B.S. in Diagnostic Medical Sonography

Admissions and Application

Application to the DMS Program is a two-step process. 

1) The first step is acceptance to LIU Brooklyn. You can apply for admission to LIU Brooklyn at My LIU or by using the Apply Now button in the upper right-hand corner of this page. For more information on the application process, visit the Admissions Office home page. LIU Brooklyn admission requirements include the following:

• Incoming freshmen must have a solid B average (3.0 or 82-85 grade point average) and an average SAT score of 1000 (Critical Reading and Math combined) or ACT Composite of 20 or above.
• Transfer students must have completed more than 24 college credits. A minimum college G.P.A. of 2.75 is required for application review. If you have completed fewer than 24 credits, you must also submit high school transcripts and SAT/ACT scores.

2) The Bachelor of Science in Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a competitive program.
An additional application is required for students who believe they are ready to start years 3 and 4 of the DMS program. Meeting the minimum DMS program requirements in years 1 and 2, does NOT guarantee acceptance into years 3 and 4.  Space in the program is limited, and not all eligible applicants will be accepted.

All applicants for Year 3 (current LIU students, returning LIU students & transfer students) must complete a DMS program application and be accepted into the DMS program in order to continue on to the DMS sequence of courses in years 3 and 4. You must request this application from the DMS Program directly by sending an e-mail to bkln-dms@liu.edu.

In addition to timely completion of the DMS program application, students must:

• If transferring in, students must complete an application to LIU through the admissions department and be accepted to the university
• A minimum of 60 undergraduate Liberal Arts and Science credits, including the following:
  
  • Oral Communications (3 credits)
  • Anatomy and Physiology I and II with lab (8 credits)
  • Physics with lab (4 credits)
  • Statistics (3 credits)
  • Algebra (3 credits)
• Have a minimum overall GPA of 2.75 and a science & math GPA of 2.75
• A minimum of ‘C’ in the science and math courses
• Meet minimum writing requirements.

Program Information

• The Professional Studies portion of the program consists of 5 semesters, including a 12-week summer session.
• It is a full-time, program.  Classes can start as early as 7:30 AM and can end as late as 9:00 PM.  Clinical hours are typically 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM or 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Clinical hours may vary to include evenings and weekends
• It is a multi-modality program.  It consists of 3 specialties; Abdominal Sonography - Extended, OB/GYN Sonography and Adult Echocardiography. Also included are Non-Invasive Vascular classes.
• Students are eligible to take their national boards given by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS) prior to graduation in Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI), Abdominal Sonography - Extended, Obstetrics & Gynecology Sonography, and Adult Echocardiography.
• The clinical and didactic portions are designed to be taken simultaneously.  Students cannot continue to the next semester without successfully completing all sonography courses in the previous semester.
• If a student receives a C- or below in two professional study courses, they will not be able to continue in the DMS program.
• It is recommended that students do not work while in the professional phase of the program.
• Students are placed in multiple clinical sites. Most of the clinical sites are hospitals. Students are responsible for transportation to clinical sites, which may be up to 2 ½ hour commute.
• All students must be certified in Basic Life Support (BLS) or Professional Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) before being permitted to attend clinical.
• All students must submit completed health forms, follow required clinical affiliate boarding process that includes passing criminal background checks, and drug screenings at the student’s expense. 
• Students must be able to apply didactic education to the laboratory and clinical setting.
• Students are required to demonstrate a variety of computer skills throughout the program. 
• Students are required to have access to the internet and be able to perform internet searches, use e-mail and be able to send and receive attachments and use LIU’s on-line teaching platform – Blackboard.
• Students must be in good physical and emotional health and capable of carrying out all assignments.
• Students must have sufficient eyesight to observe patients, manipulate equipment, and evaluate sonographic image quality

ARDMS can conduct a “pre-application review” for individuals who wish to determine the impact of a previous criminal matter on their eligibility to sit for an ARDMS examination.  For more information go to www.ARDMS.org. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that they are eligible to take the ARDMS credentialing examinations.

Technical Standards

The candidate for the B.S. Degree in Diagnostic Medical Sonography must possess the intellectual ability to learn, integrate, analyze, and synthesize data. The student must have functional use of the sense of vision, hearing, and equilibrium. The candidate must also have motor function capabilities to meet the demands of Diagnostic Medical Sonography education and the demand of patient care.

The Diagnostic Medical Sonography applicant must also possess the following capabilities, attributes and skills:

• Observation
• Communication
• Motor Coordination and Strength
• Intellectual
• Behavioral and Social

1. Observation
The ability to observe is required for demonstrations and visual presentations in lectures and laboratories. The ability to discriminate the difference between shades of blacks, grays, and whites, and various color combinations that indicate blood flow and hemodynamics on both display devices and recorded images (film and paper) is critical for mastering scan interpretation. The student must also be able to assess patients accurately and completely.

