Academic calendar
Spring 2026 Cardiac Sonography Cohort runs Jan 12, 2026 – Dec 11, 2026. Calendar aliases that share a date range are grouped together, with every source term still shown.
- Spring 2026 Cardiac Sonography CohortRelevant now
- Fall 2026
Campus language
Search the full glossary. Nothing is sampled or hidden when the search field is empty.
Showing 33 of 33 terms
A
- ABHES
- The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, the agency that accredits the college's programs
- ARDMS
- American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the primary credentialing body students aim to be certified by
B
- Boards
- The national certification exams taken at the end of the program.
C
- CAAHEP
- The Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs, the body that accredits the school's DMS program
- Cardiotech
- The common shorthand name used by students and locals to refer to the school itself.
- CCI
- Cardiovascular Credentialing International; an alternative credentialing body for cardiac ultrasound students.
- Check-offs
- Practical examinations where a student must demonstrate specific scanning proficiencies to an instructor.
- Cine
- A short, recorded loop of ultrasound frames used for review
- Clinical
- The externship phase where students work in real-world medical facilities
- Clinicals
- The off-campus practical training sessions held at affiliated hospitals and imaging centers
D
- DMS
- Short for Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the core program of study at the school
- DMS
- Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the formal name of the primary program of study
E
- Echo
- Common shorthand for the Echocardiography (cardiac ultrasound) program
G
- Gel
- The acoustic coupling medium used during lab practice, often a topic of student humor regarding its temperature.
- General
- Shorthand for the Diagnostic Medical Sonography program focusing on abdomen and OB/GYN
H
- HIC
- The common acronym used by students and staff for Houston International College.
- HIC
- The common acronym for Houston International College
K
- Knobology
- The technical skill of manipulating ultrasound machine controls to optimize images
O
- OB
- Shorthand for the Obstetric and Gynecology sonography specialty and its related coursework.
P
- Probe
- The common term for the ultrasound transducer used to collect images.
R
- Registry
- The national board exams required to become a licensed sonographer.
S
- Scanning
- The act of practicing ultrasound techniques on peers or phantoms in the lab
- SDMS
- Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, the professional organization students are encouraged to join
- SGA
- Student Government Association; the primary student leadership body on campus.
- Shadowing
- The process of observing a professional sonographer during a clinical shift
- SPI
- Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, the mandatory physics exam students must pass
- SPI
- Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, the mandatory physics examination for certification
T
- The Boards
- The national certification exams (ARDMS) that students take to become licensed professionals.
- The Lab
- The specialized classroom area equipped with ultrasound machines for practical training
- The Probe
- Common term for the ultrasound transducer used during scanning sessions.
- The Registry
- The collective term for the national board exams required to practice professionally.
- The SPI
- The Sonography Principles and Instrumentation exam, the mandatory physics portion of the board exams
V
- Vascular
- Shorthand for the Non-Invasive Vascular Technology program or related scans.
Places and practicalities
Buildings, logistics, and other local references drawn from the approved campus snapshot.
- ABHES
- The Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools, which provides the school's institutional accreditation.
- Bissonnet
- The street name used by students to refer to the main campus location in Southwest Houston
- Bissonnet Traffic
- A common logistical discussion point regarding the commute to the Southwest Houston campus location.
- campus_lunch_room
- Campus Lunch Room
- Cardiotech
- The shortened name students and locals use to refer to the school itself
- Cardiotech
- The shorthand name used for the school in professional and student communications.
- Check-offs
- Practical proficiency exams where students must successfully demonstrate specific ultrasound views to instructors.
- Clinical Coordinator
- The staff member responsible for assigning and managing student rotations at hospitals
- Clinical Externship
- The mandatory off-site rotation at a hospital or clinic to gain real-world experience.
- Clinical Log
- The official record students must maintain to track their hours and types of exams performed.
- Clinical Logs
- The mandatory documentation of hours and specific ultrasound procedures performed at clinical sites.
- Clinical Rotations
- The mandatory external internship hours required for graduation and registry eligibility
- Clinical Site
- The specific hospital or clinic where a student is assigned for their practical hours
- Clinical Sites
- The various external hospitals and clinics across the Houston area where students are assigned for rotations.
- Clinicals
- The practical rotations performed at hospitals or imaging centers
- Clock Hours
- The specific system used to track student attendance and program progress as required by vocational standards
- Clocking in
- The mandatory process of tracking attendance and clinical hours required for graduation.
- Externship
- The final phase of the curriculum involving full-time clinical training at an external medical facility
- Lab
- The on-site classroom area equipped with ultrasound machines for student practice
- Lab Hours
- Mandatory scheduled time for students to practice scanning techniques on campus equipment.
- Placement
- The process by which the school assigns students to specific medical facilities for their clinical rotations.
- Registry
- The professional board examinations taken after completing the program to become a certified sonographer.
- Registry Prep
- Specialized review sessions or software used by students to study for their national certification exams.
- Registry-eligible
- The status a student achieves upon graduation, allowing them to sit for national certification exams
- Registry-ready
- The status of a student who has completed all competencies and is eligible to sit for the ARDMS exams
- SAP
- Satisfactory Academic Progress, the GPA and attendance standards required to remain in the program
- Scan Labs
- Scheduled blocks of time where students have access to ultrasound equipment for skill development
- Scan Time
- The mandatory hours students must spend practicing on ultrasound machines to qualify for graduation
- Scanning Hours
- The required time students must spend in the lab practicing hands-on skills before clinical placement.
- Scrub Policy
- The strict dress code requiring students to wear specific medical scrubs for all on-campus and clinical activities.
- Scrubs
- The mandatory daily uniform required for all students on campus and at clinical sites
- SPI
- Sonography Principles and Instrumentation, the essential physics board exam students must pass.
- Suite E
- The specific unit within the Bissonnet Street complex that houses the college.
- The Boards
- The final cumulative registry exams required to become a licensed sonographer
- The Campus
- Refers to the single-site facility housing all classrooms and administrative offices
- The Catalog
- The official student handbook containing all academic policies and clinical requirements.
- The Lab
- The dedicated on-site room equipped with ultrasound machines for hands-on student practice
- The Registry
- The national board exams required to become a certified ultrasound technician
- The SPI
- The Sonography Principles and Instrumentation exam, the physics board exam required for certification
- The Suite
- Refers to the specific office/classroom complex within the larger business plaza.
Quick answers
Useful facts students can verify from the guide above.
- What academic term is relevant now?
- Spring 2026 Cardiac Sonography Cohort runs Jan 12, 2026 – Dec 11, 2026.
- How much campus context is included?
- 33 approved campus terms and 40 local details are included in full.
- Are all approved campus terms included?
- Yes. The complete approved glossary is available in the scrollable, searchable campus-language section.
- Where does this guide come from?
- Calendar dates, campus terms, and local details come from DormWay's approved campus reference library.