Virginia College in birmingham, AL

I was wondering if I could hear from anyone who got their sonography training here- or if anyone knows the reputation? Is it a good school to attend? Can you sit for the ARDMS after attending here? Was it hard to find a job?
Thankyou for any help!!
Jen

I graduated from VC in Birmingham. I enjoyed the program. I'll put it in a nutshell. Now that I am working, I feel like VC offer me more then what is needed in the real world, which is great. I have the extensive training needed to make it out there. I would refer the program to anyone.

You can sit for CCI registry. ARDMS required One year on the job training. I decided to take the CCI one so I could become register. I got a job three months after I graduated. The job timing varies because it depends on when you complete the program. So come out doing a diverse needed time others come out doing a dead time. It depends on if you don't mind taking a position out of town. I've found that accepting a job in another state other then Alabama is very rewarding. Like, the pay, and getting a job much faster after school without being register.

Thankyou so much for answering! I had my "interview" there today and it sounds really good. They seem to think though that based on my test scores I would do better in respiratory therapy though for some reason. She said yes, the pay is higher for a sonographer, but that birmingham is a research hospital erea and there is a low need for sonographers here and I would have to go out of state to get a good job- as you said. I have a lot to think about now- in a very short time. Thank you so much!!

Intrigue- Thankyou for answering my questions. I had a few more if you have time to answer. What is CCI? I looked at some out of state job lisings- and in state (but there's not many here), and most of them even stated in their ads that they wanted someone with ARDMS. So I worry a bit about finding employment. I only have 2 days to decide. Respiratory Therapy sounds pretty good- especially since there are a lot of jobs, but the pay is a lot less. And I'm not only about the money, I hope I don't sound that way. I just want school to be worth my time as I have a son to raise, so time management (not working 12 hour shifts) and pay are a big factor whether I want them to be or not. :)

jlb4 said: Intrigue- Thankyou for answering my questions. I had a few more if you have time to answer. What is CCI? I looked at some out of state job lisings- and in state (but there's not many here), and most of them even stated in their ads that they wanted someone with ARDMS. So I worry a bit about finding employment. I only have 2 days to decide. Respiratory Therapy sounds pretty good- especially since there are a lot of jobs, but the pay is a lot less. And I'm not only about the money, I hope I don't sound that way. I just want school to be worth my time as I have a son to raise, so time management (not working 12 hour shifts) and pay are a big factor whether I want them to be or not. :)

In making a decision about school you must way your options. I want the decision to totally yours about which program to seek education in. I choose the Sonography program because I knew that I really wanted to be in that field. I new going in that it may be a challenge finding a job after. As I mention before depending on the time of completion their may or may not be a job available at that time. like now every hospital here in the birmingham metro area just about is hiring for a tech in ultrasound. I also went back to school to get my bachelors in health service management so I would have something else to lean on in the future. CCI is another recognized registry company. Although most say ARDMS if you are CCI registered they will honor you the same. So yes you have a lot to think about. But remember do what's best for you and at the same time make sure you will enjoy doing it in your life ahead. PS Iknew I wanted to make better then just ok pay and ultrasound gives me that.

Intrigue in Birmingham, Alabama said: In making a decision about school you must way your options. I want the decision to totally yours about which program to seek education in. I choose the Sonography program because I knew that I really wanted to be in that field. I new going in that it may be a challenge finding a job after. As I mention before depending on the time of completion their may or may not be a job available at that time. like now every hospital here in the birmingham metro area just about is hiring for a tech in ultrasound. I also went back to school to get my bachelors in health service management so I would have something else to lean on in the future. CCI is another recognized registry company. Although most say ARDMS if you are CCI registered they will honor you the same. So yes you have a lot to think about. But remember do what's best for you and at the same time make sure you will enjoy doing it in your life ahead. PS Iknew I wanted to make better then just ok pay and ultrasound gives me that.

I'm a fellow Virginia College student Graduating in Dec. I'm currently conducting my externship at Cooper Green Hospital. Can you tell me about any openings in the Birmingham area. I don't require benefits and can work weekends? Did you graduate in this past year? I'm so glad to hear of your success!!!

I want to seek a field in which I can become employed quickly. I'm in the transition of changing careers currently working as a CNA. I wish to know if Virgina College is a good school for ultra sound tech? Are some of the courses available online? How long is the program? What is the success rate for graduates becoming employed in Birmingham and its surrounding areas and how long does it take to find a job?

tonythom8 said: I want to seek a field in which I can become employed quickly. I'm in the transition of changing careers currently working as a CNA. I wish to know if Virgina College is a good school for ultra sound tech? Are some of the courses available online? How long is the program? What is the success rate for graduates becoming employed in Birmingham and its surrounding areas and how long does it take to find a job?

