Join the medical field as a sonographer who performs diagnostic imaging, where you will interpret sonographic images and relay the findings to a Radiologist for an official report. Students in this program will learn about anatomy, pathology, protocols of examinations and how to interact with other medical professionals to provide the best care to patients.

Program Overview

The recommended course sequence was developed to help guide students on their course selection and ensure timely graduation.

Mission and Goals

Mission
The Rowan College at Burlington county Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is dedicated to providing quality education for its students in order to promote excellence in the art and science of sonography. Guided by the RCBC mission and CAAHEP standards, the DMS Program strives to provide academic and clinical experiences that produce competent and compassionate entry-level sonographers with a commitment to performance of quality imaging while providing excellent patient care and dedication to the pursuit of lifelong learning.

Goals
The RCBC DMS Program's goal is to prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains within the abdominal-extended and ob/gyn concentrations. Graduates of the RCBC DMS Program will be able to perform, at a minimum, the following objectives: 

Perform ultrasound examinations in the abdominal-extended and ob/gyn concentrations.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will apply cognitive, psychomotor, and affective techniques to produce quality sonographic images.
  • Students will recall and complete appropriate sonographic scanning protocols.
  • Students will demonstrate critical thinking skills necessary to analyze and process diagnostic data.
  • Students will perform sonographic examinations while accurately recording anatomic, physiologic, and pathologic findings for interpretation by a radiologist.

Demonstrate effective skills while operating ultrasound equipment.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will modify patient positioning, scanning windows, and exam protocols, due to patient conditions and/or limitations.
  • Students will utilize appropriate knobology when scanning to produce optimal images.
  • Students will establish a safe work environment through the use of appropriate ergonomics and standard infection control procedures.
  • Students will practice ALARA (as low as reasonably achievable) standards including the use of appropriate time management skills.

Apply professional, legal, ethical, and patient-centered considerations in outpatient and/or hospital settings.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will identify and interpret appropriate patient history with understanding of HIPAA law.
  • Students will employ professionalism while following ethical and legal healthcare standards.
  • Students will demonstrate understanding of cultural diversity and the ability to work with others.
  • Students will utilize critical thinking skills and adaptability to modify protocols and/or sonographic techniques due to patient conditions or limitations.

Relate sonographic findings and communicate effectively in the healthcare environment.

Student Learning Outcomes:

  • Students will document and present complete and accurate sonographic findings to a radiologist and/or clinical instructor in order to facilitate patient diagnosis.
  • Students will demonstrate oral communication skills necessary to communicate with patients and health care professionals.
  • Students will demonstrate written communication skills necessary to communicate with patients and health care professionals.
  • Students will recognize professional ultrasound organizations and ARDMS credentialing requirements including the value of life-long learning.
Technical Standards for Diagnostic Medical Sonography

All students admitted to the Rowan College at Burlington County Diagnostic Medical Sonography program must meet technical standards and maintain satisfactory demonstration of these standards throughout the program. It is the student’s responsibility to notify the DMS Program Director of any changes in their ability to meet the technical standards.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography student must be able to:

  • Routinely lift more than 50 pounds.
  • Work standing on their feet 80% of the time.
  • Routinely push and pull.
  • Routinely bend, squat, reach, kneel, balance, sit and stand for prolonged periods.
  • Have full use of both hands, wrists and shoulders.
  • Be able to routinely lift, turn, and transfer patients and equipment.
  • Distinguish audible sounds
  • Adequately view sonograms, including color distinctions.  Assistive technology, such as glasses, contact lenses and hearing aides are acceptable to enable the student to achieve functional use of the senses.
  • Have physical ability to perform CPR.
  • Attend clinical experiences without assistive devices such as canes, crutches, splints, casts, walking boots, etc.
  • Be able to effectively communicate both verbally and in writing utilizing the English language.
  • Interact positively with people from all levels of society including all ethnic and religious backgrounds.
  • Adapt to changing environments and be able to prioritize tasks
  • The student is able to meet all technical standards.

