About Us
The Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is a CAAHEP accredited program which provides a twelve-month hospital-based diploma in the field of ultrasound. Graduates are eligible to become Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers with the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in the specialties of OB/gynecological and abdominal ultrasound. Students are provided with both didactic and clinical instruction on campus. Over 1,200 hours are dedicated to the mastery of clinical skills valuable in today’s competitive market.
The program is twelve consecutive calendar months with each class beginning in July. Students attend 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Monday-Friday with all classes and clinicals held at Mercy Hospital. Students are given 40 hours of sick time and two weeks of scheduled vacation.
Professional certification disclosure
Upon completion of an accredited program, a diagnostic medical sonographer may be required as a condition of employment to take the Sonographic Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) examination along with a specialty area examination (see list below) through the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS).
The field of sonography offers several areas of specialization, including:
- Abdomen (AB) – evaluation of all the soft tissues, blood vessels and organs of the abdominal cavities (for example, liver, spleen, urinary tract and pancreas).
- Breast (BR) – evaluation of breast abnormalities that are found with screening or diagnostic mammography.
- Musculoskeletal (MSK) – assess bones, muscles, tendons, ligament tears and nerve and soft tissue pathology. Assist with ultrasound-guided procedures.
- Pediatric Sonography (PS) – evaluation of the head, spine, chest, hips/joints, and the male and female genitourinary system of the pediatric patient.
- Obstetrics (OB)/Gynecology – evaluation of the female reproductive system.
- Vascular Technology (VT) – evaluation and analysis of the hemodynamics (blood flow) of peripheral and abdominal blood vessels.
Employers, insurers, accreditation organizations and professional organizations in the sonography community are increasingly seeking demonstration of competence through sonographer certification/credentialing in each specialty area in which the sonographer practices.
Compliance
It is the hospital’s policy that it will comply with the provisions of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), Ohio Revised Code 4112.02(A), and Title II of the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), and the Regulations issued thereunder, and that this policy will be administered and will continue to be conducted in such a manner that no person will be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under such program on the grounds of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, disability, marital status, national origin, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by law.
Mission
To cultivate lifelong learners who will continue to grow and meet the needs of their community as exceptional sonographers with a student-centered approach to clinical and didactic education.
Objectives
- Prepare competent entry-level sonographers in cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills) and affective (behavior) learning domains for the following concentrations: Abdominal-Extended Sonography Obstetrics and Gynecology Sonography
- Upon graduation the student shall be able to:
- Obtain, review, and integrate pertinent patient history and supporting clinical data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results
- Perform appropriate procedures and record anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data for interpretation by a physician
- Record, analyze, and process diagnostic data and other pertinent observations made during the procedure for presentation to the interpreting physician
- Exercise discretion and judgment in the performance of sonographic and/or other diagnostic services
- Demonstrate appropriate communication skills with patients and colleagues
- Act in a professional and ethical manner
- Facilitate communication and education to elicit patient cooperation and understanding of expectations, and responds to questions regarding sonographic examination
Accreditation
The Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs upon the recommendation of the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
9355 113th Street N., #7709
Seminole, FL, 33775-7709
727.210.2350
Contact information
Susan Bielanski, BS, RDMS
Program Director
Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital
1320 Mercy Drive NW
Canton, Ohio 44708
330.489.1000, ext. 6609
MercyDMSProgram@ccf.org
Admissions
In addition to program-specific requirements and procedures, applicants are encouraged to review requirements and disclosures outlined on the School of Health Professions’ Admissions & Enrollment page.
School of Health Professions catalog
Additional information can be found in the School Catalog, including school-wide policies and procedures, program-specific information, and course descriptions.
- View the School Catalog
- Review the Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program supplemental handbook
Application process
The Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program begins accepting applications January 1. The application deadline each year is April 1 to be considered for the Summer Semester start date. Please select ‘Summer 20XX’ in the ‘Anticipated Starting Semester’ field of the application.
Please note, if the application window of the Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is closed it will not appear in the ‘Program of Interest’ list within the application. Applicants will only be able to submit their application when the application window is open.
Prior to submitting an application, it is recommended that applicants review the admissions-related information and requirements linked below for the academic year in which they wish to apply. The links include information on the following:
- Technical standards
- Admissions requirements, including prerequisites
- Conditional admittance
- Required admissions documents
- Required enrollment documents
- Interview and acceptance procedure
Admission/enrollment overview
- Information when applying for the 2025-2026 academic year
- Information when applying for the 2026-2027 academic year
*Academic years fall between July 1, 20XX through June 30, 20XX of the following year.
