Health & Human Services Careers - Sonography Program

Students must be able to do:

1.     STRENGTH:  Perform physical activities requiring ability to push/pull objects/persons more than 100 pounds and to transfer objects of more than 100 pounds.  Emphasis on upper body strength.

2.     MANUAL DEXTERITY:  Perform simple motor skills such as standing, walking, handshaking; manipulative skills such as writing and typing, use of fine motor skills with both hands simultaneously; calibrating ultrasound equipment, adjusting film processors, and loading/unloading film magazines.

3.     COORDINATION:  Perform gross body coordination such as walking, filing, retrieving equipment; eye-hand coordination such as computer/keyboard skills and arm-hand steadiness such as taking blood pressures, catheterizing, calibration of tools and equipment, etc. 

4.     MOBILITY:  Perform mobility skills such as walking, standing, bending; pushing portable equipment throughout hospital; prolonged standing while completing procedures. 

5.      VISUAL ABILITY:  See objects far away and to discriminate colors, and to see objects closely as in reading faces, dials, monitors, etc; viewing control panels and operate equipment under low overhead lighting. 

6.     HEARING:  Hear normal sounds with some background noise from ultrasound control panels, computers,, etc., and to distinguish sounds. 

7.     CONCENTRATION:  Concentrate on details with moderate amount of interruptions such as patient requests, doctor and staff requests, etc. 

8.     ATTENTION SPAN:  Attend to task/functions for periods up to 60 minutes in length and to attend to task/functions for periods exceeding 60 minutes in length. 

9.     CONCEPTUALIZATION:  Understand and relate to specific ideas, concepts, and theories generated and discussed simultaneously . 

10.   MEMORY:  Remember task/assignments given to self and others over both short and long periods of  time.

11.   CRITICAL THINKING: Ability to make clinical judgment when working independently to obtain diagnostic images.

12.   INTERPERSONAL:  Interact with individuals, families, and
        groups from a variety of social, emotional, cultural, and
        intellectual backgrounds.  Must be able to establish rapport
        with patients, colleagues, faculty, and professional staff.  

13.   COMMUNICATION:  Abilities sufficient for interaction with others in verbal and written form. 

14.  SUBSTANCE ABUSE:  Student does not use a Schedule I, II or IV* drug; student does not use an amphetamine, narcotic, or any other habit-forming drug unless prescribed by a licensed medical practitioner.  Students should declare-- (physician statement) if he/she takes Schedule IV drug.  Examples of Schedule IV drugs include Valium, Xanax, Phenobarbital, and Rohypnol--commonly known as the "date rape" drug. *Students who test positive for Schedule I, II or Rohypnol will be subject to expulsion from the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program.

15.  STRESS:  Requires working with patients who may be very young or old, critically ill or injured, or mentally or physically deficient/impaired; working with a constantly changing staff, resident physicians, and medical students.

Environmental Conditions

The charter of OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) is to prevent work-related injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Since OSHA was created in 1971, work-related deaths have decreased by approximately 62% and work-related injuries have decreased by 42%.

As a sonography student you will be exposed to a variety of substances within the work environment and hospital sites. You can expect exposure to blood, body tissues, and fluids.  There is the potential of exposure to electrical hazards, hazardous waste materials, radiation, poisonous substances, chemicals, loud or unpleasant noises and high stress emergency situations.

Upon acceptance into the Sonography Program students will be notified regarding a mandatory online OSHA Blood-Borne Pathogen and Universal Precautions training session.

Criminal Background Check

In order for the Sonography Program to be in compliance with Michigan Public Health Code Section 20173, criminal background checks will be completed on all students applying for admission (or readmission) to the program.  Admission to the Sonography Program will be denied for the following:

Any felony conviction within 15 years prior to application

Any misdemeanor within 10 years prior to application that involved or is similar to the following:     

• Abuse, neglect, assault, battery



• Criminal sexual conduct



• Fraud or theft against a vulnerable adult (as defined by the Michigan penal code)

The following links will provide detailed information:

Once admitted to the program, students subsequently convicted of the crimes listed above will be dismissed from the Sonography Program. 

It is the student's responsibility to report changes in the status of their criminal background to the Program Director. 

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