WVU Medicine Diagnostic Medical Sonography program awarded accreditation

MORGANTOWN, W.Va. – The WVU Medicine J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital Diagnostic Medical Sonography program sponsored by the Department of Radiography has been awarded a 10-year accreditation as the result of a recent peer review by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS) and Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

The program provides comprehensive didactic and clinical education in General Sonography (Abd. & OB-GYN) and is under the direction of Candice Norris, R.D.M.S. JRC-DMS and CAAHEP accreditation represents the nationally recognized standard for diagnostic medical sonography education.

“This 10-year accreditation award demonstrates the quality of our educational structure and validates the commitment that our department and senior administration place on fulfilling the educational mission of our institution,” Jay Morris, education manager at WVU Medicine, said. “We take great pride in our Imaging Science Education Programs and our outstanding curriculum, faculty and programmatic outcomes.”

JRC-DMS is a nonprofit organization in existence to establish, maintain and promote quality standards for educational programs in diagnostic medical sonography. Since 1983, the organization has provided a mechanism of committee review to recognize educational programs throughout the United States that instruct students in the disciplines related to DMS through education consistent with standards for entry into practice. General ultrasound, cardiac, and vascular sonography programs are eligible to seek accreditation through the JRC-DMS. To date, nearly 200 DMS educational programs in approximately 300 learning concentrations are accredited.

CAAHEP assures oversight and due process to all programs that participate in its system of accreditation. The CAAHEP Board of Directors acts upon the recommendations of the JRC-DMS, confirming that appropriate procedures have been followed and that accreditation standards are being applied consistently and equitably when assessing applicant educational programs.