2007 Mississippi Curriculum Framework: Postsecondary Diagnostic Medical Sonography Technology. (Program CIP: 51.0910 - Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Sonographer and Ultrasound Technician)

As the world economy continues to evolve, businesses and industries must adopt new practices and processes in order to survive. Quality and cost control, work teams and participatory management, and an infusion of technology are transforming the way people work and do business. Employees are now expected to read, write, and communicate effectively; think creatively, solve problems, and make decisions; and interact with each other and the technologies in the workplace. Vocational-technical programs must also adopt these practices in order to provide graduates who can enter and advance in the changing work world. The curriculum framework in this document reflects these changes in the workplace and a number of other factors that impact on local vocational-technical programs. Diagnostic Medical Sonography uses high frequency sound waves to produce images of organs, masses, fluid collections, and vascular structures within the human body. Sonography is user-dependent, requiring competent and highly skilled professionals to be a part of the integral health care system. Sonographers have extensive, direct patient contact, providing care to a variety of people from healthy to critically ill. The sonographer is responsible for obtaining pertinent patient history, performing the sonographic examination, providing for the needs and comfort of the patient during examination, and recording anatomy and pathology or other data for interpretation by the supervising physician to aid in diagnosis. Sonography is commonly used in the field of obstetrics and gynecology for purposes ranging from confirming and/or dating pregnancies to diagnosing disease processes of the female reproductive system. Sonographers must have knowledge of normal structure and functional anatomy of the human body and use independent judgment in recognizing the need to perform procedures according to sonographic findings. Upon completion of the two-year program of study, the student will be awarded the Associate of Applied Science degree. Until a Diagnostic Medical Sonography program reaches accreditation approval from CAAHEP, the students must meet the following criteria in order to apply to sit for the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers: (1) Be a graduate from a two-year allied health program that is patient care related which includes but is not limited to Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Radiologic Technology, Respiratory Therapy, Registered Nurse, Occupational Therapy, and Physical Therapy; and have 12 months of full-time clinical ultrasound/vascular experience; or (2) Hold a Bachelor's degree and have 12 months of full-time clinical ultrasound/vascular experience. Graduates from a CAAHEP accredited Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program may apply to take the ARDMS without further experience. Industry standards referenced are from the "CAAHEP Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography" (1996). Appended are: (1) Standards and Guidelines for the Accreditation of Educational Programs in Diagnostic Medical Sonography; (2) Related Academic Standard; and (3) 21st Century Skills. A list of suggested references is provided for each unit. (Contains 3 footnotes.)