Technical Standards

The technical standards outlined below are the physical, cognitive and behavioral abilities required for students to successfully complete the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program.  These requirements must be met by all students, with or without reasonable accommodations, entering the program.

Students have the responsibility to self-identify as a person with a disability with a need for accommodation(s).  Students who have or believe they may have a disability requiring accommodation(s) should contact the UAMS ADA Coordinator at DisabilityServices@uams.edu  or 501-526-5641.

Physical

• Work in a clinical setting for eight to ten hours a day while performing manual tasks requiring physical energy without jeopardizing patient safety.  Examples of these tasks include, but are not limited to: pushing wheelchairs, stretchers, and portable sonographic equipment; wearing protective apparel when needed; reaching, manipulating, and operating sonographic tables, stands, transducers, and other sonographic equipment to obtain the requested sonograms; cleaning and preparing sonographic tables, stands, and other accessory equipment; moving and assisting patients on and off sonographic tables and stretchers, or in and out of wheelchairs.
• Possess the ability to lift 25 pounds frequently and 50 pounds or more occasionally.
• Posess the ability to push mobile sonographic equipment throughout the patient care setting.

Observation

• Observe demonstrations and participate in classroom, laboratory and clinical instruction.
• Accurately observe a patient for verbal, behavioral and physical signs of distress at a distance and at close proximity utilizing vision, hearing and other sensory abilities.

Communication

• Effectively speak, hear and observe patients in order to elicit a history from a patient and accurately relay the information to other health care providers in oral, written and electronic communication.
• Perceive non-verbal patient communication and describe changes in mood, posture and activity prior to, during, and after diagnostic sonographic examination.
• Effectively, sensitively and compassionately communicate with patients, family members and other health care professionals and providers both orally and through written communication.

Intellectual

• Obtain, interpret, analyze, integrate, summarize and apply information from direct observation, patient interactions, oral and written communication, medical literature, and diagnostic information.
• Elicit and interpret information from medical histories, medical records, physical examinations, labs and diagnostic tests.
• The student must be able to reason, analyze, evaluate and synthesize; recognize emergency situations and take appropriate actions in a timely manner; exercise critical thinking skills to solve problems.
• Demonstrate appropriate judgment and time management in patient care.

Behavioral and Social Attributes

• Possess maturity, professionalism, integrity, responsibility, genuine concern for others, and be able to exercise sound judgment in all aspects of medical care to assure the highest quality of patient care and continuity.
• Possess interpersonal skills to positively interact with patients, family members, health care providers and the community from all cultural backgrounds and beliefs including but not limited to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, age, faith, sexual orientation and disability.
• Possess the emotional health to effectively respond to both critical and non-critical patient care situations.
• Students must be able to tolerate physical, mental, and emotional stress in training and continue to function effectively under stressful and/or emergent situations as they occur.
• Adapt to changing environments, understand limitations, and utilize supervision appropriately.
• Accept constructive criticism and respond to the situation by appropriately modifying verbal and non-verbal behavior.
• Attend and be punctual to all classes, laboratories, educational activities and patient experiences.