Example: July 1, 2025 - June 30, 2026
Admission related documents
Enrollment related documents
Tuition & Fees
Program expenses
|
Application fee |
$20 |
|
Total tuition |
$14,000* |
Other costs associated with the program are estimated but not limited to the following:
|
Book fee (estimate) |
$900 |
|
Uniform and shoes |
$200 |
|
ARDMS SPI exam fee |
$275 |
|
ARDMS specialty fee |
$600 ($300 per specialty) |
*The program reserves the right to change tuition.
|
Sonography program tuition |
$14,000 |
|
Tuition due upon acceptance (non-refundable) |
$300 |
|
Remaining tuition |
$13,700 |
The student is responsible for payment of the remainder tuition by the following dates to remain in the sonography program:
- Remainder of 1st quarter tuition, $3,200 - Due July 10th
- 2nd quarter tuition, $3,500 - Due October 10th
- 3rd quarter tuition, $3,500 - Due January 10th
- 4th quarter tuition, $3,500 - Due April 10th
Cost of attendance
The cost of attendance for the Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is a budget comprised of direct and indirect costs. Tuition is a direct cost charged by the program. All others are indirect costs that a student may incur during the course of the program and is not paid to the program. These costs are subject to change.
|
Tuition |
$14,000 |
|
Books & supplies |
$0 |
|
App fee |
$20 |
|
Food & housing |
$15,870 |
|
Transportation |
$2,340 |
|
Personal |
$2,304 |
|
Total |
$34,534 |
Tuition refund policy
The Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program issues refunds for tuition and other fees for eligible applicants and students as outlined in the School of Health Professions’ Tuition Refund Policy.
Graduate Information
Transcript requests
Information regarding how to request official transcripts can be found on the School of Health Professions’ Records page.
Graduation requirements
In order to be eligible for graduation, the student must:
- Satisfactorily complete all clinical requirements
- Maintain a satisfactory GPA clinically
- Maintain a satisfactory GPA didactically
- Complete all clinical and didactic courses
- Complete all make up time over 40 hours
Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP)
The student’s Satisfactory Academic Progress (SAP) toward graduation will be evaluated after the completion of each term of the program. Failure to maintain SAP may result in the student being dismissed from the program.
Curriculum
Human Subjects for Educational Purposes Policy
The School of Health Professions has established a policy that outlines guidelines for scanning human volunteers for educational purposes.
Grading scale
Grades for all coursework will be based on the following scale:
|
Scale |
Grade |
GPA |
Definition |
|
93-100% |
A |
4.0 |
Excellent |
|
84-92% |
B |
3.0 |
Good |
|
75-83% |
C |
2.0 |
Satisfactory |
|
67-74% |
D |
1.0 |
Unsatisfactory |
|
0-66% |
F |
0.0 |
Inadequate/Fail |
Any grade below a “C” in any class is considered to be failing.
Selection of students will be based on the applicant’s ability didactically, interest, preparation, attitude and personal qualities indicating potential to successfully complete the mission and goals of the program.
Additional Information
Description of profession
The diagnostic medical sonographer is an individual who provides patient care services using ultrasound and related diagnostic procedures. The diagnostic medical sonographer must be educationally prepared and clinically competent as a prerequisite to professional practice. Demonstration and maintenance of competency through certification by a nationally recognized sonography credentialing organization is the standard of practice in sonography, and maintenance of certification in all areas of practice is endorsed.
The diagnostic medical sonographer functions as a delegated agent of the physician and does not practice independently.
Diagnostic medical sonographers are committed to enhanced patient care and continuous quality improvement that increases knowledge and technical competence. Diagnostic medical sonographers use independent, professional, and ethical judgment, and critical thinking to safely perform diagnostic sonographic procedures.
The sonographer is generally able to perform the following:
- Obtain, review, and integrate pertinent patient history and supporting clinical data to facilitate optimum diagnostic results
- Perform appropriate procedures and record anatomic, pathologic, and/or physiologic data for interpretation by a physician
- Record, analyze, and process diagnostic data and other pertinent observations made during the procedure for presentation to the interpreting physician
- Exercise discretion and judgment in the performance of sonographic and/or other diagnostic services
- Demonstrate appropriate communication skills with patients and colleagues
- Act in a professional and ethical manner
Facilitate communication and education to elicit patient cooperation and understanding of expectations, and responds to questions regarding sonographic examination
