Mountain State University-regarding their diagnostic medical sonography online program

AS FAR AS THE BOOKS, DO WE HAVE TO BUY THE BOOKS OURSELF FOR EACH COURSE OUT OUR POCKETS.

Macayla Holcomb in Dallas, Texas said: Hi im currently searching for schools in Dallas area that have a good program to enroll in for sonography. What school are you attending? I'm not having very good luck on my searching

ARE U DOING YOUR THE PRE-DMS CLASS YET.

dawnrodriguez99@aol.com in El Paso, Texas said: Tammy Mollohan is one of the sweetest and hardest working people at MSU. I too am very frustrated that I don't have a clinical site yet, but I do know one thing, she is doing everything that she can, along with the four clinical coordiators, to help all of the online students to get into their clinical sites. I wish everyone would give her a break, please.

Yeah, she is so sweet..now There are over 10 lawsuits in process against Msu dms program

Hey Lara,
Are you in the program now? If you are/were, did it take them long to get you a clinical site? I'm currently in the program.

They are about to lose the accreditations for most medical programs. What is the point of going to school if one cannot apply for ardms upon graduation?

MAKESHA TRIPLETT in ETHEL, Mississippi said: AS FAR AS THE BOOKS, DO WE HAVE TO BUY THE BOOKS OURSELF FOR EACH COURSE OUT OUR POCKETS.

Yes, of course, we have to by our books for each class out our pocket...

Lara in Chicago, Illinois said: They are about to lose the accreditations for most medical programs. What is the point of going to school if one cannot apply for ardms upon graduation?

For everybody attention. DMS never lost their accreditations, it was kind of suspended for 6 months. They have it back, no doubts. About their nursing program technically they never had accreditation so it was nothing to lose. What they do now they teach out students and close this program forever.
I am a HAPPY DMS student, I've got my clinical site, I like everything about this programm.
Instead of complaining and blaming you have to study as hard as you can and work with your clinical coordin ator in order to help yourself to find clinical site at the end.

Good luck to all of you.

Lara in Chicago, Illinois said: They are about to lose the accreditations for most medical programs. What is the point of going to school if one cannot apply for ardms upon graduation?

They never lost DMS accreditation it was kind of suspended, they have it back. I am HAPPY DMS student, I love the program, the teachers, everything. I've got my clinical site. Instead ot complaining you have to work hard on your study and work with your clonical coordinator in order to help yourself to find clinical site. And everybody sign a contract wich said thad you are willing to travel, no problem! Blame yourself...

reka in Colorado Springs, Colorado said: They never lost DMS accreditation it was kind of suspended, they have it back. I am HAPPY DMS student, I love the program, the teachers, everything. I've got my clinical site. Instead ot complaining you have to work hard on your study and work with your clonical coordinator in order to help yourself to find clinical site. And everybody sign a contract wich said thad you are willing to travel, no problem! Blame yourself...

So the accreditation was "kind of suspended" who told you that? I bet someone from the program "management". Did you ask them why? I wish you are lucky to complete the program and be eligible for ARDMS, but if they lose the accreditation soon due to many lawsuits what are you going to do?

What ever happened with this lawsuit???? I would like to be included in it, but when I went to the attorney site, she is not listed

Ally in Southfield, Michigan said: Does anyone know of someone who actually graduated from the DMS program? I would like to contact someone who has graduated and hear from them how it went. Because I am finishing up my prerequisites and I am begining to feel very frustrated with the college as they are cancelling programs and dont know when they will reopen and dont have any answers to my questions. I am wondering if ANYONE has ever become a sonographer through MSU??

You better try to transfer to a different school before it's too late and the program gets closed due to multiple mishaps. Ask them to return the money to the fin aid and to your loan lenders.

Thanks Lori,
I have already left MSU!! How can I get them to give me my money back? Have you had your money returned to you?

you did not pay just for a set of classes, but for an education that they failed to provide as per your agreement with the school.you'd need to contact the FAFSA and let them know about this fraudulent school and contact your lenders if you had loans they have an option to cancel your loans if you dealt with a fraudulent school.

Is there anyone that still decided to pursue the program that was eligible and waiting?