I'd like to know the answers to your questions too! The only online class I took while at Virginia College was Medical Law and Ethics. The program is two years. I'll be graduating in Dec. 2008 and will let you know about finding a job. I have two weeks left in my externship and as of right now, no job. Any other past Virginia College students out there?

I work with two girls at our local hospital who went to Virginia College for sonography and they said it was a great program.

For anyone considering the ultrasound program at Virginia College, there are a few drawbacks to keep in mind that aren't fully explained to prospective students. It is extremely daunting to look for a job in the ultrasound community without experience and registry. When you graduate Virginia college, you technically have neither. Because Virginia College is not accredited, you can't sit for your registry without a year's worth of continued full-time employment as an ultrasound technologist. Hospitals and clinics are beginning to require that a tech be registered. However, if you wisely pick an externiship in which there is an job opening or will be an up coming opening then you might luck up and get a job. That is exactly how I got my current job. But there are a ton of students flooding the market that come from community college programs in which they have already become registered or can sit for their registry immediately. This is something to think about. You could be potentially coming up against these students in a job interview. The upside to this is that there are a few good instructors in the program that raise the bar. I have found that some of these community college programs don't offer vascular or the program is divided into one modality a semester with clinical intertwined. Having all modalities and lab time taught every quarter at VC was extremely helpful. I found most often I was a better scanner than those that were new graduates and registered.

DangerousCookieMonster in Greenville, South Carolina said: Jib4 BEWARE! Gee, "Intrigue" sounds like she works for Virginia College! Maybe you should hear from someone less biased. I thought it was a terrible school, from the instructors to the shotty equipment in their labs. I was lied to and told that the school would be accredited by the time I graduated... NEVER HAPPENED! That school is only concerned with your money. Don't plan on staying in Birmingham if you need a job, b/c sub-par schools like Virginia College keep saturating the market with unprepared techs (I went out of state for employment). There are plenty of other (better) options.Don't waste your time with CCI. The lab accreditation laws and insurance reimbursement policies keep changing and only RDMS will be recognized. I just wanted to let you hear from someone that was completely burned/disgusted with that school!!! Good luck!

All of the above sad, but very true. I also went to school there and while I do have a job, it took me four months to get one because no one wanted to hire me because I went to school there. It's very costly compared to other programs and still not accredited by CAAHEP. Beware of lies and make sure you know the right questions to ask or you will be mislead like we were.

jlb4 said: I was wondering if I could hear from anyone who got their sonography training here- or if anyone knows the reputation? Is it a good school to attend? Can you sit for the ARDMS after attending here? Was it hard to find a job?
Thankyou for any help!!
Jen

I graduated from VC and did not find a job until two years later. When I first started at VC they were suppose to help you find a job, they refered me to one hospital, I called and never heard anything else from them. Otherwise,the training at the College is very much hands on. It is a good program, if you are planning to look for a job outside of Alabama.

Danna in Birmingham, Alabama said: I'd like to know the answers to your questions too! The only online class I took while at Virginia College was Medical Law and Ethics. The program is two years. I'll be graduating in Dec. 2008 and will let you know about finding a job. I have two weeks left in my externship and as of right now, no job. Any other past Virginia College students out there?

The sonograpy program does not offer online classes. Only your basic classes can be taken online if offered by the College. It took me a couple of years to find a job.

Gina Atkins in Trussville, Alabama said: All of the above sad, but very true. I also went to school there and while I do have a job, it took me four months to get one because no one wanted to hire me because I went to school there. It's very costly compared to other programs and still not accredited by CAAHEP. Beware of lies and make sure you know the right questions to ask or you will be mislead like we were.

I'm so sorry you got burned too! I've actually heard from a few other techs that went to school there that they had similar (or worse) experiences. I'm happy for everyone that found it positive, but in hindsight, I would NEVER have gone there. So, if I can save even one person from going through what I went through, it's worth it!
Good luck to everyone!

