This Mother's Day, sonography student creates her own image of success
Student of the Week: Edna Rodriguez
Like many student mothers at South Texas College, Edna Rodriguez says she recently came back to college after being away for years in order to take care of her young son. A first-generation student, she waited patiently until her son was older before entering a degree plan in medical diagnostics and sonography.
After working full-time with McAllen School District, Edna says she resigned two years ago to focus solely on her college education. Now she only has two more classes to complete before she enters the sonography program. Now 38 years old, age she says, doesn’t matter. The only thing that does matter is what she does to improve her kids’ lives.
“I had already started when my son was little and I had to stop going to college because I didn't have anybody to take care of him,” Edna said. “So, now that he's all grown up and everything, I decided to go back and finish for my career. I decided that I wanted to go back not just to better myself but also help my kids.
“One day, my kids will realize that age doesn’t matter, they will always have the idea that they can move forward and get a degree. That’s what I have given them,” Edna said.
The Diagnostic Medical Sonography Advanced Technical Certificate at South Texas College is an approved program by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Accreditation Guidelines. The program provides educational and clinical experience that result in extensive knowledge in ultrasound physics and instrumentation, use of Doppler imaging, and cross-sectional anatomy and pathophysiology in the abdomen, pelvis, obstetrics, gynecology, and superficial structures. Throughout the clinical and practicum aspects of the program, students will train in various medical facilities with experienced sonographers.
“For students, I would like to tell that age doesn’t matter, all that matters is that you have the will to go and do what you want to do and achieve what you want to do and you'll get there. Age is just a number. You are never too old to go back to school.”
Upon successful completion of the program, students will receive an Advanced Technical Certificate in Diagnostic Medical Sonography and will be competent to challenge the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) national examination.
Upon completion of the program, graduates are eligible to sit for the national certification examination for Radiologic Technology administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). Successful completion of this exam results in the designation of the title as a Registered Technologist in Radiography, or R.T. (R) (ARRT).
“For students, I would like to tell that age doesn’t matter, all that matters is that you have the will to go and do what you want to do and achieve what you want to do and you'll get there,” Edna said. “Age is just a number. You are never too old to go back to school.”