1 As an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action institution, Rowan College at Burlington County affords equal opportunity to qualified individuals regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, handicap (as defined by Section 504), ancestry, place of birth, marital status or liability for military service in the operation of its programs and activities (including admissions, access to programs and course offerings, physical education, intercollegiate and intramural athletics, counseling, employment, use of facilities, and college-sponsored extracurricular activities). This is in accordance with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (which prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, and/or national origin), Title IX of the Education Amendment of 1972 (which prohibits sex discrimination), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended and the Americans with Disabilities Act/ADA (which prohibit discrimination against otherwise qualified handicapped people), and other applicable laws and regulations. Copies of the Dispute Resolution for Students with Disabilities is available from the College Catalog.

2 The DMS Program or its affiliated clinical agencies may identify additional critical behaviors or abilities needed by students to meet program or clinical requirements.  The DMS Program reserves the right to amend this listing based on the identification of additional standards or criteria for DMS students.

Program Requirements & Application Process

Required prerequisites for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program

**Please note all of the following prerequisites must be completed by the application deadline with proof of course completion/grade on file. 

Program Prerequisites: 

  • BIO 110 Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology I
  • BIO 111 Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology I (lab)
  • ENG 101 College Composition I
  • MTH 107 Introduction to Statistics
  • PHY 107 Fundamentals of Physics
  • BIO 114 Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology II
  • BIO 115 Fundamentals of Anatomy & Physiology II (lab)
  • ENG 102 Composition II
  • PSY 101 Introduction to Psychology
  • HIT 106 Medical Terminology
    • HIT 105 will satisfy the Medical Terminology requirement if taken prior to Fall 2020

*Note: Applicants who do not complete all the prerequisites listed above with a “C” or better will not be eligible for admission.

Program Requirements and Information: 

  • Prerequisite course failures (C-, D, F, ST) that are older than 8 years will not be recorded on the DMS admission rubric
  • Anatomy and Physiology I and II Lecture courses must be less than 8 years old
  • If the anatomy and physiology I and/or II lecture courses are older than 8 years the course(s) will need to be repeated for a grade (cannot audit)
  • The grade earned on the course(s) taken within the last 8 years is what will be included on the rubric
  • All required prerequisite courses listed above will be reviewed utilizing a Point Scale within a rubric model.
  • Students with the highest points (without any failures and repeats) will be admitted first.  This includes students with prerequisite course failures or prior RCBC DMS course failures. 
  • Achievement of a cumulative grade point average (CGPA) of 3.0 or greater in all college coursework is required to apply.  This means that all transcripts from prior colleges must be submitted. The evaluator will compute a cumulative GPA based on the credits taken and cumulative GPA at each prior school to obtain a cumulative GPA. The typical way this is completed is GPA x Credits from each school to obtain quality points. All quality points added together then divided by the total number of credits = the cumulative GPA. For example: 3.0 at first school on 30 credits, 2.0 at second school on 60 credits, 4.0 on 8 credits at RCBC: 90 + 120 + 32 = 242 divided by a total 98 credits completed = a Cumulative GPA of 2.469. 
  • Students with non-repeated failures in pre-requisite courses will not be admissible.
  • Students with more than 2 failures in total of any of the prerequisite courses listed on the rubric will not be admissible. For the DMS program admissions purpose, C-, D, F, or ST are considered failures.
  • Students who have been in other DMS programs must have the program director from that college or institution email a letter to the RCBC DMS email (dms@rcbc.edu) with attention to the program director, Ms. Courtney Dyott, BS, RDMS indicating they were not dismissed for clinically unsafe behavior. Please note this only applies to students who did not fail or were dismissed from a previous DMS program. Students who failed and/or were dismissed from another DMS program are deemed inadmissible.

*Note: Meeting all admission standards DOES NOT guarantee admission into the program.

