Admission Requirements

NEW Program Application Requirements.

The DMS Program admits one class per year with a January start date. Deadline for prerequisite completion and application submission is August 31 of each year.

THE FOLLOWING ARE THE CURRENT MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS FOR ADMISSION TO THE DIAGNOSTIC MEDICAL SONOGRAPHY PROGRAM:

  • Prospective students must gain acceptance to Polk State College as credit-seeking students with all required admission documents received by the Registrar’s Office.
  • Official transcripts from ALL colleges/universities attended. *At the time of program application submission, transcripts must be received, evaluated by Student Services, and posted to students’ Polk State College transcript.
  • Completion of the Assessment Technologies Institute (ATI) Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS). The DMS Program requires a minimum composite score of 70 on the TEAS test, even if the student has a prior degree.  No remote TEAS scores will be accepted. Click here for more information.
  • Students must complete any required college preparatory courses
  • At the time of application, students must have an overall GPA of 2.5 or higher
  • At the time of application, students must have a grade of C or higher in all prerequisite courses
  • The student must have an earned letter grade in each of the required Mathematics and Science courses.  Pass/Fail grades are not accepted unless these classes have been taken for Advanced Placement (AP) credit.

Additional Program Requirements
Admission requirements to be completed after admission into the program:

  1. Physical examination and essential functions
  2. Required immunizations
  3. Drug screening
  4. Current CPR certification
  5. Signed Affidavit of Moral Character attesting to the non-committance of specific criminal acts
  6. Florida Department of Law Enforcement (FDLE) background check

The program director will provide information regarding the completion of these additional admission requirements with the letter of acceptance.

Admission Process

Applicants are admitted to the Sonography Program using a selective admission process. Students seeking admission to the program should complete the program application using the “Apply Now” button on the main program webpage (contact a college academic advisor for assistance, if needed). Failure to complete all requirements will dismiss the applicant from the selection process for the upcoming class.

The application window for admission to the Sonography Program is August 1-31. Deadline for application submission is August 31 of each year for the January program admission date. Applicants will be notified of their acceptance (or alternate status) via email by mid-October.

A selection committee utilizes a point system as a GUIDE in the selection of qualified students for the Sonography program. The following areas evaluated by the selection committee include overall college GPA, prerequisite GPA, co-requisite courses completed, ATI TEAS test score, healthcare Licensure/Certification with verification (CAN, CVT, LPN, MA, Pharmacy Tech, Phlebotomist, RT), healthcare experience without certification may be considered with a letter from a manager or supervisor indicating the type and years of experience (BLS does not count), military experience and Polk County residency.

Program Cost
The cost of the program is approximately $13,000.00. This cost estimate includes course fees, textbooks, uniforms, medical physical, background check, and healthcare provider CPR certification. This estimate does not include any prep or other courses in which the student may enroll.

Certification Examination

Following the completion of all requirements for graduation from the Diagnostic Medical Sonography Program, graduates are eligible to sit for the national registry exams administered by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (ARDMS.org). After successful completion of these exams, the graduate will earn the credentials of Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS).

Polk State College reserves the right to make changes to the admission criteria as circumstances require. Every reasonable effort will be made to communicate changes in the program to potential students.