After several years of advocacy efforts by HSA, British Columbians will see the launch of the College of New Caledonia (CNC)’s Northern Diagnostic Medical Sonography program, scheduled to begin in Prince George in January 2019. Show
Sonographers form a critical part of the public health team through producing sonographic images to assist medical practitioners in the diagnosis of a variety of medical conditions. An increase in training spaces in sonography will help to reduce waitlists for ultrasounds and improve patient care across BC. “For several years, our public health system has been impacted by a critical shortage of sonographers, particularly in northern and remote communities. These new training spaces are an important step forward,” said HSA President Val Avery. The College of New Caledonia is the first public post-secondary institution in BC to offer a sonography program outside Metro Vancouver. Eight seats are available beginning in January, and the program will expand the following year to 16 spaces. The British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT) is the only other public institution in the province that offers students an opportunity to be trained in sonography. Through its Constituency Liaison program, HSA has lobbied the province to invest in training spaces for sonographers outside Metro Vancouver, calling for a second training program to support recruitment efforts in northern and remote regions. HSA has also called for an increase to the number of training spaces offered in BCIT’s Diagnostic Medical Sonography Diploma program. In August 2016, the joint Recruitment and Retention Committee of the Health Sciences Professional Bargaining Association (HSPBA) and Health Employers Association of BC (HEABC) recommended that the Ministry of Health and Ministry of Advanced Education consider creating a second Diagnostic Medical Sonography Diploma program located outside of Metro Vancouver. HSA played a lead role in the HSPBA’s work, with important input from member Sonographers and the BC Ultrasonographers’ Society. “Health science professionals are the backbone of our public health system,” said Avery. “HSA will continue to advocate for a provincial health human resources strategy, with dedicated funding for training and retention across health science professions.” The application deadline for CNC’s two-year Northern Diagnostic Medical Sonography program is September 14, 2018 for the 2019 winter semester.  Photo above: College of New Caledonia instructor Sheldon Bailey with a student and Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training, in the College of New Caledonia sonography program. “A sonography program at CNC will help tackle waitlists, while providing the opportunity for northern graduates to succeed and thrive closer to home,” Melanie Mark, Minister of Advanced Education, Skills and Training, told the Prince George Citizen. Diagnostic medical sonographers play a critical role by providing key information leading to earlier diagnosis and support ongoing patient management using ultrasound technology. “Too many people are on lengthy waitlists for critical medical care, such as ultrasounds,” said Adrian Dix, Minister of Health. “We’re working to increase the number of sonography graduates throughout the province, with more spaces at the British Columbia Institute of Technology, as well as the first sonography program outside the Lower Mainland, so more people can get the care they need.” At CNC, sonography students get dual training in both cardiac ultrasound and general ultrasound, which looks at the abdomen, pelvis and obstetrics. “Here in the North, there is a great need for sonographers trained in both general and cardiac ultrasound,” said Glenda Vardy Dell, CNC dean of the school of health sciences. “CNC students are in a unique position, because they will be equipped to offer dual skill sets to the hospital or clinic they work in.” CNC’s sonography lab is equipped with eight state-of-the-art ultrasound machines and ultrasound simulators. The high-fidelity simulators use augmented reality to facilitate engaging and intuitive learning in cardiac, lung, abdominal and obstetrics/gynecology ultrasound. “CNC students are trained on the newest technology available in the field of sonography,” added Vardy Dell. Admission preference was given to northern B.C. candidates, to address regional demand by encouraging students who are from the North to study and continue to work in the area. Of the eight students in the first cohort of the program, seven are from northern B.C. “We are very pleased to see the start of this important addition to health care education opportunities in the North,” said Dr. Shyr Chui, Northern Health medical lead, diagnostic imaging. “CNC’s sonography program has been a remarkable experience so far,” said Sara Wiggins, a student in the CNC’s first cohort. “Using ultrasound machines to learn about the human body is really exciting.” The Province is providing $640,000 in annual funding – $400,000 for one-time startup costs and capital funding of $1.5 million for equipment and renovations. The number of students enrolled in the program’s second cohort is scheduled to increase to 16 during the next intake. In 2018, B.C. had about 740 sonographers and there are an estimate 370 job openings between 2018 and 2028. The median wage rate for sonographers is $37.11 per hour and the top 10 per cent earn $48.56 per hour.
