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Course Overview
The Medical Sonography program aims to develop graduates who are able to apply their specialist sonographic knowledge and practical scanning skills in the diagnostic imaging setting. To enable this ability in graduates, the program is designed to build a high level of practical scanning skill and image evaluation so graduates can assess patients and evaluate their findings in a safe and effective manner.
There is an emphasis on high level communication skills so that graduates can interact positively with patients and other health professionals in the clinical work environment. Clinical decision making and problem solving ability will be promoted in graduates through the use of simulation based learning techniques and exposure to 'real world' conditions while on clinical practice.
Graduates will be ‘General Sonographers’ as recognised by the accreditation body, the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry, able to undertake discipline specific practice in the areas listed below:
Ultrasound of superficial structures, Abdominal ultrasound, Renal ultrasound, Male and female pelvic ultrasound, Obstetric ultrasound, Paediatric ultrasound, General vascular ultrasound and Musculoskeletal ultrasound.
There are strict clinical placement, credit transfer, residential school and campus transfer requirements that form part of this program. Please refer to More Details for important information.
Career Information
A Medical Sonographer (or Ultrasonographer) is a health professional who uses ultrasonic equipment to produce diagnostic images, scans, videos, or 3D or 4D volumes of anatomy and diagnostic data. A sonographer requires specialised education and skills to view, analyse and modify the scan to optimise the information captured on the image. A sonographer has an important degree of responsibility in the diagnostic process because of the high levels of decisional latitude and diagnostic input. Communication skills, exemplary professional attitudes and care for the physical and psycho social well-being of the patient are all critical to success in this field.
Sonographers are in demand in many public and private health facilities. An expanding and ageing population will ensure the demand will remain for the foreseeable future.
| Duration | 4 years full-time |
|---|---|
| Credit Points that Must be Earned | 192 |
| Number of Units Required | CQUniversity uses the concept of credits to express the amount of study required for a particular course and individual units. The number of units varies between courses. Units in undergraduate courses normally consist of 6 points of credit or multiples thereof (e.g. 12, 18, 24). |
| Expected Hours of Study | One point of credit is equivalent to an expectation of approximately two hours of student work per week in a term. |
| Course Type | Undergraduate Dual Degree |
| Qualification (post nominal) | BMedSono and GradDipMedSono |
| AQF Level | Level 8: Graduate Diploma |
| Course Fees |
Indicative Year - 2026
Indicative Year - 2025
Indicative Year - 2024
Indicative Year - 2023
Indicative Year - 2022
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Admission Codes
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Domestic Students Tertiary Admission Centre Codes (TAC) Codes |
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International Students CRICOS Codes |
Not Applicable |
Units offered via MIX mode are delivered online and require compulsory attendance of site-specific learning activities such as on-campus residential schools, placements and/or work integrated learning. See Course Features tab for further information. Online units are delivered using online resources only.
Please Click Here for more information.
Domestic Availability
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Term 1 - 2027
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Term 1 - 2026
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Term 1 - 2025
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Term 1 - 2024
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Term 1 - 2023
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Term 1 - 2022
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Term 1 - 2021
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Term 1 - 2020Year 1 of the course is studied online, with the exception of attendance at two compulsory two-day residential schools, which must be attended at your campus of admission.
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Term 1 - 2019Students must enrol on a campus. The first year is predominantly delivered in mixed mode with two compulsory residential schools on your campus of enrolment. Years 2 and 3 are delivered internally on your campus of enrolment and year 4 is wholly on clinical placement anywhere in Australia or New Zealand, as allocated.
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Term 1 - 2018Offers of admission are made at a specific campus and campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to transfer into this course or change campus must apply via the state application centre. Student number quotas apply. Only Year 1 of the course is available by distance study. There are compulsory residential schools in Year 1 which you must attend at your campus of enrolment. You must study internally at your campus of enrolment in year 2 and part of year 3.
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Term 1 - 2017Offers of admission are made at a specific campus. Internal campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to change campus must re-apply via the state application centre. There are student quota limits for this course. Only Year 1 of the course is available by distance study. There are two compulsory residential schools in Year 1 which you must attend at your campus of enrolment. You must study internally at your campus of enrolment in year 2 and part of year 3.
