ASUM Meetings and Workshops

DMU Overview

The DMU represents the Society's recognition of professional
competence in sonography. ASUM encourages all practising sonographers to achieve this standard.

Notice: The results of the DMU Part II will be published in the last week of November.

	Admission to the DMU
	Location
	Specialist Modalities
	Examination Structure
	DMU Part I
	DMU Part II

The Diploma of Medical Ultrasonography (DMU) is awarded by the ASUM Council after Written, Oral and Practical Examinations and the fulfilment of prescribed practical experience. These examinations are available to candidates normally resident in Australia or New Zealand who have appropriate
pre-requisite qualifications (which include radiography, nursing and medical imaging technology), acceptable to the ASUM Council. To qualify to sit the DMU Part II examination, candidates must have at least two years practical scanning experience.
The Diploma of Medical Ultrasonography (DMU)is an internationally recognised qualification in diagnostic ultrasound awarded by the Council of the Australasian Society for Ultrasound in Medicine (ASUM) after satisfactory academic achievement including a period of practical training and examination.

Admission to the DMU
The DMU is offered as a post-graduate professional qualification, for which candidates must direct their own study to the syllabus and reading lists. DMU applicants must hold a diploma or degree in medical imaging, nursing, or a 3-year degree in another discipline that is deemed by the ASUM DMU Board of Examiners to contribute to the modality. The DMU examinations are conducted annually, in two parts, by the Board of Examiners. Candidates may be examined in General, Cardiac, Vascular or Obstetric Ultrasonography.

Location
Written examinations are conducted in major centres in Australia and New Zealand. At the discretion of the ASUM DMU Board of Examiners, written examinations may be conducted at centres in other countries.
Practical examinations are generally held at the clinical practice of the candidate.
Oral examinations are held at centres nominated by the ASUM DMU Board of Examiners.

Specialist Modalities
The DMU is offered with endorsements in the following specialist modalities"

GENERAL
CARDIAC
OBSTETRIC
VASCULAR

Examination Structure
DMU Part I
The Part I examination covers the basic subjects required in ultrasonography including the basic principles of ultrasound and instrumentation. It involves 2 papers. A pass in both papers is required before the candidate can proceed to Part II:

Physical Principles of Ultrasound and Instrumentation
All specialities sit for this paper which examines candidates' knowledge of basic terminology, propagation of ultrasound in tissue, principles of imaging, transducer technology, electronic array technology, performance parameters, image artifacts, Doppler principles, artifacts, and instrumentation and bioeffects.
Anatomy, Embryology, Physiology, General Pathology
Examines candidates' knowledge in the selected specialty. This includes, but is not limited to, the following areas:

GENERAL - anatomy (sectional and gross anatomy of organ systems and structures that can be determined using ultrasound), embryology, general principles of pathology; physiology, basic understanding of relevant organ and system function, and normal obstetrics.
CARDIAC - cardiac and thoracic anatomy with emphasis on sectional views corresponding to echocardiographic conventions, embryology and implications of cardiac anomalies, physiology (to include the principles of the physiology of the heart, ECG and haemodynamics), general principles of pathology and pharmacology.
OBSTETRIC - anatomy (sectional and gross anatomy of organ systems and structures that can be demonstrated using ultrasound), embryology, general principles of pathology, physiology of conception and pregnancy, basic understanding of relevant organ and system function with an emphasis on normal obstetrics.
VASCULAR - anatomy, embryology, physiology and general principles of pathology specifically pertaining to the vascular system.

DMU Part II
The Part II Examination consists of:

Two written papers on ultrasound techniques
Two oral examinations
Presentation of a logbook
A practical examination

Before being allowed to sit the Part 2 Examinations a Part II candidate must have verified documentation of his/her clinical experience in Australia or New Zealand and the recommended numbers of examinations recorded.
Candidates will be required to demonstrate competence in the performance and interpretation of diagnostic ultrasound examination. In addition to a review of relevant Part I material, emphasis will be placed on the demonstration of technical skills, image interpretation and patient care relevant to their specialist modality:.

GENERAL - recognise and identify normal and abnormal sonographic appearances in the following areas: the general abdomen, including the liver, biliary tract, pancreas, spleen and urinary tract; vascular system, female pelvis, breast, testes, thyroid gland, neonatal head, obstetrics and musculoskeletal.
CARDIAC - assess valvular heart disease, pericardial disease, systemic and pulmonary heart disease, cardiomyopathies, ischaemic heart disease, cardiac tumours, diseases of the aorta and congenital heart disease.
OBSTETRIC - recognise and identify the normal sonographic appearances and abnormalities of the embryo and fetal anatomical structures during the first, second and third trimester; fetal position and lie, cardiac activity, age measurements, and growth; placenta; umbilical cord; amniotic fluid; assessment of fetal well being; Doppler; prenatal diagnosis and the maternal pelvis. The candidate will also be examined on maternal disease, maternal abdomen, urinary tract, liver and biliary system, post partum, neonatal sonography and pregnancy related gynaecological conditions.
VASCULAR - recognise and identify normal and abnormal sonographic appearances of the extracranial, peripheral, visceral/abdominal and pelvic vasculature. Expertise in the use of non invasive testing modalities, including various forms of plethysmography, continuous wave Doppler analysis and treadmill exercise, is essential. While the Board of Examiners recognises that the following procedures are not routinely performed in all laboratories, candidates should familiarise themselves with the indications and scanning requirements for native and transplant renal arteries, impotence testing, and transcranial Doppler.
FEE REFUNDS

70% of the fee will be refunded if a candidate withdraws before the advised closing date.
40% of the fee will be refunded after the closing the date and up to six (6) weeks before the written examination date.
If a candidate withdraws within the six (6) week period before the examination date, there will be no refund.
A candidate who fails to present for any of the examinations they are registered for will be considered to have withdrawn without notice and will receive no refund.
NO deferment of the DMU examination is available without the ASUM DMU Board of Examiners’ approval. Any deferral request must be in writing and accompanied with the fee payment.