Ally in Oak Park, Michigan said: Thanks Lori,
I have already left MSU!! How can I get them to give me my money back? Have you had your money returned to you?

Hi Ally, I live in the same area and left MSU also. What other school did you decide to transfer to?

Hi Nikki,
For now I am in Thomas Edison State College. They took all of my MSU credits which is great and I am working towards a BA. Eventually I would like to find another online place to do Ultrasounds but for now I am just going to be working on getting my BA.

Nikki10 in Canton, Michigan said: Is there anyone that still decided to pursue the program that was eligible and waiting?

Yes , I have finished all prereques and waiting for entry into the program. There were a 11 application and only 18 openings... so waiting fora chance in the fall.

Roxy in Waupaca, Wisconsin said: Yes , I have finished all prereques and waiting for entry into the program. There were a 11 application and only 18 openings... so waiting fora chance in the fall.

If there are more openings than applicants run away!!!
Usually at respectable school there are 200 applicants and 18 openings. Stay away from msu they are losers !!!

Hey Roxy the numbers that you gave are incorrect...here are the correct ones from Tammy M. her self
"There were 121 applicants ready for the spring 2012 selection. The top 18 students were accepted into the program".

If you have half of your credits how long does the bachelors take if you have associates in general education and what are the time you would do your clincals can you take them at night?

lisa in Bothell, Washington said: So the accreditation was "kind of suspended" who told you that? I bet someone from the program "management". Did you ask them why? I wish you are lucky to complete the program and be eligible for ARDMS, but if they lose the accreditation soon due to many lawsuits what are you going to do?

Aren't you all tired from all your panic attack? What if, what if, what if? Due to lawsuits they can lose money, not accreditation. While you, guys, barking around MSU, other students read their haevy books,make their brains haevy with knoledge and look forward. I wish all of you be positive and stop blaming amd complaining, it is phylosophy of weak poor people. Stay strong, positive and build up your life...Good luck.

lisa in Bothell, Washington said: So the accreditation was "kind of suspended" who told you that? I bet someone from the program "management". Did you ask them why? I wish you are lucky to complete the program and be eligible for ARDMS, but if they lose the accreditation soon due to many lawsuits what are you going to do?

Aren't you all tired from all your panic attack? What if, what if, what if? Due to lawsuits they can lose money, not accreditation. While you, guys, barking around MSU, other students read their haevy books,make their brains haevy with knoledge and look forward. I wish all of you be positive and stop blaming amd complaining, it is phylosophy of weak poor people. Stay strong, positive and build up your life...Good luck.

Love your post and I feel the same way. All they have to do is get on the ARDMS website and read that if at anytime you attend a program and it's accredited whether they lose it or not they consider you to still be a graduate of an accredited program and you can sit for the ARDMS exams. I sit and laugh at some of these crazy posts because they haven't done enough research and are giving false information. If anyone has questions about accreditation and being able to sit for your exams go to the head person and get your information and please dont listen to someone who can't and wouldn't work hard to finish the program. Some people might have jumped into this program and then started looking for a way out.

reka in Colorado Springs, Colorado said: They never lost DMS accreditation it was kind of suspended, they have it back. I am HAPPY DMS student, I love the program, the teachers, everything. I've got my clinical site. Instead ot complaining you have to work hard on your study and work with your clonical coordinator in order to help yourself to find clinical site. And everybody sign a contract wich said thad you are willing to travel, no problem! Blame yourself...

Wow, arent you the lucky one! Enrolling into this DMS program is like buying a lottery ticket, some win and many will lose. You may want to take this into consideration when driving 6 hours a day to your clinical site or when you have finished all your courses and still need to finish your clinicals. I dont live out of state and attended MSU at the Martinsburg campus for 3 years. We had clinical sites in our area,but lost them shortly after they removed our scan lab,so when we signed our travel agreements we were not informed of this situation and were left crossing our fingers for a site that was not out of state.I am now in another college w/ a scan lab and has no problems w/ having clinical sites w/in its area, but I have to take all my courses again, mind you I had also started taking BA courses before leaving MSU.You maybe happy now, but its not over yet and you maybe the next person making a negitive comment yourself.

