(found 6 schools, updated in April 2017)
Known as the Volunteer State, Tennessee stretches from the Great Smoky Mountains to the city of Memphis located on the Mississippi River. Known for its barbecue and blues music, popular state activities include visiting the Elvis mansion called Graceland or hiking the Appalachian Trail. Tennessee has an above-average number of healthcare positions due to an aging population and many medical research facilities located throughout the state. This indicates that ultrasound technologists in Tennessee will find a variety of career tracks.
Sonography Education in Tennessee in 2017
Tennessee’s accredited CAAHEP sonography schools in 2017 are mainly located in the state’s largest cities which are Chattanooga, Memphis, Nashville and Knoxville. Students who do not prefer to complete training in a big city have the option of choosing a community college in Gallatin which has a small population of 31,000. As of 2017, the Baptist Memorial College of Health Science in Memphis offers a degree program in general sonography or vascular sonography and the South College in Knoxville offers an Associate degree in general sonography. The ultrasound technology programs at the other colleges and healthcare or medical centers give students the opportunity to earn certificates in general sonography, cardiac sonography or vascular sonography. Students who complete any of the programs should take the exams to earn ARDMS certification.
Career Outlook for Ultrasound Technicians in Tennessee
The national average annual pay for Diagnostic Medical Sonographers in 2016 is $71,750, while in Tennessee it is $60,710. However, the low pay rate is attributed to the fact the state has a large rural area. There are 1,900 sonographers employed as of May 2016, and the statistics indicate a 52 percent increase in positions between 2014 and 2024. This equates to a growth of 100 positions each year. There are also areas in Tennessee that have a high concentration of jobs. For example, the northeast Tennessee nonmetropolitan area and the southeast Tennessee nonmetropolitan area are among the highest concentrations of jobs per capita in the nation according to federal occupational employment studies. The growth of sonography positions in non-metropolitan and rural areas is expected to continue because ultrasound technology is an effective, non-invasive procedure. | See Job Openings
Best Paying Regions in Tennessee
Here are the 10 top paying regions in Tennessee in terms of annual median wages:
- Nashville-Davidson-Murfreesboro-Franklin: $64,580
- North Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area: $62,590
- East Tennessee nonmetropolitan area: $62,570
- Memphis, TN-MS–AR: $62,210
- Chattanooga, TN-GA: $60,470
- Jackson: $58,940
- Johnson City: $57,720
- Knoxville: $57,630
- South Central Tennessee nonmetropolitan area: $56,760
- Clarksville, TN-KY: $54,310
Best Accredited Ultrasound Technician Schools in Tennessee in 2017
There are 1 city in West Tennessee, 2 Cities in Middle Tennessee and 2 Cities in East Tennessee with Accredited sonography programs.
Sonography Schools in West Tennessee
Baptist Memorial College of Health Science
Address: 1003 Monroe Avenue
Zip: 38104
City: Memphis
Website: www.bchs.edu
Contact Person: Connie Willis MS, RDMS, RDCS, RVT
Contact Email: [email protected]
Contact Phone: (901) 572-2464
Program: Associate and Bachelor Degree Programs in General Sonography, Associate and Bachelor Degree Programs in Vascular Sonography
Accreditation: CAAHEP Accredited
Program Length: 126 credit hours
Application Deadline: June 1
Main Courses: Medical Terminology, Biomedical Ethics and Values, Physics, Anatomy and Physiology, Introduction to Sonography, Foundations of DMS, Introduction to Clinical Practice, Introduction to Medical Sonography, General Sonography, Vascular Sonography, OB/GYN Sonography, Cardiac Sonography, US Healthcare Systems, Legal Environment of Health Care, Clinical Practicum
Clinical Sites: Hospitals and private practice facilities
Estimated Tuition, Fees and Costs: Tuition – $411 per credit hour; Application Fee – $25; Assessment Fee – $45; Auditing Fee – $205.50 per credit hour; CPR Fee – $50; Graduation Fee – $75; Health Services Fee Per Trimester – $105 if enrolled in clinical courses, $70 if not enrolled in clinical courses; Laboratory-Based Course – $30 per course; Preclinical Drug Testing – $40; Student Activity Fee Per Credit Hour – $10; Technology Fee Per Credit Hour – $40 per class
Financial Aid Opportunity: Federal grants including Federal Pell Grants and Federal Supplemental Educational Opportunity Grants (FSEOG); Federal loans including Subsidized Federal Direct Loans, Unsubsidized Federal Direct Loans and Federal PLUS Loan; State Grants Tennessee Student Assistance Award; Scholarships like Joseph Powell Scholarships, Lloyd Barker Scholarship, Donal and Lynn Pounds Scholarship, Baptist Memorial Health Care Foundation Scholarships, Susuan O. Thomason Scholarship, Lettie Pate Whitehead Foundation Grant, Tennessee Education Scholarships and HOPE Scholarship
Methodist LeBonheur Healthcare
Address: 1265 Union Avenue
Zip: 38104
City: Memphis
Website: www.methodisthealth.org