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Term 1 - 2016Offers of admission are made to a program at a specific campus. Internal campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to change campus must re-apply via the state application centre.
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Term 1 - 2015Offers of admission are made to a program at a specific campus. Campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to change campus must re-apply via the state application centre. Please refer to More Details for important information regarding this.
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Term 1 - 2014Offers of admission are made to a program at a specific campus. Campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to change campus must re-apply via the state application centre. Please refer to More Details for important information regarding this.
International Availability
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Term 1 - 2027
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Term 1 - 2026
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Term 1 - 2025
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Term 1 - 2024
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Term 1 - 2023
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Term 1 - 2022
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Term 1 - 2021
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Term 1 - 2020Year 1 of the course is studied online, with the exception of attendance at two compulsory two-day residential schools, which must be attended at your campus of admission.
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Term 1 - 2019Students must enrol on a campus. The first year is predominantly delivered in mixed mode with two compulsory residential schools on your campus of enrolment. Years 2 and 3 are delivered internally on your campus of enrolment and year 4 is wholly on clinical placement anywhere in Australia or New Zealand, as allocated.
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Term 1 - 2018Offers of admission are made at a specific campus and campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to transfer into this course or change campus must apply via the state application centre. Student number quotas apply. Only Year 1 of the course is available by distance study. There are compulsory residential schools in Year 1 which you must attend at your campus of enrolment. You must study internally at your campus of enrolment in year 2 and part of year 3.
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Term 1 - 2017Offers of admission are made at a specific campus. Internal campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to change campus must re-apply via the state application centre. There are student quota limits for this course. Only Year 1 of the course is available by distance study. There are two compulsory residential schools in Year 1 which you must attend at your campus of enrolment. You must study internally at your campus of enrolment in year 2 and part of year 3.
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Term 1 - 2016Offers of admission are made to a program at a specific campus. Internal campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to change campus must re-apply via the state application centre.
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Term 1 - 2015Offers of admission are made to a program at a specific campus. Campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to change campus must re-apply via the state application centre. Please refer to More Details for important information regarding this.
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Term 1 - 2014Offers of admission are made to a program at a specific campus. Campus transfers are not available. Students wishing to change campus must re-apply via the state application centre. Please refer to More Details for important information regarding this.
| Rank Threshold | SR 88 | ATAR 88 |
Program entry through QTAC, VTAC or UAC, is based on Australian Tertiary Admission Rank.
Students not born in Australia are required to meet an English Language Prerequisite by:
- an academic IELTS completed within the last 2 years (from the term you are applying to start) with a minimum achievement of 7.0 in each band and overall; or
- a secondary or university qualification which is not more than 5 years old (from the term you are applying for entry into) with a satisfactory level of achievement of at least 2 years in duration from Australia.
The English Language Proficiency requirements may also be satisfied by an Occupational test - Result of ‘A' or ‘B' (results are to be no older than 2 years from the start of term).
English, Biology, Science, Physics, Maths
Awards and Accreditation
| Interim Awards | Not applicable |
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| Exit Awards | CB26 - Bachelor of Health Science (Imaging) |
| Accreditation |
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Residential School Requirements
| Compulsory Residential School | There are first year courses that include mandatory residential schools/workshops attached to the following program for ALL students. These residential schools must be attended at the campus of program enrolment ONLY |
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| Click here to view all Residential Schools | |
Practicum/Work Placement
| - There will be a total of 2200 hours spent in clinical placements. Because most clinical facilities can host only one student at a time, the placement locations affiliated with each campus of the program are spread over a large geographical region. As a result, prospective students are advised that they must prepare personally and financially to relocate intra and interstate for some or all of their placement. In addition to the clinical placements, the 2nd and part of the 3rd year of the Medical Sonography program involve 3-5 days/week of on-campus commitment. This includes participation in mandatory laboratory sessions to enable students to gain practical scanning skills prior to clinical placement. These labs require the active involvement of students in partial disrobing and scanning procedures and must be attended at the campus of enrolment. |
Previous and Current Enrolments
| Year | Number of Students |
|---|---|
| 2025 | 471 |
| 2024 | 484 |
| 2023 | 519 |
| 2022 | 577 |
| 2021 | 616 |
Please note that in some instances there may be similarities between course, entry and inherent requirements.
