Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program

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 is required 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). Cleveland Clinic requires a minimum of one certification from the ARDMS in (Abdominal (AB), Obstetrics (OB)/gynecology or Vascular (VT) prior to hire, with all three specialties being required within the first year of hire.

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

1. 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
2. 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

Admissions requirements & disclosures

In addition to program-specific admissions requirements and procedures, applicants are encouraged to review requirements and disclosures outlined on the School of Health Professions’ Admissions 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

Technical standards

Skills

• Organizational
• Verbal
• Interpersonal
• Customer Relations
• Mathematical
• Analytical
• Read/Comprehend written instructions
• Ability to receive and respond to instructions in clinical settings

Mental and emotional requirements

• Manage stress appropriately
• Make decisions under pressure
• Handle multiple priorities
• Work in areas that are confined and/or crowded

Physical requirements

MEDIUM WORK: Exert up to 50-lbs. force occasionally, and/or up to 20 lbs. frequently, and/or up to 10 lbs. constantly

• Ability to perform work in a stationary position for extended periods
• Ability to travel through the hospital system
• Ability to perform repetitive tasks/motions
• Ability to distinguish colors
• Ability to detect anatomy and pathology on the ultrasound screen
• Ability to respond to alarms, telephone, normal speaking voice
• Ability to operate sonography equipment

Requirements

Applicants must meet the following requirements to be eligible to enroll in the Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonograph Program:

1. Be a graduate of a 2-year AMA allied health education program that is patient care related OR a 4-year bachelor’s degree. Either must include the following prerequisites:
   • General Physics
   • Communication Skills
   • Medical Terminology
   • Human Disease
   • Algebra 101, or higher-level college Math
   • Human Anatomy and Physiology I
   • Human Anatomy and Physiology II (or Human Structure & Function or Human Biology)
2. GPA of at least 2.5
3. Hold a current American Heart Association BLS certification
4. If the applicant’s native language is not English, official scores from the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or the Duolingo English Test (DET) are required. Applicants must have a total minimum score of 75 with written and speaking sections no less than 17 for the TOEFL. A minimum score of 105 is required for the DET. Exam date must be within two years of the program's start date.

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.

• Apply now

Pre-acceptance documents and requirements

An applicant is required to complete the following items after submitting their initial application in Campus Cafe in order for their application to be considered.

1. Submit your non-refundable $20.00 application fee payment in Momentus and upload a copy of your payment confirmation to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe.
2. Complete the Applicant Demographic Survey and upload a copy of your survey completion confirmation to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe.
3. Upload a copy of your current American Heart Association (AHA) Basic Life Support certification to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe.
4. If applicable, complete the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOEFL) or Duolingo English Test (DET) and upload a copy of your results to your applicant portal in Campus Café. Please see additional information regarding scoring under “Requirements” above.
5. Request two completed reference forms from the two individuals you have selected as references. Reference forms are required to be submitted by the selected reference via email to MercyDMSProgram@ccf.org. The completed forms will be uploaded to your applicant portal by program administration.
6. Request official academic transcripts. You are required to submit official transcripts from every school you have attended. High school transcripts are not required. Once received, the transcripts will be uploaded to your applicant portal by program administration.

You can submit your official transcripts through one of two methods:

1. Electronically (preferred):

   Request delivery to MercyDMSProgram@ccf.org. 

2. By mail (all paper transcripts must be submitted in an official sealed envelope):

   Cleveland Clinic Mercy Hospital
   Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program
   Attention: Susan Bielanski
   1320 Mercy Drive NW 
   Canton, OH 44708
   
   

7. All foreign transcripts must be evaluated by World Education Services (WES) on a course-by-course basis. If applicable, upload a copy of your WES transcript evaluation to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe.

Post-acceptance documents and requirements

If an applicant is accepted into the program the following items are required in order to enroll in the program. Please review the health requirements before submitting your documentation.

1. Complete and sign an Enrollment Agreement in Campus Cafe via DocuSign.
2. Complete the Student IPEDS Survey and upload a copy of your survey completion confirmation to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe.
3. Upload your negative tuberculosis (TB) test documentation to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe. The TB test must be completed within 12 months prior to the start of the program.
4. Upload your immunization documentation for chicken pox (varicella) or positive titer to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe.
5. Upload your immunization documentation for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe.
6. Upload your positive hepatitis B titer or waiver to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe.
7. Upload your tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis (Tdap) booster documentation to your applicant portal in Campus Cafe. The booster is required within the past 10 years.
8. Influenza immunization documentation is required during flu season (November 1 through March 31). The applicant is not required to upload documentation to the applicant portal in Campus Cafe at this time but will be required to obtain and submit documentation when the vaccination becomes available.
9. Complete the required onboarding tasks in SilkRoad. Onboarding will include a background check. Additional information will be provided following completion of the above items.

Interview and acceptance procedure

All applicants interviewed for admission will be informed of the Committee's decision to accept or deny admission.

Interview scores are based on two portions.

• Application score (based on courses taken, grades, degree and healthcare experience)
• Panel interview (based on average score of panel members on a set of pre- determined questions, which are the same for all applicants, asked in the same order for all applicants)

Final class selection will be made by approximately April 30 of each year.

Tuition & Fees

Program expenses

Other costs associated with the program are estimated but not limited to the following:  

*The program reserves the right to change tuition.

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.

Sallie Mae Education Loan 

Applicants and students in the Mercy Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program are eligible to apply for a Sallie Mae Education Loan (credit-based). Loan amounts cannot exceed the cost of attendance for your program. Be sure to review the terms and conditions of your loan. 

• Apply for a Sallie Mae Education Loan

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.

• Read the full tuition refund policy

Graduation Requirements

In order to be eligible for graduation, the student must:

• Satisfactorily complete all clinical requirements
• Satisfactorily complete all didactic courses
• Maintain a satisfactory GPA clinically
• Maintain a satisfactory GPA didactically
• Complete 12 months of clinical and didactic education
• 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.

• School of Health Professions SAP Policy

Program Outcomes

• Program effectiveness data, 2022-2024
• Program outcomes - Academic year-based

Curriculum

• Academic calendar, 2025-2026
• Curriculum outline
• Course descriptions

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.

• Read the full Human Subjects for Educational Purposes policy

Grading scale

Grades for all coursework will be based on the following scale:

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