Even though I ended up with the Respiratory program, I still get these e-mails since I subscribed to this feed. i wanted to thank you all for your comments. i didn't have much time to decide on things- before i even walked out of the office, they had me with 40,000 in student loans for a 2 year program1!! I was told the resp. program would be accredited by January- they aren't yet- and its February. I was told everyone who had taken the course had passed boards on the 1st try becouse it was such an excellent school- but found out last week they only had a 20% pass rate. I know its a different program, but so far, all the bad things that were said have held true. Now i'm looking to find out if i can change my school loans to another school?? Then i wouldn't have to take out so much- and wouldn't have so much to pay back in loans. I'm not going to school just to bay back loans for 15 years!! Becouse that much comes out to over 400 a month to pay back, i think??
Any answers on that??
Anyways, thanks everybody!!
:)

p.s. Sorry about all the typos, I was in a hurry! :)

Yes, you can have federal school loans (Sallie Mae, Pell, William D. Ford, etc.) transferred to any learning institution. Make sure you call the US Dept. of Education (sorry, the forum won't let me give you the #)or go to the website and log in to your account (www.dl.ed.gov)to change the info. DO NOT leave it up to VC; I was told they would submit my request, but when I went to register, all my funding was still going to VC. It was a nightmare! It took me 3 months to have it transferred and my account credited. BTW, Wallace State and every other school that offers ultrasound (that's not a VC branch) has a maximum tuition of 10K. There's usually a 2 yr wait, but it's cheaper, and you can sit for the the registry. Hope this helps!

As I stated I would, I am returning to this forum to update you on graduating and finding a job. I was offered a position this week by a major hospital in B'ham. This was not my externship. I had to seek out and interview for this job on my own as most college graduates have to do. I have a daughter graduating from the University of Alabama and as far as I know, that institution has not helped her find a job. I wish they would! I believe I did receive a sound education regarding this field. Every one of my instructors cared about our success and I watched each of them give everything they had, including good advice, to me and my classmates. I felt they were well versed in their line of study. You have to remember to some degree, an education is what you make of it. The machines at Virginia College are machines being used out in the real world. Actually, they were better than the one used at my externship. I can only speak for myself, but I don't believe I was misled or lied to about anything, maybe because I asked a lot of questions to begin with and continued to ask all through the program. I am very proud of my education. I think highly of my instructors! There are areas that I agree with the posters on. Your externship is highly important! It will be your first chance for a job or recommendation. Where ever you choose to go to school, make sure those around you know what you are studying and get word out early you will be seeking a job in a year or so and stay in contact. I do wish Virginia College was accredited with the A.R.D.M.S. so I could have taken my registry if I wanted to at that time, but I knew that status going in. I had to make a choice that was best for me and I chose VC and it has been a very positive experience for me. Good Luck to all of you where ever you choose to get your education!

I am also a student at Virginia College in birmingham, however I am enrolled in there respiratory program. I WOULD NOT ADVISE ANYONE TO ENROLL IN THERE PROGRAM. I will be graduating at the end of the summer and if I wanted to go back to school I would have to go back there because no other schools in or around the birmingham area will accept there credits so basically I am stuck either way. The tuition there increases every quarter so I do not understand the concept of having to sign a contract. The only upside to this is they recently became accredited for the respiratory program (hooray)and I feel like it can be so much more than that.

I DO NOT RECOMMEND THIS SCHOOL TO ANYONE!!! It is pure robbery the tuition that they charge. I finished in 2003 in the sonography program and it took me 1 1/2 years to find a job. They did NOT help me with the job placement either. I was also lied to about the CAAHEP accreditation. I have a great job now but a month after graduating I interviewed at this hospital that i am currently employed with and they advised me to go elsewhere for experience. They were very discouraged from the former VC graduates they had interviewed. 3 years later I am working for that hospital. One of my friends that graduated with me (went to the school on a paid scholarship) is currently employed at subway. It is YOUR decision but if I had only known then what I know now I would have NEVER attended that school.

I too have my horror stories from this school, along with many other people I'm finding out! I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I wish I would've found this blog BEFORE I went to school there. I can only hope that I help other people by telling them "DO NOT GO TO VIRGINIA COLLEGE!!!!" Here's my question: Why can't the school be investigated or sanctioned? I've never in my life heard so many bad experiences from people concerning a college! There has to be a governing body where you can file grievances or someone that can look into the school. I really hate to hear that more people keep getting screwed by them. Personally, I think something needs to be done about it! That school makes so much money off of sonography students and has the worst practices I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing! Any suggestions on where to begin?

I don't know if this is true, but I was told that Virginia College offers a 6 month course for ultrasound.

Not true. It's a 2 year associates degree program.