If you experience difficulties meeting these requirements, reasonable adjustments may be made upon contacting accessibility@cqu.edu.au. Adjustment must not compromise the academic integrity of the degree or course chosen at CQUniversity or the legal requirements of field education.
This course is accredited as a General Sonography Course by the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry (ASAR), and graduates are eligible to be registered with the ASAR as Accredited Medical Sonographers (General).
To be eligible for graduation, students must be deemed competent in all the examinations in the below table.
Students must achieve these competencies by actively participating in live scanning of humans across all genders, abilities and phenotypic variations during learning activities in simulation, assessment and during clinical practice.
| Critical practice unit | ASAR endorsed entrustable professional activities |
| Abdominal |
Abdomen Male and female pelvis Major vessels & retroperitoneum Urinary & gastrointestinal tracts |
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Breast |
Male & female breast |
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Musculoskeletal |
Shoulder |
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Obstetrics & Gynaecology |
Female pelvis 1st, 2nd & 3rd trimester scans |
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Superficial parts |
Scrotum Thyroid & anterior neck |
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Vascular (general) |
DVT Carotid |
Sonographers, like other health professionals, are required to be proactive in professional development activities throughout their career to remain accredited in their profession. To foster this requirement, beginning at university level, students must strive to take responsibility for their own learning during the course to ensure they are well prepared for their lifelong learning journey.
Examples are:
- Learning in a collaborative partnership with academics and clinical supervisors
- Being an engaged member of your cohort
- Reflecting on your own performance and proactively seeking out ways to improve
- Being inquisitive and seeking out knowledge in a holistic manner
Examples are:
- Complying with CQUniversity academic and non-academic misconduct policies and procedures such as CQUniversity’s Student Conduct Policy and Procedure, and the Assessment Policy and Procedure (Higher Education Coursework).
- Complying with professional association (Australasian Sonographer's Association, ASA) and accrediting body (Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry, ASAR) guidelines and code of practice.
- Treating personal information obtained in classroom and clinical settings as private and confidential.
- Respecting an individual's/group's diversity by demonstrating sensitivity to religious cultural and individual differences.
- Demonstrating an ability to reflect on ethical dilemmas and issues and taking responsibility for ensuring awareness of and adherence to ethical behaviour.
Examples are:
- Interacting positively and effectively with other students while attending activities related to the course.
- Being receptive and responding appropriately to different viewpoints, to constructive feedback and to direction from academics and clinical staff.
- Coping effectively with your own emotions, responses and behaviour when dealing with challenging situations at the university to ensure your safety and well-being, and the safety and well-being of other students and staff.
- Coping effectively with your own emotions, responses and behaviour when dealing with challenging situations in the clinical setting to ensure your safety and well-being, and the patient's safety and well-being.
Examples are:
- Complying with clinical sites requirements. These include criminal record checks and child protection and safety legislation including mandatory reporting requirements. (National Criminal Record Check and Working with Children Check).
- Understanding and adhering to professional policy around the use of social media.
- Knowing, understanding and complying with legislative, regulatory requirements and policy directives which are necessary pre-requisites to clinical placements in order to reduce the risk of harm, to self and others (for example occupational assessment, screening and vaccination against infectious diseases).
Examples are:
- Actively participating in discussion activities related to the course.
- Using language that is appropriate to the context of the individual or group.
- Verbally communicating your knowledge and skills with accuracy, appropriateness and effectiveness.
- Providing team members with clear concise verbal reports related to patient clinical presentation, situation/presentation, background history, clinical assessment and result of the ultrasound examination.
- Communicating with patients in an empathic and caring manner.
- Recognising and interpreting non-verbal cues of peers, patients and others, and responding appropriately.
- Using appropriate facial expressions, eye contact and gestures while being mindful of interpersonal space.
