Note: this certificate program is intended for working health care professionals who (most often) have completed an associate or bachelor's degree. The program is not available for students to apply to directly out of high school.

This program requires on-campus attendance at KU Medical Center for classes and training, and there is no online option available.

To begin KU's certificate program in diagnostic ultrasound and vascular technology, you will need to meet the following requirements.

Academic Requirements

Competitive applicants will have completed 50-60 college credits prior to entering the certificate program in diagnostic ultrasound and vascular technology at KU Medical Center.

Most applicants have an associate or undergraduate degree.

All college coursework must be from accredited institutions. Credentials or transcripts not from an accredited U.S. academic institution will require evaluation by KU before acceptance.

Prerequisite Courses

The following courses must be completed from an accredited institution with a "C" grade or better to be eligible for the program:

• College Algebra
• English or Communication
• Human Anatomy and Physiology
• Medical terminology
• Physics

These courses can be in progress at the time of application; verification of grades and completion will be done before the start of fall semester classes.

• Complete the program advising worksheet.

Grade Point Average

An overall grade point average of 2.5 (on a 4.0 scale) for college coursework is required to be eligible to apply. In addition, student transcripts must document an individual course grade of no less than "C" on each prerequisite course listed above.

It is not required for incoming students to have completed a specific degree type or major.

Job Shadowing

It is not required, but strongly encouraged, for applicants to have observation hours with a registered sonographer prior to application. Use our direct patient care and shadowing experience form (PDF) to track your time.

We currently do not coordinate clinical shadowing experiences for high school students. If you are looking for a career change or a college student interested in diagnostic ultrasound at KU, please attend one of our information sessions to learn more about shadowing opportunities.

Health and Physical Requirements

Good physical and mental health are essential to this field. Specifically, excellent visual acuity is necessary. The student must also possess manual dexterity, sufficient hearing and speech ability, and good physical coordination in positioning patients and operating equipment.

Students must have full utility of both arms, both hands and fingers in order to perform examinations and operate equipment. The ability to handle extremely heavy objects is required. Physical or other disabilities are evaluated on a case-by-case basis by the program and by the Equal Opportunity Office at KU Medical Center.

Technical Standards

All individuals admitted to the program will be asked to verify that they can meet the technical standards with or without accommodation(s). Applicants who disclose a disability are considered for admission if otherwise qualified.

Vaccine and Clinical Site Requirements

Matriculated students will need to provide an immunization profile prior to participating in curricular and/or clinical experiences required by the program. Please read the information found at the bottom of the program's curriculum page and be sure that you understand these requirements.

Background Check and Drug Screen

The Joint Commission requires all incoming students to provide a background check report to KU. This one-time fee must be paid directly by the student to the company performing the background investigation. Students will be asked to provide information and make the payment once officially accepted into the program. Admission will not be final until KU has received the background check report.

Drug screenings are required for work at clinical sites. These are not required for admission but are to be expected later. The clinical site will provide information on its requirements prior to entering the fieldwork portion of the program. Depending on geographic location, more than one drug test may be needed. For more information, please see the School of Health Professions background check and drug screening information.

International Students

An applicant is considered an international student if he or she requires a visa, currently resides in the U.S. with non-immigrant status or currently resides in the U.S. while applying for permanent residency. Additional requirements and documentation, such as proof of English language proficiency, are required for international students to become eligible for KU programs. Review the information for international students before applying.

See also: English Language Requirements

Note: KU reserves the right to make changes to any admission requirement or policy at any time without notice.

Admissions requirements and prerequisites are subject to change.