UAMS Helping Provide Sonographers to Arkansas’s Hospitals

FEB. 7, 2002 | A new program at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences (UAMS) is training urgently needed diagnostic medical sonographers for hospital and clinic staffs nationwide.

The federal Bureau of Labor Statistics predicts that demand for medical sonographers will be strong through 2010. The demand for vascular sonographers, in particular, became more severe with a new Medicare policy that the federal health insurance is not available in many states for vascular imaging unless that imaging is performed by certified vascular sonographers.

Students study Diagnostic Medical Sonography. March 1 is the deadline for applications to this program in the College of Health Related Professions.

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Diagnostic medical sonography uses high frequency sound waves to produce cross-sectional images of the body’s internal organs and structures. The sonographer assists the physician in gathering anatomical, physiological, and/or pathological sonographic data and images necessary for accurate diagnosis.

The College of Health Related Professions (CHRP) at UAMS recently established a new Bachelor of Science program in diagnostic medical sonography and will graduate its first seven sonographers in May. Five of the new sonographers will specialize in vascular sonography; the other graduates will be specialists in cardiac sonography.

The degree program involves two years of course work in physics and instrumentation, abdominal, obstretric, and gynecologic sonography, and senior-level courses in either vascular or cardiographic sonography. (Two years of general undergraduate courses are prerequisites.) Some senior classes are available online, making it possible for the program to place students at clinical education sites around the state.

Two full-time faculty members teach diagnostic medical sonography along with local health care providers who serve as adjunct instructors. Terry J. DuBose, M.S., RDMS, is director of the program. Anthony L. Baker, B.S., RDMS, RVT, CNMT, is the other faculty member. Rick Nations, RDCS, and Lawrence McElroy, RDCS, of Arkansas Heart Hospital, and the Little Rock Cardiology Clinic; Lori Heil, RDCS, Renee Bornemeier, M.D., Tom Best, M.D., and Elizabeth Frazier, M.D., of Arkansas Children’s Hospital; and Paul Jackson, M.D., of Little Rock Cardiology and Medicine Clinic are adjunct instructors.

The application deadline is March 1 for classes beginning in August.

Links on This Page

Diagnostic Medical Sonography: http://www.uams.edu/chrp/dmshome.htm
Bureau of Labor Statistics: http://stats.bls.gov/oco/ocos273.htm

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02/07/02