- When required, needing to recognise and interpret non-verbal cues of others and responding appropriately during activities related to the course and clinical placements.
- Constructing your assessment work to academic standards with attention to correct grammar and punctuation.
- Constructing fluent summarised written text from complex and detailed information.
- Constructing legible reports in a timely manner to meet professional standards and clearly communicating the intended message.
- Accurately documenting charts and records, meeting legal and professional requirements.
- Accessing a computer for your studies.
- Regularly accessing the Internet for research, and email for communication with peers and lecturers.
- Analysing, manipulating and displaying scientific information.
Examples are:
- Conceptualising and using appropriate knowledge in response to academic assessment items.
- Applying knowledge of policy and procedures in clinical settings.
- Performing your duties within set time-frames.
- Applying relevant theoretical knowledge to understand a patient's history when undertaking patient assessment.
- Applying theoretical knowledge of the human body systems and sonography to enable sonography information gathering and interpretation.
- Paraphrasing, summarising and referencing in accordance with appropriate academic conventions.
- Actively listening to information within a variety of academic, clinical, and emergency situations.
- Reading and accurately interpreting information related to patients.
- Completing documentation that is accurate, clear and concise.
- Demonstrating competency in applying basic mathematics knowledge and skills in using adaptive equipment that correctly meets measurement requirements in sonographic examinations.
- Applying numeracy skills to interpret and solve problems in a range of educational and clinical settings.
- Having practical skills and able to evaluate data in order to assess patients and evaluate findings in a safe and effective manner.
Examples are:
- Focussing on and recognising objects that are either near or far.
- Safely operating electronic equipment.
- Reading and interpreting diagnostic images, scans, videos, or 3D or 4D volumes of anatomy and diagnostic data.
- Recognising variations in and interpreting diagnostic images using grey scale ultrasound, pulsed wave Doppler and colour Doppler imaging.
- Visually distinguishing red from blue to determine the direction of blood flow.
- Selecting an optimal image and differentiating pathology using visual pattern recognition.
- Sufficiently hearing verbal communication from other students and lecturers during activities related to the course.
- Having sufficient auditory ability to consistently and accurately monitor, assess and manage a patient's needs.
- Accurately interpreting verbal communications and directions from staff.
- Hearing computer generated sounds which indicate pathology in the patient.
- Using touch in an appropriate manner when conveying positive messages for emotional support during difficult circumstances.
- Conducting physical assessments using an ultrasound machine and detecting any anatomical abnormalities.
Examples are:
- Collaborating with fellow students and clinical staff in planning, modifying and completing projects and procedures.
- Demonstrating respect for and consideration of divergent points of view within teams.
- Adapting to a variety of styles of instruction, feedback and supervision on clinical placements.
- Rapidly building rapport with patients to engage cooperation, elicit information and provide effective care in carrying out imaging examinations.
- Interacting and engaging with individuals and groups in a respectful and culturally competent manner.
- Responding constructively to feedback on performance.
Examples are:
- Assessing your own performance in a range of environments, including the classroom, clinical simulation laboratories and clinical workplace.
- Identifying contributing factors to your thinking patterns, actions and behaviours.
- Identifying when your performance may be negatively affected by your emotional response.
- Evaluating your knowledge and skills to determine whether or not a clinical activity is within your scope of practice.
- Being able to evaluate the effectiveness of assessment data that has been determined and identify areas for improvement.
- Ability to relate new knowledge to prior understanding.
- Formulating an action plan to address an identified performance gap.
Examples are:
- Actively participating in activities related to the course with adequate, sustained levels of physical energy and concentration.
- Participating in learning clinical skills and fully engaging in clinical practice activities.
- Having a sustained level of concentration and physical endurance during on-campus practical skills teaching and practise, clinical placements, and in your professional daily activities.
Examples are:
- Incorporating a range of gross motor skills while participating effectively in activities related to the course.
- Maintaining balance while safely transferring delicate and large equipment.
- Moving with ease and efficiency around patients and equipment items, such as wheelchairs and beds, while performing delivery of care.
- Safely retrieving and utilising stock and equipment.
