03/30/20
Gadsden State DMS program receives accreditation
Gadsden, Ala. – The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs notified Gadsden State Community College that the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program as well as its vascular concentration has been awarded initial accreditation. Gadsden State is the only college in Alabama that offers a comprehensive DMS program that covers abdomen, OB/GYN and vascular in one associate degree program.
The DMS program, directed by Rebecca Southern, accepted its first cohort of students in Fall 2018. Fifteen students graduated from the program in December with 93 percent of them accepting jobs as sonographers.
“I’m very proud of the DMS team for earning its accreditation, which is no simple task,” said Dr. Deborah Curry, dean of health sciences. “It took a lot of commitment, drive, knowledge and expertise from the DMS faculty. The accreditation is a testament to the top-notch education we provide students pursuing a career in sonography.”
In a letter to Dr. Martha Lavender, president of Gadsden State, CAAHEP stated that it “recognizes the program’s substantial compliance with the nationally established accreditation standards” after a peer review was conducted by the Joint Review Committee on Education in DMS and the organization’s board of directors. The Gadsden State DMS program will participate in another evaluation no later than 2025.
Cutline: Rebecca Southern, left, director of the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, works with Gadsden State students in their lab located on the College’s Valley Street Campus. The program recently earned its accreditation from CAAHEP.