Central Ohio Technical College (COTC) received funding from two generous local donors to purchase a pair of new, state-of-the-art ultrasound machines for its Diagnostic Medical Sonography Technology (DMS) lab.

These contributions bolster the DMS program’s efforts to modernize its lab with more advanced equipment. Each donated machine has the same capabilities as those in ultrasound labs at many major hospitals. “This is truly some of the most advanced technology available,” said Melinda Brillhart, EdD, DMS program director.

The three-year program offers Ohio’s first and only accelerated bachelor’s degree in DMS. It boasts a 100% job placement rate for graduates, who benefit from what Brillhart hailed as “one of the largest sonography training labs in the nation in terms of square footage, amount of equipment and time spent in scan lab training. Here in Newark, Ohio, our students are getting the highest-quality sonography education there is.”

Both donors recently visited the lab to observe how COTC students are using this remarkable equipment. Licking Memorial Health Systems (LMHS) made a benevolent donation to help the program purchase a Philips Affiniti CVx system. “That’s literally what we use at our facility,” LMHS CEO Rob Montagnese noted.

His organization is one of the foremost employers of COTC graduates. In fact, according to Brillhart, nearly every sonographer at LMHS is an alum of the DMS program. With such an investment in local talent, LMHS is prioritizing their preparation through this donation toward a new machine. “It’s important for us to make sure the technology these students see in their education is consistent with what our professionals use to take care of our community,” Montagnese said. “This equipment prepares them to hit the ground running.”

Sally Heckman held a similar sentiment. She’s a trustee of the Thomas J. Evans Foundation, which donated almost $56,000 to purchase a GE system for the lab. “These students get incredible exposure to real technology,” said Heckman, also the CEO and president of First Federal Savings. “It’s what sets COTC apart from so many of its peer institutions.”

With COTC’s ability to properly train students and help them find careers locally, “we’re all going to benefit from their care — not just throughout our lives, but also our kids’ and our grandkids’ lives,” Heckman said. “Donating to the DMS lab was a really neat opportunity to grow our own community’s expertise.”