For the first time in our province, Saskatchewan students will be able to access a post-secondary Sonography program, right here at home.
On February 20, Suncrest College, along with its partners which include the Ministry of Advanced Education and the Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan (The Health Foundation) announced the new program offering of Diagnostic Medical Sonography - Ultrasound. The program will begin in August 2024 out of the Yorkton campus.
Since the announcement, the College has been working to keep up with the influx of public inquiries and student applications for the program. Suncrest College President and CEO, Alison Dubreuil, shared that the college was prepared for a strong public response and the first few days have proven to be just that.
"Seeing the immediate interest in and demand for the program reflects our rationale for bringing this program to our college and province," Dubreuil stated.
The College believes that adding this program was possible because of strong partnerships and collaboration.
"By partnering with Red River College (RRC) Polytech, we are able to utilize their ability to grant credit and have access to their specialized program resources. Along with an excellent reputation, RRC Polytech has extensive experience delivering in-demand programming like the Diagnostic Medical - Sonography program within the healthcare sector. Furthermore, RRC Polytech and Suncrest College have many similarities, including student demographics and experience providing quality education to rural students in the prairies," Dubreuil continued.
"RRC Polytech and Suncrest College's mutual commitments towards enhancing student success and delivering innovative and inclusive programming to meet the needs of our learners and communities, make this exciting new partnership possible," said Dr. Jeanine Webber, Executive Director, Academic at RRC Polytech. "As one of the largest educators of allied health care professionals in Manitoba, RRC Polytech is proud to extend our reach through this partnership with Suncrest College to offer critical Diagnostic Medical Sonography - Ultrasound training to aspiring students in Saskatchewan who are ready to take their passion for helping others and build it into rewarding, lifelong careers."
Many of the graduates of the program will look to secure employment as sonographers within the Saskatchewan Health Authority (SHA). The SHA provides ultrasound services at hospitals across Saskatchewan and works to recruit qualified sonographers from across the country.
"We are excited that Suncrest will be providing this important training program right here in Saskatchewan," said SHA's Richard Dagenais, Executive Director of Medical Imaging.
The program will be funded by the Government of Saskatchewan Ministries of Advanced Education and Immigration and Career Training while the Health Foundation of East Central Saskatchewan has offered to raise $300,000 for various equipment and resources for the program. This is the second program which the Health Foundation has contributed funds to the College for helping introduce new programs to train students for hard to recruit for health professions. Students can now apply to the program by visiting SuncrestCollege.ca by accessing the Apply Now button on the website homepage.