Admissions Decisions

Applicants will be selected according to the total points earned based on the admission rubric. This rubric will evaluate the academic performance of a student within the pre-requisite courses. Students who repeat prerequisite course(s), will have their score averaged across all grades for that course. This applies to students who are repeating failures, as well as students who passed a course and are repeating to obtain a higher grade.  

RCBC DMS Admission Rubric
All applicable courses are evaluated using the following scale:

A = 10 points
A- = 9 points
B+ = 8 points
B = 7 points
B- = 6 points
C+ = 3 points
C = 2 points
C-, D, F, or ST = 0 points

The grades of the required pre-requisite courses will be factored into the chart below and averaged for a total score based on each attempt.

Courses Needed

# of Credits

Semester Taken

Grade

Semester Taken

Grade

Average Score

BIO 110

3

 

 

 

 

 

BIO 111

1

 

 

 

 

 

ENG 101

3

 

 

 

 

 

MTH 107

3

 

 

 

 

 

PHY 107

3

 

 

 

 

 

BIO 114

3

 

 

 

 

 

BIO 115

1

 

 

 

 

 

ENG 102

3

 

 

 

 

 

PSY 101

3

 

 

 

 

 

HIT 106 or HIT 105

3

 

 

 

 

 

Total

 

 

 

 

 

________ / 100 

 


Please read the admissions process carefully. All application requirements MUST be completed before submission of the online application.

Rowan College at Burlington County (RCBC) offers a 21 month, professional program, leading to an Associate of Applied Science Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree (AAS.DMS). Learning is facilitated through classroom activities, practice labs and clinical experiences in area healthcare facilities.

Note: Applicants need to only complete one application through the online system, and incomplete applications will not be processed. 

**All college transcripts MUST be on file when the application is submitted.**

Admissions Process:

The DMS program has a limited number of spaces (maximum of 14 each year) and admission into this program is very competitive. Please note that applying to the program and meeting all rubric requirements does not guarantee acceptance into the program due to the limited number of spaces available each year. 

The admissions application for the fall 2025 program start opens November 1, 2024 and closes on January 31, 2025. Admissions decisions will be sent by late April 2025.

Applications for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program are evaluated based on the following requirements:

Step 1: Apply to become an RCBC student by completing the Admissions Application to Rowan College at Burlington County.  You will need to have an RCBC student ID number and email address in order to apply to be considered for the DMS program application. 

Step 2: Submit any/all transcripts from previously attended colleges and/or universities 

Note: All official transcripts from previously attended colleges and/or universities, etc. must be sent to:
Office of Outreach & Admissions
900 College Circle
Mount Laurel, NJ 08054

(Make sure to include your RCBC student ID number when sending your transcripts)

Step 3: Make sure that all required prerequisite courses are completed prior to the application deadline of January 31.  These specific prerequisite courses must be completed with a final grade of “C” or better in order to be considered for admission. If these courses are taken outside of RCBC, all official transcripts must be received by RCBC by the application deadline of January 31. Students must also have a minimum cumulative GPA of 3.0 or above from all college coursework. 

  • Anatomy and Physiology I and II Lecture courses must be less than 8 years old
  • If the anatomy and physiology I and/or II lecture courses are older than 8 years the course(s) will need to be repeated for a grade (cannot audit)

Step 4: Attend a mandatory DMS information session. 

Step 5: Fill out the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program online application during the open application cycle from November 1, 2024 through January 31, 2025 to be considered for the Fall 2025 program start.

**Note: Applicants must attain a minimum age of 18 years by the time of the start of program.**

 

Acceptance into the Program:

Accepted students will be notified by RCBC email of their conditional acceptance into the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. Conditional acceptance includes but is not limited to the following:

  • Attendance at the mandatory DMS orientation for the fall 2025 start (date TBD)
  • Proof of medical/health insurance.
  • Completion of physical clearances including but not limited to:
    1. Physical exam and medical history
    2. Titers and proof of immunity
  • Fully vaccinated against COVID-19 by the date indicated by RCBC’s DMS Program/Sentry MD
  • Clear criminal history background check, fingerprinting and PA child abuse clearance
  • Negative urine drug test
  • Additional expenses for students can include but are not limited to: reliable transportation and associated travel expenses to RCBC and clinical affiliates, extra scrub sets from the Bookstore (outside of what tuition includes), appropriate footwear for lab/clinical, Sentry MD annual fee (this must be active throughout the duration of the program for compliance tracking).
  • Students will be enrolled on a part-time Financial Aid Eligible Schedule while in the program; however, this is a rigorous program and students will be expected to apply full-time hours to their studies.

