The Michigan Department of Energy, Labor & Economic Growth predicts that the demand for diagnostic medical sonographers in that state will increase by more than 12 percent from 2008 through 2018. Entry into this field typically requires post-secondary education. A small number of private and public colleges in Michigan offer courses in ultrasonography to prepare students for careers administering diagnostic tests using the principles of ultrasound.
Delta College
Delta College offers diagnostic medical sonography programs accredited by the Commission on the Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP). The college offers both a certificate and an associate of applied science degree program in diagnostic medical sonography. Both programs last for five semesters and include the same core curriculum. Required classes include patient care management, neurological and vascular sonography, occupational wellness and abdominal, obstetric, and gynecological ultrasound. Students complete three clinical educational rotations in both programs prior to graduation. The primary difference between the courses of study is that degree students take additional classes in topics outside of the field of sonography, such as social sciences and humanities.
With an enrollment of more than 11,000 students, Delta College is a public, two-year institution based on a 640-acre campus in University Center, a community 12 miles north of Saginaw. The school participates in federal and state financial aid programs and offers a limited number of grants, scholarships, and work-study placements. Private lending programs are also available. The Career Services Center offers job placement assistance.
Oakland Community College
Oakland Community College offers a CAAHEP-approved ultrasonography program at its campus in Southfield, a suburban area 14 miles northeast of Detroit. The sonography program culminates in an associate of applied science degree. To be admitted to the program, students must first complete prerequisite classes in anatomy, composition, medical terminology, and psychology. Students then spend two years completing the necessary course requirements, which include abdominal, obstetric, and gynecological ultrasound. Three clinical internships are required.
Eligible students at Oakland Community College can receive federal and state loans and grants, veterans' benefits, and institutional scholarships to help offset the cost of tuition. The Career Center offers job placement assistance for all graduates. An on-site daycare provides low-cost childcare for students' children.
With an enrollment of more than 74,000 students, Oakland Community College is the largest two-year public college in the state of Michigan and the 14th largest school of its kind in the United States, according to the college's website as of October 2010.
Sanford-Brown College
The ultrasound program at Sanford-Brown College covers obstetric and gynecological, abdominal, and basic vascular ultrasound techniques. Admission to the program requires a high school diploma or GED and the successful completion of an admission test. Prospective students must also have previous experience working in a patient-care job like nursing assistant or have taken basic anatomy and science courses at the post-secondary level. Most student complete the requirements for the ultrasonography program in less than a year. One internship is necessary for graduation.
Among the forms of financial aid available to Sanford-Brown College students are federal and state loans and grants, veterans' benefits, institutional scholarships, private loans, and work-study opportunities. The Career Services department offers job placement assistance, such as help with resume-writing and interview preparation.
Sanford-Brown College is a private, nonsectarian, for-profit institution with campuses in both Grand Rapids and Dearborn. The college carries the accreditation of the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools of Colleges, but its diploma program in diagnostic medical sonography does not have individual accreditation with any organization.
Tags: Community College, diagnostic medical, Oakland Community, Oakland Community College, Sanford-Brown College, Delta College, diagnostic medical sonography