91����

A. Required Extension of a Clinical Education Course

1. The diagnostic medical sonography program is based on a competency based system whereby a student must achieve a set number of competencies prior to the completion of the program.
2. Students achieve these in different time frames, depending on their progress, initiative and what they have been able to observe and perform at the clinical education center. Some students may require additional time in a clinical education course due to:
   1. Inability to complete the required competencies by the end of a semester.
   2. Documentation by program officials that shows evidence that the student is not ready to complete the clinical education course due to poor performance or insufficient knowledge of diagnostic medical sonographic procedures.
3. The length of time for the required extension would be decided by the faculty of the program after consulting with the student’s clinical instructor.
4. The student would have to prove competency at the end of the extended time period before the extension was terminated.

B. Student request for an extension of a clinical education course

1. A student may request an extension of a clinical education course.
2. The purpose may be inability to complete attendance or academic requirements, or to enhance clinical education skills.
3. The student must have successfully completed all previous clinical education courses to make such a request.
4. The request must be made in writing to the Program Director no later than twenty (20) days before the close of the semester involved.
5. This extension is only applicable to clinical education courses; no other Diagnostic Medical Sonography course is eligible for extension.
6. All requests for extension will be considered on an individual basis. The maximum extension considered is four (4) weeks of additional clinical education.
7. Students will receive a grade of “In Progress (IP)” until course requirements are met. An IP grade is given only under extenuating conditions. The instructor will change
   the grade to a letter grade when requirements are met.
8. Graduation may be delayed if a clinical course is extended the final semester of the program.

Placement for clinical extension is based on clinical site availability and must not interfere with clinical education of any other student. Clinical extension may delay program progression and/or graduation.

Policy: 2002, revised 2011, 2019
Reviewed 2025