Vascular Sonography (Vascular Ultrasound)

College

College of Health Professions

Degree

Bachelor of Science

Campus

Center City

Format

On Campus

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Vascular Sonography (Vascular Ultrasound)

Vascular sonographers, also known as vascular technologists operate sophisticated diagnostic ultrasound imaging machines and transducers that use high-frequency sound waves to produce dynamic visual images, to record: 

  • Vascular blood flow
  • Blood pressure
  • Limb volume changes
  • Oxygen saturation
  • Cerebral circulation
  • Peripheral circulation
  • Abdominal circulation

Vascular sonographers also assist physicians in diagnosing disorders of the vascular system by acquiring informatoin related to blood vessell anatomy and physiology.

Vascular sonographers work directly with healthy and critically ill inpatients and outpatients of adult and geriatric ages, performing predominantly noninvasive procedures in small, low-lit rooms. They stand or sit beside the patient, who is on a stretcher, exam table or wheelchair. Sometimes the vascular sonographer will transport a portable ultrasound to a patient's room, emergency department, or operating room to perform the examination there.

Mission Statement

The mission of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program is to provide a comprehensive education preparing students for entry-level practice in Sonography as competent, caring members of the health care team, cultivating professionalism and life-long learning.

Vascular Sonography Concentration within Your Degree

Students may complete this concentration as part of any of our Department Bachelor Programs. Dual-Concentration students can choose Vascular Sonography in their first year. Vascular Sonography is most often combined with Abdomen-Extended & OB/GYN and Cardiac Sonography.

Students must consult an admissions counselor or a Medical Imaging and Radiation Sciences faculty member when choosing concentrations, to help make sure that the combination you choose is the best option for your future career.

Goals

The goal of this program is to prepare competent entry-level sonographers in the cognitive (knowledge), psychomotor (skills), and affective (behavior) learning domains in vascular sonography.

Students will:

  • Select appropriate transducers and use appropriate technical settings
  • Demonstrate knowledge of proper patient prep
  • Obtain appropriate images of highest obtainable technical quality
  • Provide safe and quality patient care

Students will:

  • Adjust technical settings as needed based on patient body habitus and/or pathology
  • Change transducers or patient position as needed for exam
  • Critique images for diagnostic quality

Students will demonstrate appropriate and effective oral and written communication skills with patients and the interprofessional healthcare team.

Students will:

  • Integrate professional ethics and behavior into clinical practice
  • Function as part of the interprofessional healthcare team
  • Participate in professional growth development

Certification Exams

All BS graduates are eligible to take the associated certification examinations of the organizations that oversee the concentration of study. Students who pass these examinations receive national certification. Dual-Concentration students may not be able to take certification exams until they receive their BS.

Depending on the concentration, sonography certification may be provided by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS), Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI), or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)

Program Effectiveness

Program Effectiveness Data

Program Effectiveness data is provided by the Program Director and is updated annually.  Data collected November 2024

Note: The Program Effectiveness Data spreadsheet includes statistics from six (6) cohorts of students:

  • Cohort 1:  1 year Abdomen-Extended & OB/GYN (ABOB)
  • Cohort 2:  1 year Adult Echocardiography
  • Cohort 3:  1 year Vascular
  • Cohort 4:  2 year ABOB + Adult Echocardiography
  • Cohort 5:  2 year ABOB + Vascular
  • Cohort 6: 2 year Vascular + Adult Echocardiography

Accreditation

Thomas Jefferson University, Vascular 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)

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