*Note: Students who are not accepted or decline admission to the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program must reapply in a future application cycle. Acceptance on a future application is not guaranteed.

Mandatory Information Session

Information sessions are offered at several points throughout the year and are mandatory for admission into the DMS program beginning with the next admission cycle. They are held in a hybrid format where prospective students can opt to attend in person or virtually. Registration is required. 

  • Attendance at one information session is mandatory in order to apply to the DMS Program (Program beginning Fall 2025)

  • Information sessions expire annually at the time of application closure, applicants must attend a new session for the year they apply

  • Registration is required for the information session

  • The list of information sessions is posted at the bottom of the DMS Program Website

  • Applicants are required to stay the entire length of the session, applicants who leave the session early will not receive credit for attending and will need to attend another session

  • A receipt of attendance will be emailed to the student using the email address provided in the registration form.

  • This receipt of attendance will need to be uploaded to your DMS Program Application

  • This email may arrive 48-72 hours after the session and may go to your junk/spam folder


Remaining DMS Information Sessions for 2025 Application Cycle

  • Wednesday, March 27, 2024 from 3 - 4 pm Virtual through WEBEX or in person
  • Wednesday, June 5, 2024 from 4 - 5 pm Virtual through WEBEX or in person
  • Monday, September 16, 2024 from 9 - 10 am Virtual through WEBEX or in person
  • Tuesday, December 17, 2024 from 6 - 7 pm Virtual through WEBEX or in person
  • Tuesday, January 14, 2025 from 12 - 1 pm Virtual through WEBEX or in person

*Please note that you must register for one of the dates/times above by clicking the following link.

*The dates and times listed above are tentative, and are subject to change. If a date/time is changed and you have already registered via the registration google form, an email will be sent to the email on the registration form to inform you of the change, stating you need to register for a new information session date/time.

* The virtual link to access the meeting and/or the in person room location will be provided within the google form via the link below.

Register for a mandatory information session here.

Course Sequence Curriculum

Mandatory Prerequisites for DMS Program

 

     

 Course Prerequisites

*BIO 110

Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology I 

3

High school biology required or BIO 120, BIO 121

*BIO 111

Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology I Laboratory

1

BIO 110 (pre-req or co-req)

*PHY 107

Fundamentals of Physics

3

MTH 075

* &***ENG 101

College Composition I

3

ENG 080 or equivalent skills

*MTH 107

Introduction to Statistics

3

MTH 075 or equivalent skills

*BIO 114

Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology II 

3

BIO 110

*BIO 115

Fundamentals of Anatomy and Physiology II Laboratory

1

BIO 114 (pre-req or co-req)

*PSY 101

Introduction to Psychology

3

 

 *HIT 106

HIT 105 will satisfy the Medical Terminology

requirement if taken prior to Fall 2020

Medical Terminology

3

 

*&***ENG 102

College Composition II

3

ENG 101 and completion of all required developmental reading

Total

 

26

 

 

* DMS Program Pre-requisite Courses are a part of the admission requirements. All pre-requisite courses must be completed before the applicant is considered for acceptance.
**Students will develop ultrasonic skills in a healthcare diagnostic environment which may include private office, outpatient and/or hospital setting.
***Or assessment and completion of all required Developmental Reading or concurrent enrollment in REA 095.

