May 2022 will see the third class of graduates from Galveston College’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography program. “They are entering the field with a wide variety of job opportunities and an average starting salary of around $60,000,” said Jaime Fincher Retiz, B.S., RDMS (AB, OB/GYN), RVT (VT) program Director for GC’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography program.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography uses sound waves to produce images of what is happening in a patient’s body. Sonography technicians use highly specialized equipment to produce images of what is occurring in a body. Commonly known as ultrasound, sonogram, or echocardiogram it helps physicians in the assessment and diagnosis of medical conditions.
Galveston College’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography program began in 2018. The program accepts eight students for the 21-month program each fall semester. Students typically enter directly into the program with no Radiography background. “In the past you had to be a radiographer first, but that is no longer the case,” said Retiz. “Most students are starting fresh into the medical field with sonography.”
Upon graduation, students find employment in several area facilities. “About two-thirds of our graduated cohorts have successfully entered the job market in various fields such as general hospital technologists, high-risk obstetrics and traveling technologist. The sonography field continues to be a highly sought-after field with a wide variety of job opportunities for our future graduates,” said Retiz.
The cost of a Galveston College Associate in Applied Science degree in the Sonography program is approximately $7,000 with tuition, fees and books. Financial aid is available. Students are also eligible for the Drs. Charles Eric and Octavia Hall Nursing Endowment Fund Scholarship for exceptional scholars in the field of nursing and health sciences.
Galveston students may also be eligible for a Universal Access Scholarship. Universal Access (UA) Scholarships are provided by the Galveston College Foundation to ensure that every eligible high school graduate, or equivalent, who resides in the Galveston College taxing district has the opportunity to attend college, receive an associate’s degree, or acquire technical training through a workforce development program and obtain a certificate. The Universal Access program is designed to provide tuition and required fees for all students up to 60 semester credit hours per student in combination with state and federal financial aid. In some cases, students may receive additional stipends for books and course materials. Each student with demonstrated financial need may have additional funds to cover the full cost of attendance." For additional information please visit: gc.edu/sonography