Diagnostic Medical Sonography Schools

Hybrid & Online Sonography Programs

Online training programs for diagnostic medical sonography are rare. As of March 2022, there are few online programs that have received accreditation from the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP).

While these programs offer didactic courses online, there is still an essential clinical piece of ultrasound technician training that requires hands-on experience. Students will not be able to earn the sonography certification necessary to obtain top employment without clinical practice in addition to classroom or online courses. Here is a sampling of online certificate, associate, and bachelor’s programs for aspiring diagnostic medical sonographers:

Washburn University

With its main campus in Topeka, Kansas, Washburn University has been offering online diagnostic medical sonography training for more than a decade. All didactic courses are offered online, while clinical training can be arranged close to the student’s home for maximum flexibility and convenience. Graduating students are eligible for the ARDMS and CCI certification examinations. The program offers a general sonography certification program as well as specialized tracks in cardiac and vascular sonography.

The general program is made up of 40 credits, while the cardiac and vascular tracks comprise 34 credits each. Sample some of the courses in the curriculum: introduction to diagnostic medical sonography; sonography principles & instrumentation; abdomen sonography procedures; cardiac sonography procedures; and vascular sonography procedures, among others.

• Location: Topeka, KS
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
• Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
• Estimated Tuition: $410 per credit

Jackson College

As part of Jackson College’s allied health program, this Michigan-based college offers training in general, cardiac, and vascular sonography. Like Washburn, Jackson College offers its sonography didactic courses online but still requires students to complete an in-person clinical practicum. Students can expect to spend between 24 and 32 hours a week over the course of approximately one year at an approved clinical site near their home in order to successfully complete the program.

The general and cardiac sonography options have an associate in applied science degree while vascular sonography specialty has both an AAS and a certificate option. The general sonography AAS degree is made up of 80 credits, while the cardiac sonography program comprises 73 credits. Vascular sonography AAS degree requires 79 credits and the certificate consists of 59 credits.

Some of the courses in the curriculum are human anatomy and physiology; introduction to diagnostic imaging; introduction to sonographic instrumentation; medical terminology; sonographic techniques; abdomen and small parts sonography; obstetric and gynecologic sonography; cardiovascular principles; and cerebrovascular procedures, among others.

• Location: Jackson, MI
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 months
• Estimated Tuition: County residents ($176 per credit); out of county ($199 per credit); out of state ($264 per credit)

Oregon Institute of Technology

Headquartered in Klamath Falls, Oregon Tech Online provides an online bachelor of science (BS) degree-completion program in diagnostic medical sonography. Open to registered diagnostic sonographers, Oregon Tech’s courses include obstetrical sonography; applications of abdominal sonography; pelvic sonography; physics of medical imaging; sonographic pathology; breast sonography; neonatal & pediatric sonography; and musculoskeletal sonography.

Additionally, students complete a DMS externship at an approved clinical facility located close to their homes. Supervisors sign off on a DMS skills checklist as employment-ready skills are acquired.

• Location: Klamath Falls, OR
• Accreditation: Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities
• Expected Time to Completion: 24 to 48 months
• Estimated Tuition: $281 per credit

Institute of Ultrasound Diagnostics

Students at the Institute of Ultrasound Diagnostics will have the opportunity to complete an online accelerated sonography program which can be completed in just one year. The program provides students with the training, skills, and knowledge necessary for successfully gaining employment as entry-level ultrasound technicians.

As part of the program, students will be required to participate in a mandatory three-week “Sonography Boot Camp” that includes dedicated time for clinical rotations and in-class instruction. The curriculum includes courses such as abdominal sonography; physics & instrumentation; and obstetrical and gynecologic sonography. The program consists of 1,982 total contact hours.

• Location: Daphne, AL
• Accreditation: Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
• Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
• Estimated Tuition: $11,500

Labette Community College

Labette Community College’s online diagnostic medical sonography program has two concentration options: general sonography and vascular sonography. Both concentrations require students to complete clinical rotations (1024 clinical hours) at a site near them. Students will also be prepared to take the ARDMS registry exams.

