Diagnostic Medical Sonography (Ultrasound) | Trenholm State Community College | LER

What You'll Learn

Key competencies developed through this program

Auto-populatedfrom NSX Competency Framework

Mastery: developing (Level 2)(based on Associate's Degree)

Image quality assessment — evaluate real-time sonographic displays independently, adjusting gain, depth, and focal zones to ensure diagnostic-grade images during routine examinations.
Multi-region scanning — operate ultrasound equipment across abdominal, pelvic, and vascular protocols with limited oversight, adapting transducer selection to patient body habitus.
Patient positioning optimization — modify patient angles and probe placement based on anatomy and clinical indication to obtain the best diagnostic windows in a busy outpatient imaging center.
Oral and written technical reporting — compile clear, organized summaries of sonographic findings and transmit them accurately to referring physicians within established turnaround times.
Scope-of-exam judgment — recognize incidental findings during routine scans and determine, using departmental guidelines, whether additional image planes or structures should be evaluated.
Pathology differentiation — distinguish common pathological presentations from normal anatomy on screen, selecting representative images that document clinically significant differences.
Time and workflow management — schedule and complete a standard daily caseload of varied scan types on time, balancing patient preparation duties with image acquisition in a clinical setting.
Equipment troubleshooting — identify and resolve minor calibration or connectivity issues with ultrasound units and PACS workstations to minimize examination delays.
Patient-centered care — proactively address patient anxiety and physical needs throughout examinations, applying empathy and service-orientation skills in a hospital or outpatient environment.
Electronic health record usage — input exam data, update patient records, and retrieve prior imaging studies using medical and office suite software with routine accuracy.