- Manipulating delicate, breakable and sensitive equipment such as ultrasound transducers and other ultrasonic equipment, with ease and care.
- Moving an ultrasound transducer dexterously on a patient in multiple planes.
- Undertaking fine motor manipulations of the ultrasound transducer in order to slide, rotate, tilt and fan through a structure to detect pathology.
- Maneuvering bulky, heavy and sensitive equipment such as ultrasound machines to ensure appropriate ergonomic positions which may include moving the machine to other locations by pushing on wheels, and application and release of brakes by foot control.
Examples are:
- Being a productive team member during learning activities in simulation and during clinical practice.
- Providing feedback to and responding to feedback from peers in learning teams.
- Developing and sustaining rapport with supervising clinicians during clinical practice to support effective working relationships, positive learning environments and positive outcomes for patients.
Examples are:
- Using the Moodle learning management system to engage with classmates and your academics, access learning materials and undertake assessments.
- Using word processing, presentation and spreadsheet applications in undertaking assessments.
- Using ultrasound systems to produce, process and optimise sonographic images.
- Using facility Picture Archiving and Communications Systems (PACS) to retrieve, view and manipulate medical diagnostic images.
- Retrieving patient information and documenting procedures in Hospital Information Systems (HIS) and Radiology Information Systems (RIS) during clinical practice.
Work-Integrated Learning (WIL) placements apply to this course and as such are subject to compulsory pre-placement conditions referred to as mandatory checks and are outlined in the health, security and other compulsory requirements sections. Mandatory checks are determined by industry, organisations, legislation, regulations, policies, and procedures. To be eligible for a WIL placement, students must first achieve compliance with mandatory checks by each closing date prior to a WIL placement and maintain current evidence for the duration of the course.
Mandatory health requirements include immunisation and vaccination evidence (and serology where required) to the following diseases: Hepatitis B, Measles, Mumps and Rubella, Varicella, Pertussis, Influenza, and Tuberculosis screening. Additional vaccinations and screening are subject to the site or state health authority. Respirator mask fit testing is also an annual requirement for this course.
Mandatory security requirements include an Australian Federal Police clearance and working with children check.
Other mandatory requirements include a student agreement to privacy and confidentiality, fitness to participate in WIL student declaration, jurisdictional and site-specific compulsory requirements, and other training modules.
- 1. Practice competently as a graduate sonographer, as required by the external professional accreditation body (Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry).
- 2. Demonstrate understanding of a broad and coherent core body of sonographic knowledge with advanced knowledge in areas specified by the requirements for external professional accreditation.
- 3. Apply knowledge to sonographic practice.
- 4. Demonstrate all of the competences in a broad range of activities in accordance with the requirements for external professional accreditation.
- 5. Apply appropriate professional and personal skills to sonographic practice in accordance with CQUniversity’s postgraduate attributes and requirements for external professional accreditation.
- 6. Conduct and present the outcomes of a research study in sonography.
| Course Learning Outcomes | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australian Qualifications Framework Descriptors | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 |
| 1. KNOWLEDGE Have advanced knowledge within a systematic and coherent body of knowledge that may include the acquisition and application of knowledge and skills in a new or existing discipline or professional area | ||||||
| 2. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to review, analyse, consolidate and synthesise knowledge and identify and provide solutions to complex problems | ||||||
| 3. SKILLS Have cognitive skills to think critically and to generate and evaluate complex ideas | ||||||
| 4. SKILLS Have specialised technical and creative skills in a field of highly skilled and/or professional practice | ||||||
| 5. SKILLS Have communication skills to demonstrate an understanding of theoretical concept | ||||||
| 6. SKILLS Have communication skills to transfer complex knowledge and ideas to a variety of audiences | ||||||
| 7. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to make high level, independent judgements in a range of technical or management functions in varied specialised contexts | ||||||
| 8. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILLS Be able to initiate, plan, implement and evaluate broad functions within varied specialised technical and/or creative contexts | ||||||
| 9. APPLICATION OF KNOWLEDGE & SKILL Be responsible and accountable for personal outputs and all aspects of the work or function of others within broad parameters | ||||||
- Complete the core structure
| Number of units: 27 | Total credit points: 192 |
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There are a number of course within this program that exceed the notional hours recommended by the Australian Qualifications Framework.
