DMS Classes

What Classes Do I Need to Take for Sonography?

What Classes Do I Take for Sonography?

To be a sonographer, you need to have a strong education that trains you in highly technical skills. Besides industry-specific skills, you also need solid knowledge of communication techniques, human anatomy and critical thinking.

If you’re considering the DMS program at Cambridge, you’ll want to know what you’ll be learning. Let’s discover how this program will prepare you for this rewarding career. 

General Classes

Your sonography curriculum will include general education classes to help you round out your knowledge. This ensures you have the core skills necessary to use in your specialty. 

General education classes also provide you with a diverse learning experience, equip you with critical thinking skills and balance your outlook on life.

General education classes for the DMS program include:

  • English Composition: Polish your core reading and writing skills so you can communicate clearly and effectively throughout your sonography career.
  • College Algebra: Algebra is all about solving problems and finding solutions. This will develop your problem-solving skills and help you to critically analyze information.
  • Fundamentals of Speech: Learn how to verbally communicate with clarity and precision, whether it’s between small groups or one-on-one.
  • Intro to Psychology: Surveying psychology topics like personal perception, stress indicators and behavior disorders will help you better serve your patients.
  • General Physics: Studying physics gives you practice in forming hypotheses, critical analysis and understanding scientific fundamentals of the physical world.

Industry-Specific Classes

The majority of your studies will be spent on healthcare-specific topics. You’ll be fully prepared to be a medical sonographer after completing these courses, which include:

  • Anatomy and Physiology: From bones to blood vessels, you’ll learn all about the human body and its functions. This is covered over two courses and two labs.
  • Medical Terminology: Learn medical jargon and vocabulary, including acronyms, definitions and phrasing.
  • Principles of Sonographic Physics and Instrumentation: Learn how sonography instruments work and the science behind them.
  • Sonographic Anatomy: Learn the clinical application of sonography instruments to core structures of the human body.
  • Principles of Abdominal Sonography: Over two courses, you’ll master positioning and scanning protocol, as well as related anatomy within the abdomen.
  • Principles of OB/GYN Sonography: Identify normal fetal development in all three trimesters and other gynecology issues over two courses. 
  • Introduction to Vascular Sonography: Learn how to produce quality images of the vascular system.
  • Echocardiographic Pathology: Covered over two courses, you’ll learn the intricacies of the human heart.
  • Pharmacology: Discover how medicines and chemical substances affect biological systems.

Clinical Externships

The DMS program has four clinical externships that are part of your coursework, which you’ll complete prior to your graduation. These externships will give you hands-on experience with sonography work in actual healthcare settings. 

Your placement will depend on your geographic location, your scheduling needs and personal preferences. Your externship setting could be in a hospital, a doctor’s clinic, or a fertility center. 

Days on Campus vs. Clinical Externship

Begin Your Journey in Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Whether you’re in Atlanta, Orlando, Palm Beach or Miami, Cambridge is here to help launch your career in sonography. From supportive in-class instruction to hands-on clinical externships, our curriculum will prepare you to be a highly-trained professional in the field. Learn about our admissions process by calling us at 877-206-4279 or send us a message.

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