I graduated from Virginia college in 1997 with a so called degree in medical administration and assisting. I have not to this day worked in this field and still owe over $12,000.00 in loans. No one ever told us or prepared us to get a license in medical assisting. So I never took a test to get a licenses. We were told that after graduation we would be set to make good money in the medical field.We were also told they were accredited but we not at the time I was in school so none of my credits are recognized by any other college. This was the biggest scam I have ever seen. I wish there was a way to get out of paying back this loan that I have been paying back for 12 years for a bogus degree. I would seriously think twice before attending Virginia college.

DangerousCookieMonster in Greenville, South Carolina said: I too have my horror stories from this school, along with many other people I'm finding out! I'm sorry to hear about your friend. I wish I would've found this blog BEFORE I went to school there. I can only hope that I help other people by telling them "DO NOT GO TO VIRGINIA COLLEGE!!!!" Here's my question: Why can't the school be investigated or sanctioned? I've never in my life heard so many bad experiences from people concerning a college! There has to be a governing body where you can file grievances or someone that can look into the school. I really hate to hear that more people keep getting screwed by them. Personally, I think something needs to be done about it! That school makes so much money off of sonography students and has the worst practices I've ever had the displeasure of experiencing! Any suggestions on where to begin?

I toldly agree with you I am all for Virginia College being investigated and maybe I could stop paying for a degree I cannot use. I have been paying on this loan for 12 years and it is useless.

I just finished ultrasound school at VC! I love the instructors and I think that I got a great education! As for the tuition ...HA!! I have been done now for 3 monthes and can not find a job! I know its a hard time but all I keep hereing is "you need a year experience" or "sorry your not registared"!
If anyone out there knows of anything in the Birmingham or surrounding areas please let me know!

Another case of "I wish I could've warned you earlier!" I'm so tired of that school defrauding people! I don't know if I can do it from South Carolina, but any of you girls that still are in Alabama should report them to the Better Business Bureau. My God, all they have to do is read our blog!I hope you have better luck finding a job. I don't know if it's an option for you, but I had a to apply to out of state jobs. Take care!

Hi-
I manage a medical clinic in Birmingham, Alabama. We have an ultrasound machine that we need to be shown how to use. If anyone would be interested in coming by our office to show us how to use it please contact me. Pay: $150. mandy8403@yahoo.com

what kind of ultrasound machine is it?

BTL-4000 series ultrasound combo machine

jlb4 said: I was wondering if I could hear from anyone who got their sonography training here- or if anyone knows the reputation? Is it a good school to attend? Can you sit for the ARDMS after attending here? Was it hard to find a job?
Thankyou for any help!!
Jen

FYI, Wallace State College has an accredited DMS program and the VC program is not accredited. So, Wallace has a much better rep. Also, you can sit for the ARDMS registries immediately after you finish the program. In fact, you can take the physics registry before graduating if you wish. Plus, Wallace is less than 1/3 the cost of VC and you much more hands on clinical time. (I know because I went and talked to VC before I found out about Wallace).

Thanks for all of the feedback on Virginia College, I actually had an appointment to talk with them tomorrow about the sonography program and thanks to all of the comments I believe that I will be looking elsewhere!! However,I am sorry about all of the bad experiences that you all have had.

I'm so happy that at least one person was helped by this forum! The horrible recession that our country is in has made finding jobs for non-registered ultrasound techs nearly impossible. If you're still interested in pursuing a career in ultrasound, do yourself a favor: go to an accredited school!It will make life sooo much easier when you graduate.
Good luck and keep us posted!

So I'm hearing good and bad comments about Virginia College and I must've been misled into thinking that they are accredited? Ultrasound is a career that I am very much so interested but the only program near me is not accredited either. So I'm going for an associates in accounting to work my way through an accredited program. Does anyone know of a program that is accredited. Maybe a program that you've graduated from and could tell me details, good and bad. Thanks!

