Some hospitals will
only hire a sonography graduate from a CAAHEP-
accredited program.
candidates selected?
The DMS program admits
students once a year.
It is a 15-month program that starts
each summer.
The first semester (Summer I) there are
three IDMS courses to take –
IDMS 169 (Intro to
Sonographic Scanning -1 credit /2 billing hrs),
IDMS 200
(Intro to Sonography - 2 credits / 2 billing hours) and
IDMS
270 (Sonographic Positioning I - 2 credits / 2 billing
hrs) in addition to
CHSE 120
(Medical Terminology – 4
credits / 4 billing hrs).
(+DMS may accept
some other
college’s medical terminology
courses). This
determination
is made by Assessment Services at LCC at: (517)
483-
5500. They
will require the official college transcript.
4.
Is the program a full-time commitment? Yes,
students
enter into the program in the summer and do not
finish the
program until the end of summer the following
year.
5.
How often do students attend their clinical site?
The
students are at their clinical site 3 days per
week from
September-December and 4 days per week
January-May.
Students are on campus at LCC on Fridays.
6.
What is the schedule the final semester (summer II?)
The students are at their clinical site 5
days per week.
There is an additional 3-credit 100% online
course (IDMS
285: Sonographic Registry Review) that the
students are
required to take their final semester also.
7.
What are the prerequisite requirements to get into
the sonography program?
They are: a) BIOL 145
or
BIOL
201
and BIOL 202
(anatomy/physiology);
and
b)
PHYS 120 (or any 3-4 credit physics course)
and
c) MATH 112
and
d) LCC College Core requirements.
8.
What if I completed BIOL 201 and BIOL 202 instead of
BIOL 145?
Either BIOL 201/202
or BIOL 145 with a grade
of 2.50 or higher is accepted for the DMS
program. The
DMS program grants additional points toward the
selective
admission program for a grade 3.5 or higher in
BIOL
201/202
or BIOL 145.
9.
How many students per year does the ultrasound
program accept?
We have clinical seats for
approximately 24-28 students per year.
10.
What if I already have a Bachelor’s Degree?
If you
have a Bachelor’s* degree or higher, you will
need to
take the following
prerequisites: a)
BIOL145
and b) any
college level Physics course-3-4 credits.
You must obtain
a 2.5 or higher in BIOL 145 (anatomy/physiology)
and a 2.0
or higher in Physics;
and
c) MATH 112.
11.
How do I know if courses will transfer to LCC as
prerequisites?
Your official college
transcripts must be
mailed directly from each of your prior
college(s) to the
Registrar’s office at:
Registrar’s Office PO Box 40010 Lansing, MI
48901-7210.
(517) 483-1200 or (800) 644-4522 x 1200.
12.
When should I apply for the sonography program?
Our deadline for application is:
April 1st annually.
Spring
grades are not included when calculating
admission points
for this program.
All courses must be completed by the
end of Fall Semester to be considered for Phase
II
Admission Ranking (including prerequisites, core
courses,
and additional point courses). There are
no exceptions for
outstanding high school or college
transcripts received
postmarked after April 1st
of the year the student is
applying for.
13.
I am a current LCC student.
How do I apply?
You will
need to complete a
second LCC application called
a “selective admissions” application.
You may obtain this
application by contacting: LCC HHPS Dept at (517)
483-
1410 or you may go to:
the selective admission application.
14.
I am not yet an LCC student.
How should I apply?
You can apply to
www.lcc.edu and
type in “application” under “key word
search.”
Remember to complete the 2nd LCC “selective
admissions” application for DMS.
15.
What does the Admission Committee look for in a
DMS applicant?
All admissions are based on Phase I
and Phase II process.
You may obtain more information on
this process by logging onto:
www.lcc.edu and under the
keyword search type “sonography.”
You will find the
curriculum code 0790 Associate Degree in
Diagnostic
Medical Sonography form there.
16.
What happens in the event of a tie breaker?
The
college looks at the
oldest date of
application and will
offer that student the seat in the program.
17.
How does one get credit for an Associate Degree?
It
is the student’s responsibility to apply for an
Associate
degree in order to be granted the additional
points toward
the selective admissions process.
These forms are
available in the Registrar’s office of the
Students must take 20 credits at
College
the college.
18.
What if I have credits toward an Associate Degree
from another college?
If LCC gives a student credit
for a transferring course, these credits can
apply toward an
Associate Degree.
However, the student must complete
at least 20 credits at
order to get a LCC Associate Degree.
If the student has
45-50+ credits at another community college, they
would
benefit from inquiring about the “Application for
Associate
Degree” policy of that outside college to
see if they qualify
for an (non-Lansing Community College) Associate
Degree.
19.
Why are there “optional courses” available?
These
courses are
not required for consideration for the DMS
program.
However, they are very beneficial courses and
may enhance a student’s education in the health
careers
as well as give additional points toward the
selective
admissions process.
20.
How much does the program cost? You can find the
current tuition and fees on page 3 of this guide,
plus the
cost of books and clinical uniforms.
Tuition and fees are
subject to change at any time by the LCC Board of
Trustees.