Lara said: Yeah, she is so sweet..now There are over 10 lawsuits in process against Msu dms program

Whats even funnier is that most of the out of state students have no idea that thier clinical cordinators are quiet young, how much experience do you think they have?, are they even qualified for the positions they hold? Why are they working there and not in thier profession, talk about a cut in pay. Good luck folks,had enough quality time w/ the pixies at MSU.

I just found out that MSU is on probation (not kinda suspended),but also 2 clinical cordinators qualifications are being called into question, big surprise!!!!! The school I attend now has openned my eyes!!!!! This program is a joke and I attended it for all my AS courses. You have no idea what a poor education you are getting, no wonder they cant get clinical sites. My school education is intimidating, it makes MSU look like an ABC course. Run dont walk, I owe this school 40,000 and have no degree and have to start over again b/c thier courses were inadaquate. By the way I spent 1,000 on books and they want to give me less than a 100.00 for them! If it sounds to good to be true its a LIE!!!!!!!

Wow! My cousin was just telling me about this. We are both alums, BS DMS, there at MSU and I am saddened to see such a wonderful program go down the tubes. Actually, we graduated when it was still CWV. I agree with the previous poster that said they shouldn't have offered an online program. Sonography is so complex, and there is really no substitution for hands on training and didactic classes. The program director was my then instructor, and he was fantastic. I'm really sorry to hear of all of you are going through this. I do know how I could've made it through if I wasn't in the classroom and school lab. I hope MSU can recover from this and earn back its' reputation it (or CWV) once had and you all can get what you have paid for....

Robert Lilly runs the DMS program at the Beckley campus in WV and is the only MSU DMS program worth attending. The Beckley campus has a scan lab,along w/ clinical sites. The online program has a different program director, and is not worth the money or the frustrations that go along w/it.

reka in Colorado Springs, Colorado said: ...in addition...when we enrolled to our programm we signed a contract that said that we probably will need to travel for our clinical site, and we all signed "Yes". I remember lady who took interview with me asked that question "Are you willing to travel for your clinical site?" and I said "Yes"... so what are all surprises about and law cases after that? I don't get it.

Reka on 2007,2008,2009 MSU lied and promised students a clinical site in their area.
Did you understand what they are offering you now? They are offering you a clinical site iproblably in another state ( did they said on the contract how far?) Of course you will have to relocate and paid for all your expenses, you have to do a minimum of 35 to 40 hours Weekly for an entire year or more on a clinical site without pay so how are you going to sustain yourself? I do not understand why someone will sign something like that and do an online program, that defeats the concept of online programs(from your computer home) read he fine print, bye the way MSU is on probation with the DMS and loosing their credentials. Sorry that you are exited and you want to hear something different that goes with your dream, guess what? I wish I can tell you other news, they broke my dreams too. I'm not selling nothing, im just crying and trying to protect you, I was on your shoes, I know how it hurts after all that effort see your dreams crushed:((

AMEN!

I am sorry it did not work out for you...I've got my clinical site that I started yesterday...145 minutes from my house. I found my site by myself. Good luck to you too.

45 minutes not 145...

reka in Colorado Springs, Colorado said: I am sorry it did not work out for you...I've got my clinical site that I started yesterday...145 minutes from my house. I found my site by myself. Good luck to you too.

Hi Reka,
Got a couple of questions for you.. My fiance is currently a DMS student at MSU. She got int the program and we should be expecting a clinical site around August. We have been follwing this forum for a year now and there are definitely some people hurt from the DMS program.
1.My question for you is, how did you get the clinical site?
2.Did you have connections at that particular site?
3.How long did it take you to find the site?
4.How did you approach when looking for the site?
5.Lastly, was your clinical coordinator at MSU any help at all?

Our clinical coordinator hasn't called back or emailed. We emailed her and called her like 10 times. I just wish MSU's service was a bit better sometimes.

Sorry for all the questions. If could provide some answers, I would appreciate it very much. Thanks!!

That is what you have to do to get what you want. All of these negative posts are from negativ who want something handed to them. We ha students who travelled that far who were on campus. They did what they had to do. I wish you well.

C/O 2007. BS DMS

Koolykg in Suwanee, Georgia said: That is what you have to do to get what you want. All of these negative posts are from negativ who want something handed to them. We ha students who travelled that far who were on campus. They did what they had to do. I wish you well.