No, Virginia College is NOT accredited! If they tell you they are "working" on their accredidation, they are LYING. They told me that line and they are still not accredited 4 years later. There are only 3 schools in Alabama that are CAAHEP accredited and recognized bt ARDMS: 1) Council Trenholm State Technical College - Montgomery, AL
Website: www.trenholmtech.cc.al.us
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Program
1225 Air Base Blvd
Montgomery , AL - 36108
Degrees: Associate
Concentration: General
Program Director: Brandi Merrill BS, RDMS, RVT
Email: bsmerrill@trenholmstate.edu

2) Institute of Ultrasound Diagnostics - Mobile, AL
Website: www.iudmed.com
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Program
31214 Coleman Lane
Suite A
Spanish Fort , AL - 36527
Degrees: Certificate
Concentration: General
Program Director: Kathryn A. Gill MS, RT(R), RDMS
Email: kgill@iudmed.com

3) Wallace State Community College - Hanceville, AL
Website: www.wallacestate.edu
Diagnostic Medical Sonographer Program
801 Main Street
PO Box 2000
Hanceville , AL - 35077
Degrees: Associate
Concentration: General
Program Director: Janet Money BS, RDMS, CNMT, RT(N)
Email: janet.money@wallacestate.edu

I suggest one of these schools because you will know where you stand concerning your education and career choices. I wish I had know about this blog before I chose a school. DO NOT GO TO VIRGINIA COLLEGE!!! You will thank me, the other girls on the blog, and God!
Hope this helps!

jlb4 said: I was wondering if I could hear from anyone who got their sonography training here- or if anyone knows the reputation? Is it a good school to attend? Can you sit for the ARDMS after attending here? Was it hard to find a job?
Thankyou for any help!!
Jen

Don't know what you decided, however, while Virginia College is accredited as a school, its sonography program is not. I attended Wallace State. Also, from my interactions with students of Virginia College's program i do not feel that they adequately prepare you for having a job right out of school. Upon my inquiries at VC, i was informed that they recommended a year of on the job training before getting registered as a sonographer. I was been job hunting for about 3 months without being registered and frankly, no one is interested in hiring someone who isn't registered. Most websites indicate that the application will not be taken seriously unless it has your licensing information on it. Hope this helps!

i have been attending virginia college for sonography for 1 year and i feel i am getting a great education. we have 8 machines in our lab to practice on...how many does wallace have? and i think the amount of "hands on" time we receive is outstanding. the teachers have changed since 2003 and they are very knowledgeable. Not having CAAHEP is a bummer, but i think a lot of these people who have been burned probably failed a class or two and were charged again to retake it so keep that in mind.

I am glad you feel you are getting a good education. But I got burned and I WAS ON THE DEAN'S LIST EVERYTIME AND NEVER FAILED A CLASS. I graduated with a useless degress in Medical Administration and Assisting and have tried to get a job in that field since graduating in 1997. No business that I have talked to will even reconize the degree because it came from VC. I have applied to other colleges as well and no other college will count my credits that I earned from VC,therefore I have not returned to college as I still owe over $12,000.00 for my so called education I got from VC. Good Luck in the future, but you are wrong when you said you felt that some failed classes and had to retake them. That is not my case I would not recommend VC to my worst enemy.

VC,is not accreditted and is not going to be.The staff is going to tell u that they r working on it ,but its not going to happen.the program is outrageous and they try to make it difficult to pass the program,if u fail a class u can not advance to next one for 6 months.When in the lab,half the time the teachers r not there.god 4bid there be enough time to get homework done .Once u get it done it takes 4ever to get it back,the teachers always had an excuse about it not being handed out before the next assignment was do.The program is all about getting your money and thats it.

I am a recent graduate of VC college for ultrasound and I DO NOT agree with the above post. There was plenty of time to do your scanning homework you just had to make use of the large amount of lab hours you are offered(plus the 8 machines they have for you to use). The teachers are also always avaliable to help you with what you are doing in the lab...two of the teachers offices are located in the lab. I also believe that my teachers did an amazing job of teaching us, they even stayed late some nights just to help us out. I also never had one problem with homework being returned on time. We recevied graded homework/test/quizes/scans back to us every class. I do agree with the fact that the ultrasound program there is hard.....but if you put in the time an effort you can do it! Would you really want to put your health issues in the hands of someone who did not have good training?

I agree completely with the last poster, in every area! I am proud of my education at Virginia College, proud of the dedication and time my instructors took to make sure I would be prepared in every way possible for work as a Diagnostic Sonographer. It is a difficult program, as it should be. These are people's lives that will be in your hands and they have the belief that you are educated and well versed in this field. I watched each day how hard my instructors worked to make sure we received a quality education. I never witnessed apathy or laziness on their part at ANY time during my education. Have you ever heard anyone say going through med school, nursing school, or any other health field was a breeze? NO, and this field is certainly NOT med school, but many aspects are not far off either. Trust me, when you work as a sonographer, time and stress management is crucial. These are skills you begin to learn in the program. If you want to succeed in having a career in this line of work, then you best dedicate yourself to all that is offered. Utilize the machines, the clinicals, the teachers, the externship, and manage your time wisely. The opportunity to have a quality education is there, but it's up to you to make sure you take advantage of it and put in the time to deserve it. It's that way at any school in any program in my opinion.

