The goal of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is to prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the following concentration(s) it offers:

Graduates of this program will:
Program Goal #1:
The program will graduate students who are competent to perform appropriate procedures and record anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data.

Program Goal # 2:
The program will graduate students who apply critical thinking and problem-solving skills to exercise discretion and judgment in performance of diagnostic sonography.

Program Goal # 3:
The program will graduate students who demonstrate appropriate communication skills.

Program Goal #4:
The program will graduate students who will demonstrate professionalism and growth in the profession.

The program will continually monitor program effectiveness through assessment and evaluation to ensure that the needs of the community are met.

Abdomen-Extended/Obstetrics & Gynecology Concentration

CAAHEP Accredited Campuses (Asheville, Atlanta, Indianapolis, Knoxville, Nashville, Orlando, Pittsburgh): Students successfully completing the Associate of Science degree program in Diagnostic Medical Sonography with a concentration in Abdomen-Extended/Obstetrics & Gynecology are eligible to apply for admission to write the certification examination administered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS). Successful completion of the ARDMS examination provides certification to practice as a registered sonographer.

Adult Echocardiography Concentration

CAAHEP Accredited Campuses: Students successfully completing the Associate of Science degree program in Diagnostic Medical Sonography with a concentration in Adult Echocardiography are eligible to apply for admission to write the certification examination administered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) or the certification examination administered by the Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI). Successful completion of the ARDMS examinations or the CCI examination provides certification to practice as a registered sonographer in most states.

General admission to South College Orlando does not guarantee admission to the Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree program. Students who apply to the Associate of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography program and fully meet the admission requirements but are not selected due to the unavailability of cohort spots may request to apply at another South College campus location. Applicants interested in the program are required to visit the college and meet individually with an admissions representative and program faculty to ascertain if their goals can be met by the college. Prospective students declaring Diagnostic Medical Sonography as their major must be generally admitted to South College and meet the following requirements in order to be considered for full admission to the program:

Effective with any cohort beginning Fall 2025 or later, the HESI (Health Education Systems, Inc.) examination is a mandatory component of the admissions process for the DMS program at all campuses. Applicants are required to complete the HESI exam as part of their application. This examination evaluates key academic skills necessary for success in healthcare-related fields, including areas such as math, critical thinking, learning style, personality style, vocabulary, and anatomy & physiology. Additional information about the HESI is available from the DMS Department at each campus.

*Each of these areas may be used to rank applicants for full program admission. If minimum standards are met by more applying students than clinical seats, these rankings determine program admission.

Applicants to any Imaging Science program are ranked based on academic performance. Emphasis is placed on math and science coursework related to the Imaging Sciences at all certificate and degree levels. The weight distribution for ranking is as follows: Science (Anatomy & Physiology, General Physics lecture and lab, Introduction to Imaging Sciences and Patient Care) & Math: 60%, Medical Terminology and Communication: 15%, and HESI: 25%. Cohort sizes admitted are dependent on available clinical site rotations.

In addition to coursework, each student must provide proof of ability to perform the skills needed to practice in the imaging sciences effectively. Healthcare facilities must meet federal guidelines, and students must also meet these requirements in order to be allowed to gain clinical experience in these facilities. To meet these requirements, each student must supply proof of a negative TB test, hepatitis B vaccine or waiver, physical exam certifying ability to function in the required capacity, proof of immunizations (including MMR immunity), and CPR training. A criminal background check and drug screen are required for admission. If the background check reveals previous convictions, it is up to each clinical site to determine the eligibility of students to attend clinical at the site. Students who are denied clinical experiences due to past convictions may be unable to progress in the program which will result in failure to complete the required courses for the program. In any case where a drug screen is positive and an authorized prescription is not produced to validate the presence of the drug in the individual’s system, a student may be disqualified as a candidate for admission. Upon notification of the drug screen results, the student will have 5 working days to provide prescription validation. Students are responsible for costs associated with any required testing.