Diagnostic Medical Sonography
School of Health Sciences
Breuder Advanced Technology & Health Sciences Center, Rm. W232 · (570) 320-8007
Pennsylvania College of Technology, in conjunction with the School of Health Sciences, provides Diagnostic Medical Sonography (Ultrasound) courses for students who have graduated from, or are currently enrolled in, Applied Health Studies and/or Radiography majors. These courses are also available to other qualified individuals.
Completion of this 13-credit curriculum (and 1,500 hours of documented clinical practice) will result in a Competency Credential which will prepare the practitioner to take certification exams.
A Diagnostic Medical Sonographer is a highly-skilled professional who uses specialized equipment to create images of structures inside the human body. These images are then used by a physician to make a medical diagnosis. The imaging process involves placing a small device called a transducer against the patient's skin near the body area to be imaged. The transducer sends a stream of high frequency sound waves into the body, where they bounce off of the structures inside. These sounds are analyzed by a computer to make an image of the structures that can be viewed on a television screen or recorded on videotape.
Employment, Salary, and Advancement
Sonography is a dynamic profession that has grown significantly over the past 20 years. With rapidly developing technologies and increased use of diagnostic ultrasound procedures, growth is projected to continue. Qualified sonographers will find future employment opportunities in both urban and rural areas nationwide.
Employment of diagnostic medical sonographers is expected to increase by about 19 percent through 2016 – faster than the average for all occupations – as the population ages, increasing the demand for diagnostic imaging and therapeutic technology. Median annual earnings of diagnostic medical sonographers were $57,160 in May 2006 (source: U.S. Department of Labor, Bureau of Labor and Statistics (http://www.bls.gov/oco/ocos273.htm)).
Graduates of the Sonography major generally find employment in:
- clinics
- hospitals
- private practice physician offices
- public health facilities
- laboratories
Career advancement opportunities exist in education, administration, research, sales, technical advising, and in commercial companies as education/application specialists.
Additional Information
Contact Robert Slothus, RD Program Director at (570) 327-2400, ext. 7409 or (570) 320-8007 for course content and eligibility requirements. For more detail about the Sonography courses we offer, view the course descriptions available in our online catalog. You can also use the Course Offerings Search to find upcoming courses. Type "son" in the "Select Course" text box.
Diagnostical Medical Sonography News
Radiography Students Place in Top Five at Technibowl
November 2008
Class of 2009 radiography students Kate Anton, of Julian; Ann-Denise Reed, of Montandon; Aleah N. McNeal, of Williamstown; and Alyson J. Kern, of Mapleton Depot, were selected to compete in the Radiography Technibowl, a competition against other radiography students from across the state, at the Hershey Medical Center on Nov. 11. During the Technibowl, students are asked mock registry questions with a time limit of 15 seconds to answer each one. The team members – who, with nine months of classroom and clinical experience remaining before their August graduation, faced many questions from content areas they have not yet been taught – finished fourth among more than 20 teams from Geisinger Medical Center, Harrisburg Area Community College, Holy Spirit Hospital, Lancaster General Hospital, Misericordia University, Northampton Community College, Reading Hospital and Penn State Schuylkill.Students Present Posters for National Radiologic Technology Week
November 2008
During National Radiologic Technology Week, Nov. 2-8, the students from the Radiography Program designed poster boards to be displayed at their respective hospital sites: Evangelical Community Hospital, Mount Nittany Medical Center and Susquehanna Health. Students compiled information about radiation protection and the physics of radiography. This year’s display focused on the profession of radiography and had a blend of technical information for health-care professionals, as well as some common information for the public relaying how they are protected in the radiology department when being X-rayed. Students also gave the public some education on myths versus truths about radiation. National Radiologic Technology Week commemorates the anniversary of the X-ray, which was discovered Nov. 8, 1895, by Wilhelm Roentgen.Radiography Director Reviews Textbook Manuscript
October 2008
Robert Slothus
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School of Health Sciences Hosts Two Summer Learning Experiences
June 2008
Penn College's School of Health Sciences recently held two summer camps for high school students interested in exploring a career in a health-care profession: the second annual EMT/Paramedic Camp on June 6-8, and the eighth annual Health Careers Camp from June 11-13.( Photos by Nathan D. Smyth, coordinator of matriculation and retention for health sciences)
Agreement With Susquehanna Health Supports Radiography Program
October 2007