Students get extensive hands-on training in the sonography and simulation laboratories on UAA’s campus, as well as through clinical experiences in hospital and outpatient settings.
diagnostic medical sonography
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography (DMS) program provides education and training to prepare students for employment as a general sonographer. The program also prepares students for national certification exams from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, which many health care employers require.
Sonographers use a transmitting device called a transducer to send out high-frequency ultrasound waves into a patient. The reflected sound forms echoes, and those echoes generate a visual representation of the patient’s internal organs, vasculature, and other soft tissue structures. The images produced are used to diagnose, treat, and screen for medical conditions. Sonographers work under the supervision of a radiologist or other physician in a variety of medical settings and health facilities.
The diagnostic medical sonography profession has three primary career paths: general sonography (abdominal organs, pregnancy, female reproductive system, and most of the other body systems), cardiac sonography (heart), and vascular technology (blood vessels).
WHY CHOOSE diagnostic medical sonography AT UAA?
The UAA DMS program boasts a 100 percent pass rate on the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers’ Sonographic Principles and Instrumentation Exam.
The average hourly wage for diagnostic medical sonographers in Alaska is $46 (Alaska Department of Labor and Workforce Development).
Receive individualized instruction and attention with expert faculty in the classroom and labs.
The diagnostic medical sonography program at UAA is the only CAAHEP accredited program in Alaska.
NEWS & Stories
Division of Population Health Sciences Associate Professor Dr. Britteny Howell recently published two new studies that investigates the relationship between aging and mental health. Her research seeks to explore gaps in existing literature about how the experience of aging is shape by factors like social context, culture, activities, beliefs, environment, and more.
In January 2026, students from the College of Health showcased their public health research at the Alaska Public Health Association Summit’s annual poster session. Their projects spanned topics ranging from food security to environmental contamination, contributing valuable insights that help shape the evolving conversation around Alaska’s public health landscape.
Dr. Corrie Whitmore, an associate professor in the Division of Population Health Sciences, and her team at UAA’s Center for Behavioral Health Research and Services are celebrating the recent publication of a new article. The paper, which was published in the Dec. 2025 issue of Nursing for Women’s Health, offers a framework and actionable strategies for nurses to improve communication and patient experience in discussions around substance use and contraception.
School of Social Work Assistant Professor Amana Mbise and ISER Research Assistant Professor Nathan West are exploring the relationships that Black barbershops play in men's health. Their community-based research prioritizes the lived experiences of the men they talk to, and is revealing how barbershops function not just as grooming spaces, but as social and cultural hubs.
Philippe Amstislavski, a scientist with a passion for sustainable innovation, is pioneering the use of mycelium insulation to help Alaska’s remote communities combat extreme cold and climate change.
PROGRAM INFORMATION
Contact Us
Phone: (907) 786-4346
Email: uaa.sonography@alaska.edu
UAA School of Allied Health
Allied Health Sciences Building
3500 Seawolf Drive, AHS 148
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
Mailing Address
UAA Diagnostic Medical Sonography
3211 Providence Drive, AHS 148
Anchorage, Alaska 99508
