Curriculum

Emphasizes academic writing by reading and thinking critically to strengthen essential communication skills through the use of the writing process. Various assignments focus on summary and response, analysis, and informative writing. Research practices and research writing in APA style are essential to the course.

Continues developing students' critical thinking and writing skills through reading and argumentative writing. Emphasizes academic writing to articulate the relationships among language, knowledge, and power. Various assignments focus on position, argument analysis, and argumentative proposal. Research practices and research writing in APA style are essential to the course.

Prerequisite(s):
ENG 1010

Provides students with a foundation for college success, as well as the exploration of various health professions and tools for career planning. Emphasizes concepts of professionalism, health care ethics and confidentiality as well as an introduction to electronic health records (EHR) and relevant medical terminology.

Focuses on the essential study of the body and associated terminology with a view toward the structure and function of the body parts, organs, and systems and their relationship to the whole body. 45 hours of lecture and 30 hours of lab if required.

Concurrent requisite(s):
HSC 1211

Accompanies the lecture course and if required, is to be taken concurrently. Students will perform minimal dissections and explorations of main anatomical structures using models and virtual explorations to reinforce the material presented in the lecture. This course focuses on the structure and function of the body parts, organs, and systems and their relation to the body as a whole. 45 hours of lecture and 30 hours of lab if required.

Concurrent requisite(s):
HSC 1210

Focuses on the physiology of the body system on a cellular level and their relationship to the whole body. 45 hours of lecture and 30 hours of lab if required.

Prerequisite(s):
HSC 1210, HSC 1211

Concurrent requisite(s):
HSC 1221

Accompanies the lecture course and if required, is to be taken concurrently. Students will perform dissections to reinforce the material presented in the lecture. This course focuses on the physiology of the body systems on a cellular level and their relationship to the body as a whole. 45 hours of lecture and 30 hours of lab if required.

Prerequisite(s):
HSC 1210

Concurrent requisite(s):
HSC 1220

Examines general disease mechanisms with an emphasis on the disease processes within each body system.

Corequisite(s):
HSC 1220

Introduces elements of algebra including graphing, variable expressions, linear equations, polynomial operations and factoring, systems of equations, quadratic equations, rational equations, and functions.

Provides a foundation of knowledge in psychology examining key topics related to understanding human thoughts and behavior. Topics include an exploration of factors that influence thoughts and behavior, psychology as a science, sensation/perception, motivation, emotion, memory, cognition, personality, as well as key figures, research, and theories within psychology. Applying concepts to real-life settings is a focus throughout the course.

Develops confidence and skill in many facets of oral communication. Students explore diverse topics and formats, using organization, research, and technology to deliver effective oral presentation.

Presents sonography anatomy of the normal and abnormal abdomen, retroperitoneum, and major vascular structures. Normal variants and pathology of these areas are also covered. Comparisons are made with normal sonographic appearances so students learn to recognize pathologies and abnormalities. Students are expected to achieve mastery in all areas covered. 30 hours of lecture and 60 hours lab are required. Must complete with a B- or better.

Concurrent requisite(s):
DMS 1210, DMS 1310

Requirement(s):
Acceptance in Diag Medical Sonography program. Receive Program Director or Dean Approval.

Presents normal and abnormal conditions of the female pelvis, including uterus, ovaries, 1st trimester obstetrics, and multiple gestations. Comparisons are made with normal sonographic appearances so students learn to recognize pathologies and abnormalities. Students are expected to achieve mastery level in all areas covered. Must complete with a B- or better.

Concurrent requisite(s):
DMS 1110, DMS 1310

Requirement(s):
Acceptance in Diag Medical Sonography program. Receive Program Director or Dean Approval.

Presents future sonographers with basic concepts of patient care that will confront them in the medical setting. Emphasis on professional behaviors, and scanning skills while performing assessments identifying beginner sonographic anatomy. This course will prepare students for their professional clinical experience in the work field. 80 hours of lab are required. Must complete with a B- or better.

Requirement(s):
Acceptance in Diag Medical Sonography program.

Presents normal and abnormal conditions of the 2nd and 3rd trimester, invasive procedures, amniotic fluid index, biophysical profile, and Doppler waveforms. Comparisons are made with normal sonographic appearance so students learn to recognize pathologies and abnormalities. Students are expected to achieve mastery level in all areas covered. Must complete with a B- or better.

