Career Details

This curriculum is designed to prepare students to produce diagnostic images of the human body using special equipment to direct high frequency sound waves into different anatomic structures in a patient's body. The sonographer is a central member of the healthcare team and assists the radiologist in gathering diagnostic data for interpretation. NOVA's program emphasizes didactic and 'hands-on' practice of sonographic techniques in a well-equipped scanning laboratory at the Medical Education Campus in Springfield, Virginia. Clinical experience is acquired at numerous area hospitals and private medical affiliates.

Students in the Diagnostic Medical Sonography degree program learn to perform an ultrasound of the Abdomen and Small Parts as well as Obstetric and Gynecologic sonography. Upon successful completion of the degree requirements, the student will be eligible to apply to take the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) examination(s) leading to credentials as a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.

The curriculum prepares students to produce diagnostic images of the heart structures and motion to diagnose cardiovascular changes. The echocardiographer uses special equipment to direct high frequency sound waves into areas of the patient's body. The echocardiographer is a central member of the health care team and assists the radiologist in body image interpretation. Upon successful completion of degree requirements, the student will be eligible to apply to take the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography examinations leading to credentials as a Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS^®).

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to produce diagnostic images of the blood and blood flow. The vascular sonographer uses special equipment to direct high frequency sound waves into areas of the patient's body. The vascular sonographer is a central member of the health care team and assists the radiologist in body image interpretation. Upon successful completion of degree requirements, the student will be eligible to apply to take the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography examinations leading to credentials as a Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS^®), Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS^®) and Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT^®).

The program is designed to prepare students to serve in a dynamic and growing health profession as members of the dental health team. After successful completion of the program, the student will be eligible to take the National Board Dental Hygiene Examination and professional licensure examinations. Upon successful completion of the licensing process, the title 'Registered Dental Hygienist' (R.D.H.) is awarded.

The program is designed to provide students with the philosophical, theoretical, and clinical knowledge necessary to provide quality occupational therapy. This curriculum is designed to prepare students to assist and collaborate with occupational therapists in providing occupational therapy treatments and procedures. Students will participate in classroom and fieldwork experiences in this program. Upon successful completion of the program, graduates must take and pass a national board exam and complete the licensing process in order to begin a career as an Occupational Therapy Assistant. Graduates may, in accordance with state laws, assist in development of treatment plans; carry out routine functions, direct activity programs, and document the progress of treatments.

The curriculum is designed to develop the competencies needed to prepare the student to achieve National Registry Paramedic Certification (NRP).

Credit for Prior Learning: Students in this program who hold current EMS certification may be eligible for credit for prior learning. See an academic advisor or counselor for further information.

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to perform essential laboratory testing on blood and body fluids that is critical to the detection, diagnosis, and treatment of disease. In a medical laboratory, the medical laboratory technician (MLT) is part of a team of highly skilled pathologists, technologists, and phlebotomists working together to determine the presence, extent or absence of disease, and helping to evaluate the effectiveness of treatment. This program emphasizes 'hands-on' practice of laboratory methods in a state-of-the-art laboratory at the Medical Education Campus in Springfield, followed by clinical experience at various affiliating healthcare organizations.

Upon completion of the program, graduates will be eligible to take the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification examination and other national certification examinations offered at the technician level.

Credit for Prior Learning: Students in this program who have completed a military laboratory training program and hold Medical Laboratory Technician (MLT) Certification from the American Society for Clinical Pathology (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) are eligible for credit for prior learning in the major coursework. See an academic advisor for further information.

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to produce diagnostic images of the human body through safe application of x-radiation. The radiographer is a central member of the healthcare team and assists the radiologist, a physician specialized in body image interpretation. Upon successful completion of degree requirements, the student will be eligible to take the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (ARRT) examination leading to certification as a Registered Technologist in Radiography: A.S., R.T.(R).

The curriculum is designed to prepare students to be effective members of the healthcare team in assisting with diagnosis, treatment, management, and preventive care of patients with cardiopulmonary problems. Upon successful completion of the program, students are eligible to take the entry-level and advanced practitioner examinations leading to certification as a Certified Respiratory Therapist (CRT) and registration as a Registered Respiratory Therapist (RRT).

The curriculum is designed for individuals who are interested in a professional or scientific program and who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a baccalaureate degree with a major in one of the following fields: agriculture, biology, chemistry, pre-dentistry, forestry, geology, oceanography, pharmacy, physics, physical therapy, pre-medicine, science education, or mathematics.

This program is designed for individuals who plan to transfer to a four-year college or university to complete a bachelor of science in a program that requires a background in American Sign Language and the Deaf community. Graduates may use their skills to work in human service fields such as daycare settings and as teacher assistants. Graduates from the program can also transfer to 4-year institutions and major in a wide variety of fields, including ASL instruction, Deaf education, linguistics, Deaf studies (e.g. history, literature, research, etc.), speech-language pathology and audiology, human services, communication sciences and disorders, and social work.

The program is designed to prepare personnel who collect and process blood and other samples for medical laboratory analysis. Phlebotomists work in hospitals, medical clinics, commercial laboratories, and in other settings where blood is collected from patients. The curriculum includes learning experiences in both on-campus laboratories and affiliated clinical laboratories. Graduates are eligible to sit for the national examination to become certified as a phlebotomy technician.

The program is designed to prepare personnel who collect, process, and perform selected tests on samples for medical laboratory analysis. Medical Laboratory Assistants (MLAs) work in hospitals, medical clinics, and reference laboratories. The curriculum includes learning experiences: on-campus, online, and, in partnership, with affiliated clinical laboratories. Graduates are eligible to sit for the American Society for Clinical Pathologists (ASCP) Board of Certification (BOC) national examination to become certified as a Medical Laboratory Assistant (MLA).

This curriculum is designed to prepare students to perform chairside assisting, minor laboratory, and basic office procedures. Students learn the theory and skills to assist in the dental operatory through course work in the areas of chairside assisting, radiology, dental materials, dental and biomedical sciences, as well as clinical practice. Graduates can perform certain additional tasks allowing them to become productive and valued members of the dental health team. Upon successful completion of this program, students are eligible to sit for the Dental Assisting National Board Examination (DANB). After successful completion of this examination, the credential Certified Dental Assistant (CDA) is awarded.

This curriculum is designed to fulfill the Virginia state educational requirements for the certification of substance abuse counselors. To meet substance abuse counselor certification requirements, the applicant is expected to meet specific education requirements including didactic and experiential learning with a supervised internship required.

Individuals seeking skills and knowledge in this career field, but not seeking state certification may also enroll.

Cooperative Education: Students in this curriculum will participate in at least 3 semester hours of Cooperative Education unless they already have equivalent experience.