Diagnostic Medical Sonography-General/Vascular program
Undergrad majorUse ultrasound to identify and diagnose diseases
Sonographers use ultrasound, or high-frequency sound waves, to identify and diagnose diseases in body organs and tissues. If you are interested in helping physicians understand problems in various parts of the body including the heart and blood vessels, abdominal organs, pelvic organs or providing images of the pregnant uterus, this may be the career for you.
UWL students in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program can choose the General/Vascular emphasis if they would like to diagnose issues in various areas of the body instead of specifically the heart. Diagnostic Medical Sonography is an undergraduate major that is nationally accredited and offers hands-on experiences with clinical rotations at reputable, regional healthcare centers including UW Health and Mayo Clinic Health System.
photos courtesy of Mayo Clinic Health System
Career opportunities
Sonographers work independently while also serving on a team with radiologists and nurses. They work in the Radiology Departments of hospitals and clinics, emergency rooms, surgery suites, medical laboratories, industry, public health and other locations.
Medical diagnostic sonographers work full or part time during the day, evenings or weekends (depending on shift assigned) and earn approximately $80,000/year.
Time to complete
The time to graduate is anticipated to be four years.
- Two years of general education and pre-requisite courses at UWL
- Two years at UW Health in Madison, WI, Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN, or Froedtert Health.
What distinguishes UWL’s program?
After students complete their pre-professional and general education courses at UWL, they attend UW Health, Mayo Clinic or Froedtert Hospital Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program (General track only) for a 21-month program of specific didactic courses and clinical experiences.
Graduates of the program are eligible for certification through the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).
The general sonography curriculum stresses anatomy, physiology, hemodynamics, and pathology. In addition to anatomy, the knowledge of ultrasound physics is also critical to the performance of ultrasound examinations and the generation of diagnostic medical images.
While associate degrees are also available for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, a bachelor’s degree offers more opportunity for career advancement because of the rigorous and broad foundational courses.
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