 

YEAR ONE

Fall Term 1

 

 

Pre-requisites

DMS 101

Introduction to Sonography

2

Acceptance into program,
BIO 110, BIO
111, ENG 101

DMS 102

Cross-sectional Anatomy

2

Acceptance in Program,
BIO 110, BIO 111
Corequisite: DMS 101, DMS 107

DMS 107

Ultrasound Abdomen

3

Acceptance in Program,
BIO 110, BIO 111
COREQUISITE: DMS
101, DMS 102, DMS
108

DMS 108

Ultrasound Abdomen Lab

1

Acceptance in program,
BIO 110, BIO 111
Corequisiste: DMS 107

Total

 

8

 

 

Spring Term 2

 

 

Course Prerequisites

DMS 110

Ultrasound Physics I

2

PHY 107, DMS 101

DMS 113

Ultrasound OB/GYN I

2

DMS 101, DMS 102, BIO 114, BIO 115
Corequisiste: DMS 114

DMS 114

Ultrasound OB/GYN I Lab

1

DMS 101, DMS 102, BIO 114, BIO 115
Corequisiste: DMS 113

DMS 130

Ultrasound Pediatrics and Small Parts 

2

DMS 101, DMS 102, BIO 114, BIO 115
Corequisiste: DMS 131

DMS 131

Ultrasound Pediatrics and Small Parts Lab

1

DMS 101, DMS 102, BIO 114, BIO 115
Corequisiste: DMS 130

Total

 

8

 

Total First Year

 

16

 

YEAR TWO

Summer Term 3

 

 

Course Prerequisites

DMS 214

Ultrasound OB/GYN II

3

DMS 113, DMS 114
Corequisiste: DMS 215

DMS 215

Ultrasound OB/GYN II Lab

1

DMS 113, DMS 114
Corequisiste: DMS 214

DMS 211

Ultrasound Physics II

2

DMS 110

**DMS 220

Clinical Practicum I

3

DMS 107, DMS 108, DMS 110, DMS 113, DMS 114, DMS 130, DMS 131

Corequisite: DMS 211, DMS 214, DMS 215

Total

 

9

 

 

Fall 4 Term

 

 

Course Prerequisites

DMS 218

Introduction to Ultrasound Vascular

2

DMS 102, DMS 107
Corequisite: DMS 219

DMS 219

Introduction to Ultrasound Vascular Lab

1

DMS 102, DMS 107
Corequisite: DMS 218

**DMS 230

Clinical Practicum II

4

DMS 220
Corequisites: DMS 218, DMS 219

Total

 

7

 

 

Spring Term 5

 

 

Course Prerequisites

**DMS 240

Clinical Practicum III

4

DMS 230
Corequisite: DMS 224

DMS 224

Sonographic Interpretations I

2

DMS 102, DMS 107, DMS 108, DMS 110
Corequisite: DMS 240

Total

 

6

 

Total Second Year

 

22

 

Total Program Credits

 

64

 

 

 

Program Outcomes

Our Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is striving to reach its goals to help our students and graduates to achieve their career and educational goals. Therefore, DMS program faculty and administration are employing the highest standards of education and training. We, at DMS program, are committed to molding students who come to us into the entry-level professional Ultrasound Sonographers that will be an excellent addition to any hospital or out-patient facility nationwide.

Download the Outcomes for the Past DMS Program Graduating 2022 (PDF)

Download the RCBC DMS Attrition and Job Placement Rates 2022 (PDF)

Filter Events
Tuesday, April 9
3:30 - 5:30 pm
Health Sciences Center, Room 434
Mount Laurel Campus
Accreditation

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program at Rowan College at Burlington County is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs
9355 - 113th St. N, #7709
Seminole, FL 33775
Phone: 727-210-2350
Fax: 727-210-2354
www.caahep.org

Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs CCAHEP Logo

Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS)
6021 University Blvd., #500 Ellicott City, MD 21043
Phone: 443-973-3251
Fax: 866-738-3444
www.jrcdms.org

Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography Logo

Program Director

Courtney Dyott, BS, RDMS
Diagnostic Medical Sonography
dms@rcbc.edu
(856) 222-9311, ext.1171