The Curriculum
The 22-month curriculum provides an integrated sequence of didactic, laboratory, and clinical education designed to develop competency in diagnostic medical sonography. Students receive instruction in the basic sciences, including gross and sectional anatomy, medical sciences, and sonographic principles, establishing the theoretical foundation necessary for supervised clinical practice at affiliated ultrasound facilities throughout the New York metropolitan area. The curriculum includes pediatric echocardiography and vascular ultrasound coursework and specialty education in abdominal, obstetric and gynecologic, adult echocardiography, vascular and Doppler imaging. Sonographic specialty training includes:
- Obstetrics-Gynecology
- Abdomen (liver, spleen, kidney, etc.)
- Echocardiography (heart ultrasound)
- Small parts (breast, scrotum, thyroid, and musculoskeletal)
Learning Domains
The curriculum is designed to meet the needs and expectations of the program's communities of interest, including students, graduates, faculty, the sponsoring institution, employers, physicians, the public, and nationally recognized professional standards. The program recognizes that becoming a competent healthcare professional is a dynamic process in which students, faculty, clinical instructors, peers, and patients all contribute to learning. The educational process promotes development in the cognitive, affective, and psychomotor domains (knowledge, professional behaviors, and technical skills). In each domain, students progress through increasingly complex learning experiences, ultimately achieving entry-level competency in diagnostic medical sonography.
- Cognitive Domain – The cognitive domain develops intellectual skills through didactic instruction, progressing from knowledge acquisition and comprehension to application, analysis, and synthesis. Mastery of these skills supports academic success, achievement of program outcomes, and preparation for the ARDMS certification examinations. Cognitive learning also serves as the foundation for development in the affective and psychomotor domains.
- Affective Domain – The affective domain fosters the professional behaviors and values essential to sonographic practice, including patient-centered care, cultural sensitivity, ethical conduct, and respect for patient safety and privacy. Through instruction, role modeling, and clinical experiences, students develop an understanding of these principles and integrate them into their professional practice.
- Psychomotor Domain – The psychomotor domain develops technical skills through hands-on laboratory instruction and supervised clinical experiences. Through demonstration, guided practice, and repeated performance, students achieve the precision and proficiency required for entry-level clinical competence. The integration of cognitive knowledge and psychomotor skills enables graduates to perform diagnostic ultrasound examinations effectively and meet the needs of patients, physicians, and employers.
The curriculum is designed to prepare competent entry-level diagnostic medical sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains for the following concentrations: Abdominal Sonography-Extended, Obstetrics & Gynecology Sonography, and Adult Cardiac Sonography.
The following are the minimum expected student learning outcomes and objectives for each concentration, organized by the cognitive, psychomotor, and affective learning domains. These outcomes establish the competencies students are expected to achieve for successful entry-level practice in diagnostic medical sonography.
Graduates will be able to perform the following objectives:
Cognitive Objectives
- Obtain, review, and integrate pertinent patient data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results in abdominal and OB/GYN sonographic examinations.
- Demonstrate knowledge of normal and pathologic sonographic appearances relevant to abdominal-extended and obstetric and gynecologic imaging.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills during the performance of sonographic procedures to provide optimum diagnostic services.
Psychomotor Objectives
- Perform abdominal-extended and OB/GYN sonographic procedures appropriately and accurately, recording all anatomic and physiologic information for physician interpretation.
- Document and present complete and accurate sonographic findings to the supervising sonographer or interpreting physician.
- Maintain optimal function of sonographic equipment and apply appropriate imaging techniques for each examination.
- Assist the supervising sonographer or physician during invasive ultrasound-guided procedures.
Affective Objectives
- Demonstrate effective communication skills with patients and all members of the healthcare team.
- Provide compassionate and culturally responsive patient care and education to promote overall health and well-being.
- Act in a professional manner within recognized ethical and legal standards of the sonography profession.
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning and continuous professional development.
Graduates demonstrate achievement of these objectives through completion of all didactic, laboratory and clinical competencies required for eligibility to pursue American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) certification.
Graduates will be able to perform the following objectives:
Cognitive Objectives
- Obtain, review, and integrate pertinent patient data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results in adult echocardiographic examinations.
- Demonstrate knowledge of normal and pathologic sonographic appearances relevant to cardiac anatomy, physiology, and hemodynamics.
- Demonstrate critical thinking skills during the performance of echocardiographic procedures to provide optimum diagnostic services.
Psychomotor Objectives
- Perform adult echocardiographic procedures appropriately and accurately, recording all relevant cardiac anatomic and hemodynamic information for physician interpretation.
- Document and present complete and accurate echocardiographic findings to the supervising sonographer or interpreting physician to facilitate patient diagnosis.
- Maintain optimal function of echocardiographic equipment and apply appropriate imaging techniques for each examination.
- Assist the supervising sonographer or physician during invasive ultrasound-guided cardiac procedures.
Affective Objectives
- Demonstrate effective communication skills with patients and all members of the healthcare team.
- Provide compassionate and patient-centered care and education to promote cardiovascular health and overall well-being.
- Act in a professional manner within recognized ethical and legal standards of the sonography profession.
- Demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning and the ongoing advancement of echocardiographic practice.
Graduates demonstrate achievement of these objectives through completion of all didactic, laboratory, and clinical competencies required for eligibility to pursue American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) certification.
Program of Study