Sorry, but most of the posts I read have nothing to do with the amount of time allotted for homework,the degree of difficulty, etc. It has to do with the horribly over-priced education, sub-par qualifications and bad attitudes of the teaching staff,and misleading information given to applicants. I'm happy that you had a pleasant experience at VC (are you married to the Dean?). Maybe the the school improved during your attendance, but from the content of the other recent posts, I doubt it. Here's my question: If VC has "change their ways and is so great now, why are they STILL NOT ACCREDITED???
Just a thought...

Same situation as me: never failed a class (actually did VERY well), but was constantly on the defensive because I stood up for myself and questioned when the instructors contradicted the book. I felt that because I wasn't one of the "good 'ol boys" I was not only ostracized but discriminated against (I complained to corporate, but never got a response; after my 3rd phone call, I decided to suck it up, graduate, and NEVER look back or recommend that school!)

Okay, I am currently a student in the DMS program at VC in Bham. Here is my viewpoint: the program itself is hard, as it should be; because like someone else above said, would you want someone who got thru the program but didn't really know what they're doing telling your doctor what they found on the scans? I think not. The teaching staff: they're awesome!!!! They put a lot of time, energy, and care into everything they teach us and if you don't understand something, they won't just move on from the topic and tell you to figure it out yourself. They actually stop and help you understand until you really get it. The lab: we have 8 machine stations, with 6 machines currently working. And yes, machines break down every once in a while, but when something like that happens, the teachers always understand and help us figure out ways to get our homework done. The tuition: yes, the tuition is kinds pricey, but hey, I came from another school from a different program and the tuition was almost just as expensive. And the CAAHEP accreditation: no, we still are not accredited, although they have recently this past year reapplied for it due to new qualifications (or something like that).

So, I feel very lucky to be at this school for my DMS education. Is it expensive? Yes. Is it accredited? No. But you know what, it doesn't really matter to me. If the program is still not accredited by the time I graduated this year, then fine. What's one more year of achieving another goal in order to get what I want, which is to be a registered sonographer. But you also have to think, if you can sell yourself in your clinicals and externship, word is going to get around that you're a good sonographer. The sonography community is small, so word will spread. You need to sell yourself cuz if you don't then even if you are accredited, no one is going to hire you. Also, I personally would rather go to a school that gives you LOADS of hands on experience but isn't accredited than somewhere.....

....else that gives you lots of hands on CLINICAL experience; which is fine, except that when you're out at clinicals, they don't have to teach you how to do anything! That's not their job! So you could go into clinicals expecting to learn how to scan, and come out not knowing anything new at all. I defnitely wanna know what I'm doing before hand so that when I get to clinicals/externship, I'll know what's going on, what I'm looking at, and how to scan it myself. So yeah, that's just my viewpoint on the program. Plus, I know people who graduated from here, got jobs, and then got accredited. The people at my clinical site right now all graduated from VC, got jobs, and then got better jobs after that. So don't let VC not being accredited discourage you!!! If you do absolutely everything in your power, you will find a job somewhere!

I'm thrilled that you're having a positive experience with Virginia College (so far). That now makes two people who can vouch for the school. Not really good odds when you think about it. That must mean they cleaned house and got all new instructors. Thankfully, this is a board for the good and bad; unfortunately, it's more bad than good concerning Virginia College. Good luck to you!

I wanna see how thrilled you are when you start searching for a job! i think it was one of the instructors writing all of those positive remarks...thankfully i have a well paying U/S job. Just a little FYI it took me a year and a half to get it. No one wants to hire an unregistered new grad ultrasound tech that has to work one year before taking their ARDMS registry! Good Luck! Not trying to discourage just stating the facts! Most hospitals are not fans of Virginia College. Mine will not consider a VC graduate. I worked some where else for a year making $14.00 an hour just to get experience. Then reapplied to the same hospital and scored the job.

I would recommend Wallace State Community College in Hanceville, AL. Tuition is a fraction of the cost and you can take your ARDMS registry the day you graduate. Good Luck!! I fully agree with the last post. My employer will not consider a new graduate from Virginia College at Birmingham.

I graduated in 2008 and I feel I have a great education, BUT I am still unemployed!!!! Anybody out there know of an opening in Bham??? I would greatly appreciate it! :)