The Sonography Programs at Chattanooga State Community College are 12-month certificate programs which begin each fall semester. Full-time student status is required. Both programs are currently accredited by CAAHEP. A class will be accepted each year for fall admission, rotating between the general sonography program offering and the cardiovascular program offering. All courses are taught by Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographers, Registered Vascular Technologists, Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographers, Sonologists, Cardiologists, and other qualified personnel for each designated subject.
Applicants must possess a minimum of an AS or AAS degree from an accredited patient-care-related field (providing 2 years of clinical experience) and certification in that same field.*
*(Those who have not yet taken their certification exams can still be accepted on a probationary status.)
Upon completion of the general sonography program, the graduate will be eligible to test for certification by the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) in the specialty categories of Abdominal, Obstetrics and Gynecology. Upon successful completion of the Sonography Physics & Instrumentation exam, in addition to at least one of the specialty exams, the graduate will become a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS). The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) also awards a sonography credential in general ultrasound.