To be eligible to graduate with the Bachelor of Medical Sonography and Graduate Diploma of Medical Sonography, students must complete the 27 core courses (192 units of credit), complete 2200 hours of clinical placement and attend residential schools as required.
| Year 1 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| BMSC11001 | Human Body Systems 1 | |
| ESSC11004 | Study and Research Skills for Health Science | |
| MEDI11002 | Physics for Health Sciences | |
| MEDS11001 | Fundamentals of Ultrasound Practice | |
| Year 1 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| MEDI11004 | Professional Practice | |
| BMSC11002 | Human Body Systems 2 | |
| MEDS11002 | Relational Anatomy and Image Recognition | |
Students must apply for admission to the Register of Accredited Student Sonographers during the 2nd year of the program prior to the clinical placement in Term 3. Please note that the external accreditation body sets a maximum completion time for this program. Please refer to More Details for important information.
| Year 2 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| MEDS12002 | Abdominal Ultrasound | |
| BIOH12008 | Human Pathophysiology | |
| MEDS12001 | Physics of Ultrasound | |
| MEDS12003 | Superficial Structures in Ultrasound | |
| Year 2 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| MEDS12006 | Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynaecology | |
| MEDS12004 | Sonographic Skills Development 1 | |
| Year 2 - Term 3 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| MEDS12007 | Medical Sonography Clinical Unit 1 | |
MEDS12004 Sonographic Skills Development 1 and MEDS12007 Medical Sonography Clinical Course 1 must be completed within the same academic year. Failure to adhere to these timelines will necessitate consultation with the discipline lead to discuss options to maintain scanning skill currency.
| Year 3 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| MEDS13007 | Musculoskeletal Sonography | |
| MEDS13001 | 12-24 Week Obstetric Sonography | |
| MEDS13008 | Vascular Sonography | |
| MEDS13002 | Sonographic Skills Development 2 | |
| Year 3 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| MEDS13006 | Medical Sonography Clinical Unit 2 | |
| NURS13117 | Research in Health Care | |
| MEDS13005 | Paediatric Sonography | |
MEDS13002 Sonographic Skills Development 2 and MEDS13006 Medical Sonography Clinical Course 3 must be completed within the same academic year. Failure to adhere to these timelines will necessitate consultation with the discipline lead to discuss options to maintain scanning skill currency.
Please note: The courses studied in Year 4 are at a Postgraduate level.
| Year 4 - Term 1 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| MEDS21003 | Medical Science Research Project 1 | |
| MEDS20001 | Quality Practice in Medical Ultrasound | |
| MEDS20002 | Medical Sonography Clinical Course 3 | |
| Year 4 - Term 2 | ||
|---|---|---|
| Students must complete the following compulsory units: | ||
| MEDS21006 | Medical Science Research Project 2 | |
| MEDS20004 | Comparative Imaging | |
| MEDS20003 | Medical Sonography Clinical Course 4 | |
MEDS20002 Medical Sonography Clinical Course 3 and MEDS20003 Medical Sonography Clinical Practicum 2 must be completed within the same academic year. Failure to adhere to these timelines will necessitate consultation with the discipline lead to discuss options to maintain scanning skill currency.
Unit Credit/Recognition of Prior Learning and Deferment
Credit for a unit may be granted to students who are able to demonstrate appropriate prior learning or experience. Credit is normally granted only for units satisfactorily completed in the last 2 years for clinical units and in the last 5 years for theoretical units at a recognised educational institution.
The normal maximum amount of credit which may be granted to a prospective student enrolling into the Bachelor of Medical Sonography course is 72 credit points - this is based on previously completed equivalent studies.
Refer to the Credit Transfer website at http://www.cqu.edu.au/credittransfer for further details on the guidelines and application process or contact your Course Advisor.
You can apply for direct credit against CQUniversity units, if equivalent tertiary level study has been completed. You must supply relevant documentation (study guides, unit profiles, etc) to do this. If your study was undertaken more than 5 years ago, you may not be eligible for credit.
