Program Dean, Diagnostic Medical Sonography
A Program Dean for Diagnostic Medical Sonography oversees the academic and administrative operations of a sonography program, leading educators and clinical coordinators while driving curriculum development and continuous improvement. This is a sample job description from Excelon Associates that you can adapt as a template for your own hire.
What does a Program Dean of Diagnostic Medical Sonography do?
The Program Dean for Diagnostic Medical Sonography is a dynamic leader who oversees the program’s academic and administrative operations to ensure quality and effectiveness. The Dean leads a team of educators and clinical coordinators, emphasizing innovative curriculum development, instruction, and continuous program improvement.
The role blends academic leadership, clinical oversight, and accreditation stewardship for a medical imaging program. It is a senior allied health academic role within the healthcare education space.
Diagnostic Medical Sonography is the use of ultrasound imaging to evaluate and diagnose medical conditions. ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography) is the body that credentials sonographers. CAAHEP, with the JRCDMS review committee, accredits sonography education programs, the standards the Dean leads the program through.
What does the Program Dean oversee?
Key responsibilities of a Program Dean of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
- Lead the program’s strategic and operational planning.
- Conduct periodic reviews to enhance program effectiveness.
- Chair the Advisory Committee and manage faculty and staff.
- Manage accreditation processes and ensure compliance.
- Coordinate and oversee clinical site partnerships and orientations.
- Engage in curriculum development and participate in direct instruction.
- Support innovative teaching and continuous improvement across the program.
What qualifications does the role require?
- Master’s degree preferred, bachelor’s degree required.
- Registered with ARDMS or a relevant specialization.
- Familiarity with CAAHEP and JRCDMS accreditation processes is advantageous.
- Minimum of two years of clinical experience in sonography and one year of administrative experience in a medical imaging environment.
- Proficient in curriculum development, supervision, instruction, evaluation, and academic advising.
Why is the Program Dean role important?
The Program Dean sets the academic and clinical direction of a sonography program. Their leadership over curriculum, accreditation, clinical partnerships, and faculty directly shapes whether graduates are competent, credentialed, and ready for medical imaging careers.
Because the role blends clinical credibility, academic leadership, and accreditation stewardship, the strongest deans are ARDMS-registered sonographers who can also build faculty teams and steward a program through CAAHEP review. That combination keeps a program both rigorous and well run.
A hiring note from Excelon
This is a narrow pool: an ARDMS-registered sonographer with clinical depth, administrative experience, and the leadership to carry CAAHEP accreditation. Through our healthcare practice, we prioritize candidates who have led or helped lead an accredited imaging program, since accreditation stewardship and clinical-site relationships are the parts of this role hardest to learn on the job.
The role blends clinical credibility, academic leadership, and accreditation stewardship, and the best deans carry all three at once.
Related sample job descriptions
Program Dean, Diagnostic Medical Sonography: frequently asked questions
What does a Program Dean of Diagnostic Medical Sonography do?
A Program Dean of Diagnostic Medical Sonography oversees the academic and administrative operations of a sonography program. The role leads strategic planning, manages accreditation and clinical site partnerships, develops curriculum, participates in instruction, and manages faculty and staff.
What qualifications does the role require?
This sample role prefers a master’s degree (bachelor’s required), ARDMS registration or relevant specialization, at least two years of clinical sonography experience, and one year of administrative experience in a medical imaging environment. Familiarity with CAAHEP and JRCDMS accreditation is advantageous.
What is ARDMS?
ARDMS, the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, is the body that credentials sonographers in the United States. A Program Dean is typically ARDMS-registered and leads a program that prepares students toward that credential.
What is CAAHEP / JRCDMS accreditation?
CAAHEP (Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs), working with the JRCDMS review committee, accredits diagnostic medical sonography programs. A Program Dean manages the accreditation process and ensures the program meets these standards.
Why is this role important?
The Program Dean sets the academic and clinical direction of a sonography program. Their leadership over curriculum, accreditation, clinical partnerships, and faculty directly shapes whether graduates are competent, credentialed, and ready for medical imaging careers.
Hiring a Program Dean of Diagnostic Medical Sonography?
Excelon Associates places allied health program deans, directors, and healthcare academic leaders at colleges and career schools across the United States through our healthcare recruitment practice. Retained executive search since 2007, headquartered in Asheville, NC, with offices in Boca Raton and Delray Beach, FL.
More Sample Job Descriptions
Templates you can adapt for your own roles.