Please note that you must be currently enrolled at one of our academic affiliates and seeking a Bachelor of Science degree in order to be eligible for application into our program.

Eligibility requirements

Admission to UW Hospitals and Clinics School of Diagnostic Medical Sonography is highly competitive and granted to a limited number of applicants each year. A diagnostic medical sonography student must be a mature, dependable person who is “people-oriented” and genuinely interested in caring for individuals who are ill, injured, or disabled. All applicants are evaluated on the same basis regardless of race, sex, sexual orientation, handicap, religion, age, national origin or veteran’s status.

The following information offers a general description outlining the attributes of a successful candidate:

• Students must be in good health and physical condition to be capable of performing the duties required of a sonographer.
  • Immunizations must be current.
• Applicants to the program must have attained the level, scope, and breadth of educational preparedness necessary to meet the demands of the rapidly evolving, highly technical, and diverse professional curriculum taught at UW Hospitals and Clinics School of Diagnostic Medical Sonography.
• Priority consideration will be afforded to those applicants who have completed all prerequisite courses with an earned grade of “C” or higher in each course.
  • Applicants who are actively enrolled in and making satisfactory progress in a prerequisite course will be given consideration.
  • Applications will be scored accordingly.
  • Applicants who have outstanding prerequisite course work who are not actively enrolled in and/or are not making satisfactory progress in will be deemed ineligible for the current enrollment period.

Application process

You will work closely with your academic advisor to submit your application to our program through your affiliated school.

1. Prerequisite course requirements do not need to be completed all courses prior to application, but a plan to finish prior to starting the clinical program is required.
2. All transcripts submitted with application; all attempts of coursework may be considered as an average on the application assessment form.
3. GPA
   • Overall average of all required courses must be 3.0 or better
     • A minimum of a “C” or better is required for each individual course
4. Patient Care Experience (Nursing Assistant or equivalent, per university list) with 100 hours of patient care must be completed by Dec. 31 of application year
5. Patient Care Hours Form completed with signatures
6. Job shadowing
   a. Four hours of cardiac sonography (include vascular, if possible)
   b. Four hours of general sonography (include vascular and Obstetrics and Gynecology, if possible)
   c. See form for job shadow documentation
7. Submit an autobiographical statement of 200 words or fewer describing why this field interests you. Include your qualifications for becoming a Diagnostic Medical Sonographer.
   • The essay must be typed, double-spaced, signed and dated by the applicant to verify authenticity.
8. American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography prescreening acknowledgement
9. Complete application with signature
10. Submit application with $50 fee

Timeline

• January: Applications reviewed by UWHC School of DMS
• Late January/Early February: Interview invitations extended via university emails
• Late February/Early March: Interviews conducted
• April 1 of application year: Students invited to start clinical education at UW Health
• April 15: Students accept invitation to start clinical education and submit $100 fee
• June: Students
  • Submit updated transcripts
  • Schedule physicals and drug tests with UW Health Employee Health
  • Register and pay for MyClinical Exchange
    • Follow-up instructions given after registration
  • Renew CPR prior to starting at the end of August
  • Respond to all emails for proper communication
• Late August: UW Health New Employee Orientation and UW Hospitals and Clinics School of DMS Orientation
• Around Labor Day: Fall semester starts