BCIT has received funding to expand their Diagnostic Sonography program. The 27-month full-time Diploma program, commonly known as Ultrasound, uses high-frequency sound waves to examine the developing fetus, heart, abdomen, pelvis, and blood vessels. The program will add 16 first-year seats; eight seats were added in September 2019, and another eight first year seats to be added in 2020 will increase total capacity to 48 first-year seats. While the academic requirements for admission include high school English, Math, Biology and Physics, the highly selective admissions process gives preference to applicants with some post-secondary experience, in addition to a strong GPA, and demonstrated interest in the field. BCIT was the first post-secondary to offer diagnostic sonography in BC and is also one of only three institutions in Canada to teach cardiovascular profusion, both of which are critically important specialties in the healthcare system. In October 2019, the Province announced Vancouver Island’s first Diagnostic Medical Sonography program will be launched at Camosun College, and in 2020-21 the Province will provide operating funding toward northern BC’s first sonography program at the College of New Caledonia (CNC) in Prince George. Sonographers are in the top 13 health professions that have been identified as in high demand. The 2018 BC Labour Market Outlook projected 82,100 job openings in the health professions by 2028.
Applicants must choose their option at the time of application. Applicants are requested to provide a second and possible third choice. In the event that their preferred option has no remaining capacity, they may be offered a seat in another option. Top Why do I have to choose my option when I apply?Because the clinical spaces for each option are limited, the numbers of students in each option must be set at the start of the program. This will prevent any of the options from being over-requested which could result in students being placed in an undesired option later in the program. Top Can I change options during the program?Changing options is unlikely and will be possible only in the event that a space opens up in another option. However, because the first year of the program is common, single option students can potentially return to complete the other option following graduation. Top How can I make my application more competitive?Admission to the program is highly competitive. In addition to completing all of the prerequisites, successful applicants typically have the following profile:
The questionnaire that is included with the application should exhibit thoughtful, articulate answers to all questions as these are carefully reviewed for the purpose of short-listing candidates. Top How competitive is the program, and is there a waitlist?We can receive anywhere from 140 to 280 complete applications each year. Currently, we accept 32-40 students into the program. Historically, we have invited 80-100 students to participate in the second stage of the selection process. Acceptance into the program is based on the ranked score achieved during the selection process. Some applicants who are not among the top 32-40 will be placed on a waitlist for the current intake in the event that a seat becomes available. The waitlist is cleared once the program intake is full and the first program term has commenced; unsuccessful applicants must re-apply to be considered for next year. Top Can I apply to the program whilst I’m working on meeting the prerequisites, or do I need to wait until all are complete?You should only apply when you have fully met all the academic requirements. If you apply without having completed all minimum entrance requirements, your application will be marked incomplete by Admissions. Incomplete applications do not go forward into the competitive selection process. Top Is taking the Casper assessment a requirement now? What is Casper?Yes. The Casper test has been a minimum entrance requirement for applicants since the 2021 intake. Casper is an online test which assesses for non-cognitive skills and interpersonal characteristics that we believe are important for successful students and graduates of our program. Casper complements the other tools that we use for applicant screening. Top Are applicants to this program required to record Altus Snapshot?No. Whilst some other BCIT School of Health Sciences programs do require Altus Snapshot, Sonography does not at this time. You can record Altus Snapshot, but it will not effect your application to Sonography in any way. Top Do you consider GPA within the selection process?Preference will be given to applicants with a strong GPA, post-secondary education, a demonstrated interest in the field, and related volunteer/work experience. It is important that transcripts demonstrate an aptitude for success in past academic courses. The program selects, from a large pool of complete applications, only those candidates deemed to have the best opportunity for success. Meeting minimum entrance requirements and having a high GPA does not guarantee you will be selected for the second stage of the competitive entry process. Top What can I do to prepare myself for success in the selection process?The program looks for well-rounded individuals who will be successful as students and as future diagnostic medical sonographers. Ensure that you have researched what it means to be a sonographer and are aware of the scope of the work involved. Top I have met all prerequisites for the program. What post-secondary courses can you recommend to support my success in the selection process and in the program?Post-secondary health-related courses and those in human anatomy and physiology, pathology, and physics will strengthen your application and would support your overall success in the program. Be aware that many successful applicants have completed university degrees, so post-secondary education is an important factor. Top Can I apply for transfer credit for my college/university courses?Most courses are program-specific. Typically only patient care and communication courses will be considered. If you feel you have completed courses equivalent to the Sonography program courses, you may apply for individual transfer credit within the first two weeks of the program start. Please note: If individual course transfer credit is granted, this will not reduce your tuition or the duration of the program; it will only reduce your course load. Top Proof of residency may be requested to confirm status in BC, documentation such as utility, cellular or insurance bills (automotive or otherwise) would be required. Top |
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