The general concentration comprises 38 credits, while the vascular concentration consists of 32 credits. The curriculum includes courses such as introduction to sonography; sonography physics & instrumentation; sonography pathology of abdomen and small parts; vascular sonography; and OB/GYN for sonography.

• Location: Parsons, KS
• Accreditation: Higher Learning Commission (HLC); Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
• Expected Time to Completion: 12 months
• Estimated Tuition: Kansas residents ($14,162 total); Arkansas, Missouri, & Oklahoma residents ($15,086 total); out-of-state residents ($15,262 total per credit)

Diagnostic Sonography School & Program Accreditation

Generally, accreditation means that a particular educational program has been evaluated and approved by a nationally recognized body of experts. Both programmatic and institutional accreditation is important to consider.

Programmatic Accreditation

Programmatic accreditation refers to the evaluation of a specific program, in this case, a sonography program. Prior to seeking professional certification through a body such as the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), aspiring ultrasound technicians must complete a program at an accredited school.

For many branches of medical technology, including diagnostic medical sonography, the gold standard of programmatic accreditation is the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Programs (CAAHEP), a group that has established ultrasound technician program standards in conjunction with the Joint Review Commission on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRCDMS).

Accreditation will consider faculty, facilities, curriculum, and other factors to determine whether a program meets the accrediting body's standards. CAAHEP maintains a list of accredited sonography programs.

Institutional Accreditation

Additionally, there are six regional institutional accrediting organizations that have been recognized by the US Department of Education’s Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA):

• Western Association of Schools and Colleges (WASC)
• Northwest Commission on Colleges and Universities (NWCCU)
• Higher Learning Commission (HLC)
• Middle States Commission on Higher Education (MSCHE)
• New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC)
• Commission on Colleges for the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS)

Each agency has its own process, but accreditation typically consists of a thorough application, self-study, and site visit by the accrediting agency. Typical criteria used in the program-approval process are curriculum standards, quality of facilities, program finance management, availability of institutional resources, and student outcome measures.

Prior to enrolling in a program, students should ensure that their school has the proper accreditation, which can vary by region, place of employment, or desired credential.

Licensing & Certification in Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Two main bodies offer national certification exams for careers in sonography. More diverse, specialty-focused credentials are available from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), while a generalized sonography certification is available from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

The ARDMS offers five specialized exams, which result in the credential of Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS). The exams are:

• Abdomen (AB)
• Breast (BR)
• Fetal Echocardiography (FE)
• Obstetrics and Gynecology (OB/GYN)
• Pediatric Sonography (PS)

Additionally, the ARDMS has three credentials for subfields of diagnostic sonography: Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS), Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT), and Registered Musculoskeletal Sonographer (RMSKS). The ARDMS has minimum education and/or experience levels in order to sit for any certification exam. To obtain certification, students must pass the basic Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) exam as well as at least one specialty examination.

Applicants can visit the Prerequisite and Requirement Eligibility Program (PREP) portion of the ARDMS site to determine eligibility for their intended certification exam. This credential is valid for one year.

The ARRT provides a generalized sonography certification. To be eligible for the ARRT exam, students must have completed an ARRT-approved sonography program within the last three years and earned an academic degree. Accredited agency lists are available on the ARRT website.

Additionally, candidates must have fulfilled the didactic and clinical competence requirements, including proof of having completed seven mandatory patient care procedures, four mandatory scanning techniques, 22 imaging procedures, and five elective imaging procedures. This registration must be renewed annually.

As of June 2023, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists (ASRT) reports that there are four states which regulate sonographers: New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, and North Dakota. Additional states may pass licensure laws for sonographers, so interested students would be wise to check with their local state organizations to determine whether licensing is required.

The ARRT and ARDMS certifications require continuing education (CE) units to maintain the credentials. The ARRT requires 24 CE credits biennially as well as continuing qualifications requirements (CQR) to be fulfilled every 10 years. The ARDMS requires 30 continuing medical education (CME) units every three years. Please reference the links above for details about what types of CE qualify.

Finally, the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS) provides a wealth of CE and CME opportunities through annual conferences, events, meetings, online coursework, and other offerings.