Owensboro Community & Technical College (OCTC) has launched a Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program in conjunction with Elizabethtown Community & Technical College (ECTC), supported in part by HealthForce Kentucky.
The collaborative program will be taught at OCTC, and all the prerequisites may be taken locally. ECTC is working with local healthcare providers to secure spaces for clinical experiences.
“This is one of the most exciting parts about HealthForce Kentucky,” said OCTC President Dr. Scott Williams. “It allows us a great opportunity to work together for the betterment of our communities. We don’t have to go to the expense of starting a program from the ground up, and we can still meet the regional demand for sonography.”
ECTC Dr. Juston Pate added, “Diagnostic Medical Sonography has been a highly successful program for ECTC students and local employers who need skilled sonographers. We are thrilled to partner with OCTC and HealthForce Kentucky to expand that talent pipeline. This is an excellent example of KCTCS colleges working together to strengthen Kentucky’s workforce.”
The selective admissions program has space for 10 students and is slated to begin in January 2025. The deadline to apply for the January cohort at OCTC is October 15. Applicants are required to attend an online preadmission conference. Preadmission conferences will be held on October 9 at 12 p.m. CST and October 14 at 3 p.m. CST. Applicants do not need to register in advance for the conferences. A link to join the conference is available at ectc.us/sonography under “preadmission conference.”
The program utilizes the USA Program Exam through Pegasus Lectures for program admission. The Ultrasound Student Assessment (USA) is an examination of intrinsic skills that are essential for the sonography profession. The USA exam was created to test examinees for coordination, persistence, problem-solving, spatial ability, judgment, graph interpretation, visualization, and logic. Study tools and practice exams are not available, and there is a $65 fee to take the qualifying exam.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a diagnostic procedure using high-frequency sound waves beyond the human hearing capability to produce high-quality images of soft tissues and motion within the body. Ultrasound involves no radiation and has a wide variety of uses in medicine. The purpose of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is to prepare qualified individuals who, by training in both theory and practice, are proficient in abdominal and obstetric/gynecological sonography. This program is eligible for the Work Ready Kentucky Scholarship. Visit workreadykentucky.com to learn more.
The DMS program prepares students to sit for the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers exam to become certified.
To learn more, contact Erin Burns, DMS Program Coordinator, by calling 270-706-8885 or emailing [email protected].