C/O 2007. BS DMS

If I had expected MSU to hand me a degree I dont think I would have been willing to do it all over again!!!!!! Not only did I have to bet out 200 students w/ my GPA I had to also bet them w/ mt TEAS scores(do you know what that is?) to get into my program. Hospitals do not have the time to teach MSU students the ABC's of scanning and they are not the ones being paid to teach someone who has maybe 6 hours experience w/ scanning, that is why real schools make sure their students are well prepared and have not only the experience of scanning but have an on going relationship w/ their clinical sites. MSU clinical sites are usually one hit wonders b/c they were led to believe these students had real scan time and not told the student had 3 days of scan time. Good luck to those of you lucky enough to get your degree,b/c you may not be so lucky when looking for a job!!!

Zo in Greenville, South Carolina said: Hi Reka,
Got a couple of questions for you.. My fiance is currently a DMS student at MSU. She got int the program and we should be expecting a clinical site around August. We have been follwing this forum for a year now and there are definitely some people hurt from the DMS program.
1.My question for you is, how did you get the clinical site?
2.Did you have connections at that particular site?
3.How long did it take you to find the site?
4.How did you approach when looking for the site?
5.Lastly, was your clinical coordinator at MSU any help at all?

Our clinical coordinator hasn't called back or emailed. We emailed her and called her like 10 times. I just wish MSU's service was a bit better sometimes.

Sorry for all the questions. If could provide some answers, I would appreciate it very much. Thanks!!

Let me guess,Natalie?,you do know 2 of the cordinators qualifications are being called into question, if you need proof I can tell ya where to look. The only advice I have for you is to start searching high and low for your own site,have the paperwork, speak w/ the proper people, if you leave it to the clinical cordinator you may be waiting a long time for a site and or it will be at least 3 hours away, it all depends on where you live. I hope you end up being one of the lucky winners in the lottery of MSU, many have lost!

sad in Charles Town, West Virginia said: Let me guess,Natalie?,you do know 2 of the cordinators qualifications are being called into question, if you need proof I can tell ya where to look. The only advice I have for you is to start searching high and low for your own site,have the paperwork, speak w/ the proper people, if you leave it to the clinical cordinator you may be waiting a long time for a site and or it will be at least 3 hours away, it all depends on where you live. I hope you end up being one of the lucky winners in the lottery of MSU, many have lost!

You are absolutely right. It is Natalie. After a week of leaving voice mails and emails, we finally got through to Tammy. I've already called some clinics around my area and fortunately, the sites are very open to helping us. Do you know the exact requirements set by MSU for the sites? Do they have to be a teaching hospital etc.

Thanks

Zo in Greenville, South Carolina said: You are absolutely right. It is Natalie. After a week of leaving voice mails and emails, we finally got through to Tammy. I've already called some clinics around my area and fortunately, the sites are very open to helping us. Do you know the exact requirements set by MSU for the sites? Do they have to be a teaching hospital etc.

Thanks

I would try to get that info. from some of the other students. I went to the Martinsburg campus, we were not allowed to find our own clinical sites so we had to hope and pray that the cordinator would do their best to find us a site w/in our area. I really dont believe they really cared about that, just wanted to get us in wherever and if we didnt like it we had to fill out a refusal form,after 3 refusals your out of the program, while they pocket the money and you dont get a degree. Whoever is training you at the site has to be ARMDS or your clinical wont count. As for them getting back to you good luck,and when they do,they just keep telling you what you want to hear, beware, as long as you realize and are able to obtain your own sites, you should be fine. If you wait around for them you could find yourself in my situation. I am in a online blended program which is awesome,w/scanlab, and months of scantime before going to clinicals,very happy w/it, just dont want others to go through the same thing.

First of all I have a job in Sonography. U guys are nothing but losers. Wanting to get in a field withno scanning skills. 3 days in a scanning lab for two years is sufficient. Most institutions do the same thing if you would have done your research. Clinical sites do not want online students because they have no scanning experience, and will not take the time to teach u the anatomy. The only thing that i fault mountain state for is offering an online program. I had enough sense to go to MSU on campus. I have mines now get yours. And yes, I do know what the teas test is. Thanks to MSU and their wonderful DMS education, I have and still am travelling all over the United States as a sonographer

C/O 2007 BS, DMS, RDMS.

