Diagnostic Medical Sonography: Career Associate

Students are prepared as entry level Diagnostic Medical Sonographers who perform general ultrasound imaging.  Students acquire the knowledge and technical expertise to produce ultrasound images of the human body that are used by physicians to make a medical diagnosis.  The program is offered in cooperation with affiliated hospitals and medical imaging centers; the College provides classroom and lab instruction, while the hospitals and imaging centers provide the clinical instruction. The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The complete program is only available at the Harrisburg Campus. Some of the general education requirements are available at all of HACC’s campuses, as well as through Virtual Learning.

The following requirements must be completed (at the student’s expense) after being selected for, but prior to starting the clinical portion of the program and after the first year in the program.  Requirements include physical examination and immunizations, background checks, drug and alcohol screens and CPR certification. The student should consider these factors before enrolling. If the student has any questions regarding this, he or she should contact the program director.

General Education   
ENGL 101 English Composition I  3 
ENGL 102 English Composition II  3 
COMM 101 Effective Speaking (or)  3 
  COMM 203 Interpersonal Communication  (3) 
Core A Elective  3 
Core B Elective  3 
Free Elective  3 
Physical Education & Wellness  1 

Major Requirements   
DMS 105 Introduction to Health Care  4 
DMS 110 Introduction to DMS  4 
DMS 115 Clinical Experience I  1 
DMS 120 DMS Sonography Laboratory I  1 
DMS 125 Clinical Experience II  3 
DMS 130 Abdominal Sonography I  3 
DMS 140 DMS Sonography Laboratory II  1 
DMS 150 OB/GYN Sonography I  3 
DMS 170 Acoustical Principles I  4 
DMS 180 High Resolution Imaging  2 
DMS 210 Intro to Vascular Sonography  3 
DMS 215 Clinical Experience III  4 
DMS 220 DMS Sonography Laboratory III  1 
DMS 225 Clinical Experience IV  4 
DMS 230 Abdominal Sonography II  1 
DMS 250 OB/GYN Sonography II  3 

Other Required Courses   
BIOL 121 Anatomy & Physiology I  4 
BIOL 122 Anatomy & Physiology II  4 
MATH 103 College Algebra (Core C)  3 
PHYS 151 Physics for Technicians  4 

This curriculum is designed to prepare students to:

Perform as an entry level general sonographer in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior) learning domains

Utilize oral and written communication

Demonstrate quality patient care, sonographic exam process, and professionalism

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of anatomy, cross-sectional anatomy, physiology, pathology, and  pathophysiology of the abdomen, superficial structures, non-cardiac chest, and the gravid and nongravid  pelvis

Demonstrate knowledge and understanding of acoustic physics, Doppler ultrasound and ultrasound instrumentation and the probability of biological effects

Perform sonographic examinations of the abdomen, superficial structures, non-cardiac chest and the gravid and nongravid pelvis according to protocol guidelines utilizing real time equipment with both trans abdominal and endocavity transducers

Recognize and identify the sonographic appearance of normal and abnormal processes of  the abdomen, superficial structures, non-cardiac chest, and the gravid and nongravid pelvis

Apply for a Full-Ride Scholarship

Are you a future student and ready to apply to HACC? 
By applying to HACC, you have the opportunity to apply for a full-ride scholarship! HACC will fund two years of your education – enough to complete your associate degree.

Thanks to the support of the HACC Foundation, the College is able to offer FREE money to support future students, like you, in reaching your educational goals. Six full-ride scholarships are available – one from each of the five campuses and one through HACC’s Virtual Learning Program. 

Please note that current students are not eligible for the full-ride scholarships. However, there are more than 250 scholarships available for current students.

What should you know about the full-ride scholarship?

The scholarship covers tuition, books and fees for a full academic year. 

The scholarship will automatically renew each term for up to six consecutive terms if you maintain your eligibility.

Once you apply to the College and receive a HACC ID and email address, you may apply for the full-ride scholarship. You do not have to register for classes before applying for the scholarship.

Are you eligible?

To be eligible, you must:

Apply to HACC

Take 12-15 credits each term for no more than six consecutive terms (two years)

Live in Adams, Cumberland, Dauphin, Franklin, Juniata, Lancaster, Lebanon, Perry, Schuylkill or York county

Have a minimum cumulative high school GPA of 3.0

Provide a 480 SAT reading score, 21 ACT or comparable scores on the College’s placement test

Maintain a GPA of 3.0 while enrolled at HACC

Participate in at least two HACC student organizations