Contact Person: Tamera Ghelichkhani
Contact Email: send mail
Contact Phone: (901) 516-8099
Program: Certificate in Sonography
Accreditation: CAAHEP
Program Length: 15 months
Application Deadline: September 1
What to Learn: Abdominal Imaging, Superficial Structures, Obstetric and Gynecologic Imaging, Clinical Education
Clinical Sites: Contact the school for more information
Estimated Tuition, Fees and Costs: Total Program Tuition – $10,500; Textbooks – $700 to $800; Activity/Lab Fee – $150; Technology Fee – $150; Malpractice Insurance – $25
Financial Aid Opportunity: No financial aid available
Sonography Schools in Middle Tennessee
Vanderbilt University
Address: 1161 21st Avenue South, MCN-CCC1121
Zip: 37232
City: Nashville
Website: www.mc.vanderbilt.edu
Contact Person: Jill Trotter
Contact Email: [email protected]
Contact Phone: (615) 343-0905
Program: Certificate in General Sonography
Accreditation: CAAHEP
Program Length: 18 months with 6 rotations
Application Deadline: March 31, 2017
Program Start Date: September 2017
Accepted Students: 5 students each year
Main Courses: Sonographic Patient Care, Cross-Sectional Anatomy, Foundations of Ultrasound and Healthcare, Gynecological Techniques, Abdominal Techniques, Pathophysiology as Related to Sonography, Physics and Instrumentation, Obstetrical, Superficial Structures, Medical Ethics and Law, Clinical Lab, Clinical Practicum
Clinical Sites: Contact the school to get a list of clinical sites
Estimated Tuition, Fees and Costs: Tuition – $12,500 (textbooks are included); Student pays for uniforms, health insurance, CPR certification and immunizations, etc.
Volunteer State Community College
Address: 1480 Nashville Pike
Zip: 37066-3188
City: Gallatin
Website: www.volstate.edu
Contact Person: Jennifer R. Carroll RDMS, RVT
Contact Email: send mail
Contact Phone: (615) 230-3339
Program: Certificate in Sonography
Accreditation: CAAHEP
Program Length: 13 months with 4 semesters
Application Deadline: January 1, 2017
Program Start Date: First week of July each year
What to Learn: Abdominal Scanning, Small Parts Scanning, OB/GYN Scanning, Vascular, Introduction to Vascular DMS, Introduction to Medical Sonography, Physics and Instrumentation, OB/GYN Scanning, Orientation to Patient Care, Clinical Education
Clinical Sites: Located in hospitals and medical groups in and around the Nashville area; Travel may be required within an 80-mile radius of the college
Estimated Tuition, Fees and Costs: Tuition & Fees – check here; Program Costs – $3,800 including textbooks, clinical costs, SDMS student membership expense, background check, ARDMS exam fees and so on
Financial Aid Opportunity: Contact the financial aid staff for the latest information
Sonography Schools in East Tennessee
Chattanooga State Community College
Address: 4501 Amnicola Highway, CBIH-124
Zip: 37406
City: Chattanooga
Website: www.chattanoogastate.edu
Contact Person: Jody Hancock
Contact Email: send mail
Contact Phone: (423) 697-3341
Program: Certificate in Sonography, Certificate in Cardiac Sonography, Certificate in Vascular Sonography
Accreditation: CAAHEP Accredited and ARRT Recognized
Program Length: 12 months
Application Deadline: March 15 each year
Program Start Date: Fall Semester (rotating starts every other year for general and cardiovascular programs)
Main Courses: General Sonography – Introduction to Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Abdominal and Small Parts, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Ultrasound Physics, Ultrasound Administration, General DMS Clinic; Cardiovascular Sonography – Cardiovascular Anatomy and Physiology, Cardiovascular Hemodynamics, Vascular Testing, Adult Echocardiography Testing, Ultrasound Administration, Introduction to Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Ultrasound Physics, Vascular Clinic, Echocardiography Clinic
Clinical Sites: Numerous clinical sites located in Tennessee, Georgia, Alabama, North Carolina, Kentucky, Virginia
Estimated Program Cost: $8,398.05 (in-state), $26,282.05 (out-of-state); Additional costs including uniforms for clinic and so on
Financial Aid Opportunity: scholarships like Chattanooga State Foundation scholarships and Hope Scholarship; Student loans like Federal Direct Subsidized/Unsubsidized Loans and Federal Parent PLUS Loan; Grants like Tennessee Student Assistance Award; Please contact the financial aid department for more information
South College
Address: 3904 Lonas Drive
Zip: 37909
City: Knoxville
Website: www.southcollegetn.edu
Contact Person: Louise Groth
Contact Email: send mail
Contact Phone: (865) 251-1886
Program: Associates Degree in Sonography
Accreditation: CAAHEP
Program Length: 27 Month (125 quarter credit hours including 46 credits of general education and 79 credits of sonography education)
Estimated Tuition, Fees and Costs: Tuition and Fees – $61,425; Books and Supplies – $3,293
Financial Aid Opportunity: Federal programs like Pell Grant, FSEOG, Perkins Loans, Subsidized/Unsubsidized Direct Loans and Direct Plus Loan; Veteran’s Education Benefits; State programs like Tennessee Student Assistance Award and Tennessee Education Lottery Scholarship
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