First of all I have a job in Sonography. U guys are nothing but losers. Wanting to get in a field withno scanning skills. 3 days in a scanning lab for two years is sufficient. Most institutions do the same thing if you would have done your research. Clinical sites do not want online students because they have no scanning experience, and will not take the time to teach u the anatomy. The only thing that i fault mountain state for is offering an online program. I had enough sense to go to MSU on campus. I have mines now get yours. And yes, I do know what the teas test is. Thanks to MSU and their wonderful DMS education, I have and still am travelling all over the United States as a sonographer

C/O 2007 BS, DMS, RDMS.

Koolykg said: First of all I have a job in Sonography. U guys are nothing but losers. Wanting to get in a field withno scanning skills. 3 days in a scanning lab for two years is sufficient. Most institutions do the same thing if you would have done your research. Clinical sites do not want online students because they have no scanning experience, and will not take the time to teach u the anatomy. The only thing that i fault mountain state for is offering an online program. I had enough sense to go to MSU on campus. I have mines now get yours. And yes, I do know what the teas test is. Thanks to MSU and their wonderful DMS education, I have and still am travelling all over the United States as a sonographer

C/O 2007 BS, DMS, RDMS.

You are absolutely right about the MSU DMS program on the main campus! It is the online program that all of us LOSERS are complaining about, which you seem to agree with.

There is no need for name calling on here. I don't consider myself or my friends that graduated with me from that program losers. I graduated with scanning skills. I scanned every day for a year. One site I was at also had X-ray students from another school and I would scan them for practice between our actual patients. When I was on campus for my scanning lab I became very bored. I studied hard so I knew my anatomy before I went. I scanned students that were in the traditional program during my lab. Once you scan a person, scanning them over and over isn't a challenge. I got ALL my hours of scanning in the real world so I don't think all of us are losers. I do agree that the traditional program is great, but that is not an option for everyone. I do agree though the people on here that keep complaining seem to have not wanted to work for it and just wanted it handed to them. They say they were lied to but we all knew we might have to travel. My clinical site took me in following them for one week and told me to study hard and watch everything because the next week I would be on my own. Plus they are not a one hit wonder and I was not their first student. They said they have been very impressed with the students MSU had sent them in the past. Just so everyone knows .. Yes we do and are getting jobs.

I graduated from the MSU DMS program & i consider myself 1 of the ”lucky ones”. I started the program back in 08 when we were lied 2 about Clinical sites. Lucky 4 me i found my own Clinical site by luck. But when i told others to look for their own sites i was sent a letter of disciplinary action due to the fact that they DID NOT want us to find our own sites. I guess that finally changed that. I never signed any agreement about having to move to find a site. I would not have went to the program if i did. When i started there was no entrance exam, no interview, pro nothing i Just applied & got in. MSU makes you think they're helping you but the truth is if want anything done you better do it yourself. I did end being lied to and having to move states to finish my Clinical rotation, again lucky for me i moved back to my home state & had the help of family. I still had to travel over a hour to get to my site. So long story short i have 2 jobs now and am very happy, but MSU has nothing to do with that other than a name on a peice of paper. I did it through a hell of a lot of hardwork & determination and had a few lucky breaks along the way. If you go to MSU know your in for a fight to get a Clinical site and know you have to do it pretty much BY YOURSELF!!

I currently live in a state that does not have a college that offers anything like this program. I have a full time job, I am a single mother, and I am strugling to survive. I wanted to get a degree in this field so that I could make a better life for my daughter and I. I do not want anything handed to me and I can assure you I have worked my butt off so far in the program through MSU for over a year now. I am being told that I must wait until next spring to even apply for the DMS program...after working so hard for my pre-reqs. Only two of my professors have even bothered to email me back when I have had questions in the past. I am really tring at this, but the lack of responses and the news about their accrediation being called into question is very disheartening. Not to pile on the fact that all of you are name calling and prejudging those of us who actually try hard to get their degree in this field. I realize that it isnt an ideal situation, but when you don't have many other options and you have a shcool that bolsters a fully accreditied program online what else are you supposed to think. Then when your a few thousand dollars in debt and you have put so many hours into the program, you find that you must wait or that they cannot find a place for you to do your clincicals. I just wish someone would have given me more information about this before I made the choice, but the online staff don't seem to care enough to respond to emails or phone calls. This doesn't make me a loser, maybe naive, but by no means a loser. I just don't know what to do now as my back is against a wall. If I wait until the spring I have to start paying my student loans back. It just seems so underhanded. I wish I lived closer to the campus in order to take the courses there as that would have been my preference, but most of us who live in the real world know that things do not align perfectly and that sometimes we must do what is necessary to survive.

