Laramie Johnson is thrilled to be able to stay in her hometown to pursue her passion for helping patients. She is among the first class enrolled in an enhanced radiologic sciences major at NDSU that offers sonography and echocardiography.
Students who want to pursue this specialization will now be able to stay in North Dakota to learn these skills. An existing radiologic sciences major at NDSU and a partnership with Sanford Health allows students in the NDSU Department of Allied Sciences to pursue more education, without having to seek such specialization outside of the state.
“There are just so many options, paths, and areas for growth with sonography,” said Laramie Johnson, who will begin her classes in fall 2017. “I was thrilled to hear that this program was starting here in Fargo so that I could pursue my passion for sonography close to home.”
Since 2001, the Department of Allied Sciences at NDSU has affiliated with accredited hospital-based radiologic technology programs. Students become baccalaureate-prepared radiologic technology professionals in fields such as x-ray and MRI. Sanford Health’s new sonography programs in echocardiography and diagnostic medical sonography are enhancing professional courses and career options for radiologic science majors at NDSU.
Students complete two or more years of prerequisite courses at NDSU, followed by a 21-month full-time internship at Sanford Health Fargo. All internship classes, scanning labs and clinical experience in echocardiography and diagnostic medical sonography will take place at Sanford.
Students will major in radiologic sciences, graduate with a baccalaureate degree from NDSU and now can receive certificates of specialization in radiography, echocardiography, or diagnostic medical sonography from Sanford Health.
Learn more about the curriculum and internship online through the NDSU Department of Allied Sciences in the College of Health Professions. Existing NDSU staff and resources in the radiologic sciences major are used in the specialization tracks in diagnostic medical sonography and echocardiography.
“Offering sonography within the radiologic sciences major serves student interest in these careers and helps to meet employers’ needs for health care professionals in this high demand field,” said Polly Olson, director of the NDSU Department of Allied Sciences in the College of Health Professions.
“The Sanford Health sonography program was developed due to the continually increasing demand for skilled sonographers at our facility. We are excited to launch the first program in North Dakota and provide a new career opportunity to students in the region,” said Stefanie Anderson, diagnostic medical sonography education manager of Sanford Health.
The U.S. Department of Labor projects that the job market for diagnostic medical sonographers and cardiovascular technologists and technicians, including vascular technologists, is projected to grow 24 percent from 2014 to 2024 — much faster than the average for all occupations.
Laramie Johnson hopes to stay for a job in North Dakota when she completes her education in sonography.
“We work to respond to the needs of students and employers, as we continue to address the demand for quality programs that educate future health care professionals to serve this region,” said Charles D. Peterson, dean of the College of Health Professions at NDSU.