Prerequisite(s):
DMS 1210

Requirement(s):
Acceptance in Diag Medical Sonography program.

Provides the opportunity for learning basic sonography skills in the clinical setting. An understanding of operation in the diagnostic facility is also provided. This is the first of 3 structured clinical courses that directs students through progressive levels of experience; observation, participation under personal supervision, provision of care under direct supervision and more independent functioning under general supervision. This is a 16 week rotation to include a minimum of 512 clinical hours. Must complete with a B- or better.

Requirement(s):
Acceptance in Diag Medical Sonography program.

Gives students the ability continue a clinical opportunity to learn sonography skills in a professional setting. This is the second structured clinical courses that directs students through progressive levels of experience; observation, participation under personal supervision, provision of care under direct supervision and more independent functioning under general supervision. This is a 16 week rotation to include a minimum of 512 clinical hours. Must complete with a B- or better.

Prerequisite(s):
DMS 2310

Emphasis is on mastering scanning technique, and identifying pathology. Students will fulfill all expected clinical competencies, while preparing for their national registry exams. This is the final clinical course for mastering sonography skills as an entry level sonographer. This is a 12 week course to include 480 clinical hours. Students must achieve 80% or better in all coursework and 80% or better on all evaluations to receive credit for this course.

Prerequisite(s):
DMS 2320

Covers the normal and abnormal anatomy of sonographic appearance of the breast, soft tissue, prostate, and small parts. Comparisons are made with normal structures so students learn to recognize pathologies and abnormalities. Students will be expected to achieve mastery level in all areas covered. Must complete with a B- or better.

Requirement(s):
Acceptance in Diag Medical Sonography program. Receive Program Director or Dean Approval.

Presents the fundamental principles of acoustical physics. This course will cover acoustical properties, instrumentation, transducer types and characteristics, Doppler principles, and biological effects. Must complete with a B- or better.

Prerequisite(s):
Acceptance into the Cardiac Sonography program of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program

Exposes allied health students to basic concepts of patient care that will confront them in the medical setting. Theory and practice will include such areas as medical ethics, legal concepts, infection control, microbiology, history taking, vital signs, dealing with emergencies, and patient positioning and transfer methods. Emphasis on the total patient is presented with regards to the patient's physical, psychological, social, and spiritual needs. This course also provides a theoretical foundation for the fundamental principles and concepts of pharmacotherapies and drug classifications. This course will focus on the drugs the sonographer will most likely encounter in the cardiovascular patient population. 45 hours of lecture are required. Must complete with a B- or better.

Examines more advanced elements of algebra emphasizing the use of algebra and functions in problem solving and modeling. Key topics include functions, inverse functions, complex numbers, rational functions, logarithms, exponential functions, conic sections, sequences and series. Graphing is by recognition and transformation rather than by plotting points. MTH 1120 – College Algebra II satisfies the MTA College Algebra Pathway.

Prerequisite(s):
MTH 1110

Introduces various topics in physics. Motion, energy, and the dynamics of particles are investigated. The physical concepts of fluid mechanics, thermodynamics, and wave motion are explored as well as selected topics in atomic and nuclear physics.

Presents sonography anatomy of the normal and abnormal cerebrovascular, and peripheral venous system. Normal variants, signs, symptoms, risk factors, pathology, and treatments of these areas are also covered. Emphasis will be on the basic understanding of various testing modalities, techniques, limitations, and interpretative guidelines used in noninvasive peripheral vascular evaluations. Presents basic principles of ultrasound physics, analyzing diagnostic criteria in flow dynamics. Must complete with a B- or better.

Requirement(s):
Acceptance in Diag Medical Sonography program. Receive Program Director or Dean Approval.

Presents sonography anatomy of the normal and abnormal peripheral arterial, and visceral vascular anatomy. Normal variants, signs, symptoms, risk factors, pathology and treatments of these areas are also covered. Discover physiologic testing, and the importance of proper techniques used, the limitations, and interpretative guidelines used in these vascular evaluations. Covers advanced diagnostic testing, and the techniques utilized in the evaluation of the vascular system. A mock registry for vascular technology will be presented, incorporating major concepts. Must complete with a B- or better.

Prerequisite(s):
VAS 2220