Can someone please tell me what the clinical site requirements are? I called around some clinic and I found a place but want to make sure it will meet requirements.

Thanks.

I am sorry about using the word loser to those in the online program. Those were not the best choice of words. I love Mountain State snd what they did for me. I am as passionoate for their program as many of you are against it. I had to do what i had to do, so i moved to West Virginia from Florida to get my degree. Ultrasound is not something u can learn online. U need the scanning lab. Years ago techs were willing to help students with clinicals, but the field had changed. We do not have time to train u from scratch. What mountain state should have done was allowed u to do your didactics online and made u come up for a month to train inthe
Lab. No tech wants to train a strictly online student. It is too much stress and time. We are tio busy for that. Understand that years ago that might have worked, but not today. Plus techs know that the shortage gap is closing up and they are protecting their jobs. Who wants to train their potential replacement. Sonographers are not stupid. In this recession theyare protecting themselves. MAYBE THAT IS WHY U CAN NOT GET CLINICAL SITES

C/O 2007 BS, DMS RDMS

I am sorry about using the word loser to those in the online program. Those were not the best choice of words. I love Mountain State snd what they did for me. I am as passionoate for their program as many of you are against it. I had to do what i had to do, so i moved to West Virginia from Florida to get my degree. Ultrasound is not something u can learn online. U need the scanning lab. Years ago techs were willing to help students with clinicals, but the field had changed. We do not have time to train u from scratch. What mountain state should have done was allowed u to do your didactics online and made u come up for a month to train inthe
Lab. No tech wants to train a strictly online student. It is too much stress and time. We are tio busy for that. Understand that years ago that might have worked, but not today. Plus techs know that the shortage gap is closing up and they are protecting their jobs. Who wants to train their potential replacement. Sonographers are not stupid. In this recession theyare protecting themselves. MAYBE THAT IS WHY U CAN NOT GET CLINICAL SITES

C/O 2007 BS, DMS RDMS

I do not know all the requirements but I do know they have to be an accredited facility and the tech that would be training you has to have the same certification that you would be learning. Example... If they are checking you off on OB/Gyn they have to have their OBGyn certification and so on. Plus they have to do a certain amount of scans in the office to be able to be used as a clinical site. If they are willing the clinical coordinator will have to take it over and get the contract set up.

I was actually accepted into the DMS program, but when I found out that I would have to pay almost $3000 extra just to attend after my loans and grants covered their part, I was upset. They advise you not to work during the program, but how is that possible? I felt bad afterwards, but as of now I'm happy that I didn't go through with it. I found a school who's tuition is only $107 per credit hour, and the way people are talking about their hardships with this school I'm glad that I did transfer when I did.

Koolykg I don't understand why you are even on this site??!!!You have your degree and that's great, but we are on here venting because we were lied to and we WANT what is due to us. Remeber that you were once in our shoes, and I know you probably hoped, wished, and prayed for someone to be able to train you in scanning... You really need to get off your high horse and keep your rude inconsiderate comments to yourself. MSU is a crock of Shabooboo and I'm not taking it back. They sold us a pipe dream and we all bought it with the intentions of fullfilling our dreams. Luckily for you, You made it through the fire. All of us worked hard to get to this "clinical phase" only to be shot down with empty gestures and "I'm still working to get you placed"! Just because you were able to STOP, DROP, and ROLL on to West Virginia to attend school there, everybody can't do that!! So I say please excuse us for being Loyal,Optimistic,Synchronized,Eager,Responsible,Students....trying to OBTAIN not RECEIVE their degrees!!!