21.
How can I apply for financial aid? You may
find more
information by visiting the LCC website at:
www.lcc.edu
and typing in under keyword “financial aid.”
22.
Is there any assistance for a single parent or
displaced homemaker?
Yes, we have an excellent
resource in our Women’s
the LCC webpage, or you may reach them at: (517)
483-
1199.
Single students and male students should also apply
at the Women’s
23.
Why does it matter when I apply for the DMS
program?
In the event of a tie, the student who has the
oldest date of application will be given the seat
over an
applicant with more credentials.
Applicants should have
their application in 30 days prior to April 1st
and may want
to send their application certified,
return-receipt or overnight
to obtain proof of delivery.
24.
Can I apply to more than one
program within
their prerequisites monitored for multiple
Selective
Admission Programs.
25.
What can I do to gain additional points toward the
selective admissions process?
The students will be
ranked according to the semester they qualify in,
and then
will be ranked according to prior credentials,
grade point
average, work or volunteer experience in the
medical field.
Students who obtain a 3.5 or higher in
physics and
anatomy/physiology will be given additional
points. Also,
those students who complete the optional courses
(see
page 4, #8 of this advising guide) with a grade
2.50 or
higher will be given additional points toward the
selective
admissions process.
26.
Why do you give additional points in the selective
admissions process for previous medical
experience
or hospital volunteer experience?
It makes sense that
those students who have had previous medical
experience
(including volunteering) may have an advantage in
the
program over those who have no experience.
This also
gives the candidate an opportunity to see if the
medical
field is a good fit for them, and if this is
something they
really want to devote their time and education
toward.
Sometimes, when a student volunteers, for
example, they
realize that they are not interested in this
field, or they find
out that they don’t enjoy being around patients
who are ill.
27.
Can I work while completing the sonography
program?
We do have students who work on a part-time
basis.
The DMS program is an intense program, so we do
not recommend a student to work even part time,
especially during the fall semester.
We have had students
who do work, but they have excellent study habits
and a
great support system at home that enables them to
do so
successfully.
28.
How does my GPA figure into the selective admission
DMS process?
We look at the student’s GPA for all LCC
courses (Core and optional), and we give
additional points
to a grade 3.5 or higher in anatomy and
physiology and
physics.
Those students who do well—especially in
anatomy and physiology typically do well in the
field of
diagnostic medical sonography and on the national
registry
boards—www.ardms.org.
29.
Is there a waiting list to get into the sonography
program at LCC?
We
do not keep a waiting list from
year to year.
If a student applies to the program and is not
accepted, they must contact the Selective
Admissions
Office to carry over their application for
consideration, or to
re-apply for the next year by April 1.
30.
Should I job shadow in the field of sonography before
applying to the program?
This is an excellent idea and
we do recommend it.
By doing this, the student is
exposed to what the real life situation in the
ultrasound
department is, and what sonography really
entails. This is
a great way to help a student decide if this is
really the field
and the fit for them career-wise.
31.
What are the qualities that a
student should have to
be a good sonographer? The sonographer performs
clinical assessment and diagnostic sonography
exams.
The sonographer uses cognitive sonographic skills
to
identify, record, and adapt procedures as
appropriate to
anatomical, pathological, diagnostic information
and
images. He/she uses independent judgment during
the
sonographic exam to accurately differentiate
between
normal and pathologic findings, and analyses
sonograms,
synthesizes sonographic information and medical
history,
and communicates findings to the appropriate
physician.
The sonographer also assumes responsibility for
the
safety, mental and physical comfort of patients
while they
are in the sonographer's care.
32.
What is a sonographer?
A Diagnostic Medical
Sonographer is a Diagnostic Ultrasound
Professional that
is qualified by professional credentialing and
academic and
clinical experience to provide diagnostic patient
care
services using ultrasound and related diagnostic
procedures.
33.
What are some of the skills
necessary to be a
sonographer? The following is
a list from the Society of
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
(www.sdms.org):
-
Ability to integrate diagnostic sonograms, laboratory results,
patient history and medical records, and adapt sonographic examination as
necessary.
-
Ability to use independent judgment to acquire the optimum
diagnostic sonographic information in each examination performed.
-
Ability to evaluate, synthesize, and communicate diagnostic
information to the attending physician.
-
Ability to communicate effectively with the patient and the health
care team, recognizing the special nature of sonographic examinations and
patient's needs.
-
Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships
with the public and health care team.
-
Ability to follow established departmental procedures.
-
Ability to work efficiently and cope with emergency situations.
- Ability to evaluate sonograms in order to acquire appropriate diagnostic information.
34.
If I have other questions, whom should I contact?
You may contact the Diagnostic Medical
Sonography
Program at: (517) 483-1410.
35.
What are the job prospects for the field of
sonography?
For more information on this, you may log
onto: www.sdms.org.
There is currently a national
shortage for sonographers as there are in most
health care
professions and this shortage is expected for the
next
several years.
Locally, there is not a
shortage of
sonographers currently.
There are several accredited DMS
programs within a 100 mile radius of
employers have greatly benefited from this pool
of DMS
graduates.