2. Communication
The Diagnostic Medical Imaging student must be able to communicate effectively via speech, reading, and writing. The student should be able to hear and observe clinical staff and patients in order to elicit information, perceive nonverbal communication, describe changes in mood, activity in posture, and recognize and respond to an emergency or urgent situation. In addition to patient and clinical staff communication, the student must be able to communicate orally and in writing with physicians, faculty, peers and other health care professionals.

The student must possess sufficient auditory perception, in order to receive communication from physicians and other allied health personnel and patients in routine and emergency situations.

3. Motor Coordination and Strength
A sonography student should possess the ability for gross and fine motor function, manual dexterity, and physical strength to:

• Apply general care and emergency treatment to patients
• Help lift patients who may be unable to move themselves from wheelchairs or beds to the examination table and vice versa (up to 10-25 times per day) and/or move objects or instruments (50 pounds or more routinely).
• Push a patient in a wheelchair or stretcher weighing up to 750 lbs.
• Manipulate ultrasound equipment, computers, and peripherals.
• Push and maneuver all Ultrasound imaging equipment and during mobile procedures, manipulate ultrasound equipment along with patient equipment on the nursing unit.
• Work in small, confined spaces that require stretching, reaching, bending, turning and lifting.
• Use both right and left hands while using small hand-held transducers for extended periods of time. Perform keyboard functions, adjust small knobs, etc. with both hands.
• Stand or sit for long periods of time (often over one hour) while performing sonographic examinations.
• Organize and accurately perform the individual steps in a sonographic examination in the proper sequence.
• See and function adequately in a semi-dark environment.

4. Distinguish Audible Sounds and Visual Images
An ultrasound student must be able to hear and distinguish differences in Doppler frequencies and to see and differentiate colors during color Doppler examinations. A DMS student must be able to think in 3-dimensions while using a 2-dimensional imaging modality. They need sufficient eyesight to observe patients, manipulate equipment, and evaluate sonographic image quality including and not limited to the following:

• Far vision to see objects beyond 20 feet, and near visions to see objects within 20 inches
• Depth perception to judge distance, and field vision to see an area up, down, right, and left while eyes are fixed at one point
• Sharp vision to adjust vision when doing close work that changes in distance from eyes.

5. Intellectual
The student must demonstrate critical thinking skills. The individual student must be able to question and evaluate logical arguments; to recognize and differentiate facts, assumptions and hidden assumptions; and to distinguish the pertinent from the irrelevant.

The student must also be able to comprehend multi-dimensional relationships and the spatial relationships of anatomic structures. The student must be able to think in 3-dimensions while using a 2-dimensional imaging modality.

The student must be able to recognize problems, implement solutions and assess outcomes, seek out feedback and make constructive use of such feedback.

The students must be able to maintain professional conduct and appearance and

The ultrasound student is required to demonstrate a variety of computer skills. The student must have access to the internet and be able to perform internet searches, use email and be able to send and receive attachments and have access to LIU’s teaching platform – Blackboard.

The student must also have the ability to be assertive, delegate responsibilities appropriately, and function as part of a medical team.

The student must have the capacity and willingness to recognize limitations of his/her skills, legal authority and authorization, and must be willing to seek appropriate supervision and direction.

6. Behavioral and Social Attributes
The student must have a serious commitment to learning and must be able to self-assess, self-direct and self-correct.

The student must be emotionally healthy and be able to use Their intellectual ability and exercise good judgment.

The student must be able to develop mature, sensitive, and effective relationships with patients and colleagues.

The student must be able to tolerate physical and emotional stress while continuing to function effectively. He/she must be able to identify sources of stress and then develop and employ appropriate and effective coping mechanisms. The student must also possess qualities of adaptability, flexibility, and be able to function in the face of uncertainty.

The student must possess high levels of empathy, motivation to serve, integrity, and a consciousness of social value.

The student must possess excellent interpersonal skills. The student must be able to interact effectively with classmates, faculty, patients, family of patients, health care professionals and the community at large. He/she must be able to appropriately handle issues of cultural, ethnic and religious diversity.

The student must exhibit appropriate professional conduct and be a positive representative of the profession as a whole and the DMS program in particular.

The student must be able to provide professional and technical services in spite of the stresses of a heavy workload.

The student must be able to minimize ultrasound exposure to patients, self and others while being honest, compassionate, ethical and responsible.

The student must be able to develop, maintain, and demonstrate ethical behaviors with respect to coworkers, preceptors, faculty members, patients, and the families of patients.