This is a brief explanation of how our clinical placement works. However, applicants should not be too concerned with this until they are notified that they are eligible for the DMS Program.
The Washburn University Diagnostic Medical Sonography program offers an online didactic curriculum paired with required clinical training. While we do have a number of active and experienced clinical site affiliates, they are almost always filled with students whom have completed previous allied health programs located within these facilities.
Most of our students are located in many different areas across the nation. In the best interest of the student and the prospective clinical site, we must take this into account when establishing clinical sites for our students. Therefore, we ask the eligible student to locate and obtain department level contact information from local healthcare facilities in their area that he/she would be interested in attending to complete their clinical education.
Part of the application process (part 2) is observing in a sonography department of the student’s choice. We highly recommend that you do your required observation at a potential or desired clinical site. The student may ask the facility if they would be interested in mentoring a sonography student through the Washburn University DMS Program while observing. The clinical site must employ a registered sonographer in the student’s concentrated area of study and meet some other requirements listed in the clinical affiliate agreement paperwork.
If the site where observation is done agrees to take a student, they have to also meet certain standards required by CAAHEP accreditation. This information will be provided at this point in the process.
If a site is unwilling to take a student, then the student must locate other facilities that meet their needs for location requirements. Program faculty will assist in calling facilities identified by the potential student as time allows using the contact information that the student has given the Clinical Coordinator.
Being eligible for the DMS program does not mean a student is accepted. A clinical site affiliation agreement must be completed and signed by both parties in order to be accepted into the DMS program.