Timeline on Course Completion
During their 2nd year of the course, students must apply for admission to the Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry to become an Accredited Student Sonographer. The external accreditation body (Australian Sonographer Accreditation Registry) sets a MAXIMUM time that individuals may be on the ASAR Registry as a Student Sonographer of 5 years from the date of initial entry onto the registry. This requirement means that students must complete this course of study within 5 years from their student registration date (in second year) in order to qualify as an Accredited Medical Sonographer.
Clinical Placement
Course years 2, 3 and 4 include mandatory clinical placement. Students must satisfy specific pre-clinical health, safety, security and licensing requirements prior to each placement, and must disclose any condition that may put themselves or the public at significant risk whilst on placement. It is a requirement that all students undertaking clinical placement in a health facility undergo various checks which include:
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First Aid Certificate
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CPR Certificate
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Immunisation Record
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Hepatitis B Record
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National Criminal Record Check
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Working With Children Check
Students must apply for these checks as soon as they accept an offer to study within the course. It is the student’s responsibility to ensure that all the documentation is valid throughout progression in the Medical Sonography course. Further details are available in the Medical Sonography Portal on admission to the course.
Due to availability of placements, some block placements have start and finish dates which fall outside of the standard university term dates.
Please note: As placements are located throughout Australia and New Zealand, and availability is limited in each community, students are allocated placements which are not of their choosing and may be required to undertake interstate travel. Students are responsible for all associated travel and accommodation costs so must prepare financially and personally to relocate for clinical placements. As per the Standards for the Accreditation of Sonographer Courses (SASC) of the Australian Sonographers Accreditation Registry (ASAR), students must achieve competency in a range of ultrasound examinations which may require attending different clinical facilities. Students must also undergo minimum hours of clinical placement, equivalent to no less than 2000 hours, appropriately sequenced over the duration of their course.
IMPORTANT: Students who have a break of longer than 12 months between skills unit and corresponding clinical unit (eg MEDS12004 and MEDS13006) will not be eligible for placement until they have completed an on campus skill refresh (learning contract) and will need to arrange this directly with the Head of Course.
Campus Transfers
Campus transfers are strictly limited. Maximum student quotas are in place per campus due to the teaching requirements and student resources associated with skills development laboratories. Internal transfers between campuses to Brisbane are not permitted via either an internal campus transfer or by submission of a QTAC application. Current Bachelor of Medical Sonography/Graduate Diploma of Sonography students who apply via QTAC to study on Brisbane campus will have their applications at QTAC, for this preference, rejected.
Students wishing to transfer to Mackay, Sydney or Melbourne may apply directly to the Head of Course, with these applications opening on Census Date of Term 3 each year and closing on the December DE/SE Grades Release date each year (please refer to current Academic Calendar for dates). Second year places at these locations will be considered on a case-by-case basis, and only if the applicant meets the following requirements:
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Successfully completed all Year 1 units, and
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Provided proof of extenuating circumstances regarding the need to transfer.
Applications will only be considered if there is a place available in the skills development laboratories at the new campus, and students should be aware that submitting an application does not guarantee a transfer will be approved. Students will be notified if their transfer application has been approved or denied by the Head of Course, or designate, in the week following the University wide Christmas vacation closure (please refer to current Academic Calendar for dates).
Applications will not be considered from students who are currently still undertaking their first year of study within the course.
For these reasons, prospective students are encouraged to apply only to the campus/es they wish to study at.
Deferment/Leave of Absence
The Bachelor of Medical Sonography and Graduate Diploma of Medical Sonography does not permit deferments.
Due to accreditation requirements, Leave of Absence (LOA) can only be considered in extenuating circumstances. Applications should be made directly to the Head of Course providing evidence of the extenuating circumstance for consideration. A maximum of 12 months LOA will be considered for students meeting these requirements.
In order to meet accreditation requirements, students must be able to demonstrate continuous enrolment in this course. Students must enrol in all terms in which units are available to them, taking into account pre and co-requisite requirements.