Cardiac Sonography

Admission Requirements

• Students must first apply and be accepted to St. Philip’s College through the general college admission process.
• A separate Cardiac Sonography program application is required in addition to the college application.
• All prerequisite courses must be completed by the start of the program (end of Summer term prior to Fall entry).
• Applicants must have a minimum GPA of 2.7 on all college coursework.
• High school diploma or GED required.

Prerequisite Requirements by Pathway

• Certificate Level II (Cert II) – For students entering directly into cardiac sonography.
• Anatomy & Physiology I and II (BIOL 2401 and BIOL 2402)
  OR
• BIOL 2404 (Intro to Anatomy & Physiology – combined course)
• College-level Math (MATH 1314 or higher)
• College-level English (ENGL 1301)
• ATC Track I – For licensed or credentialed allied health or imaging professionals (e.g., RCIS, RCS, RT(R), RT(CV), etc.).
• Must hold an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree or higher.
• No additional course prerequisites required.
• Must provide proof of current credential/licensure.
• ATC Track II – For credentialed sonographers seeking advanced cardiac sonography training.
• Must hold an Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degree or higher.
• No additional course prerequisites required.
• Must provide proof of current sonography credential/licensure.

THECB Statutory Requirement

• Apply for admission to St. Philip’s College.
• Submit a separate Cardiac Sonography program application between January 1 – May 1.
• Provide official transcripts verifying coursework, GPA, and/or degree.
• Submit supporting documents as required (e.g., recommendation letters, resume, proof of credentials for ATC applicants).

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Selection Process:

Admission is competitive and based on a point-ranking system. Applicants are evaluated on:

• Completion and grades in prerequisite courses (Cert II applicants).
• Overall GPA.
• Healthcare or cardiac-related experience.
• Previous or advanced degrees.
• Professional credentials (ATC applicants).
• Letters of recommendation.
• Mandatory program interview.

Applicants must participate in an interview with program faculty. Interview performance is scored and included in the final ranking.

Applicants are ranked by total score, and offers are extended until all seats are filled.

Admissions Decision & Track Assignment

• Accepted students will be advised into one of the following pathways:
• Cert II (new entry students)
• ATC Track I (licensed allied health/imaging professionals with AAS or higher)
• ATC Track II (credentialed sonographers with AAS or higher)
• Track placement occurs after acceptance into the program.

No person shall, on the basis of race, color, sex, pregnancy, religion, creed, national origin (including ancestry), citizenship status, physical or mental disability, age, marital status, sexual orientation, gender, transgender status, gender identity, gender expression, veteran or military status (including special disabled veteran, Vietnam-era veteran, or recently separated veteran), predisposing genetic characteristics, domestic violence victim status, any other protected category under applicable local, state or federal law, or persons who have opposed discrimination or participated in any complaint process on campus or before a government agency, be excluded from participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in employment or under any program or activity sponsored or conducted by the College District. H.1.1

Cardiac Sonography program - Applicant Scoring System

Applicants are ranked based on a 100-point scale. Admission is competitive; meeting minimum requirements does not guarantee acceptance.

1. Academic Performance (up to 30 points)

• GPA 3.8 – 4.0 = 30 pts
• GPA 3.5 – 3.79 = 25 pts
• GPA 3.0 – 3.49 = 20 pts
• GPA 2.7 – 2.99 = 15 pts

2. Prerequisite Courses (Cert II applicants only) (up to 20 points)

• All prerequisites completed with A’s = 20 pts
• All prerequisites completed with mix of A’s/B’s = 15 pts
• All prerequisites completed with B’s = 10 pts
• In progress at time of application = 5 pts

(ATC applicants do not earn points here since prereqs are waived.)

3. Healthcare/Clinical Experience (up to 15 points)

• 2 years of direct patient care or imaging experience = 15 pts

• 1–2 years = 10 pts
• <1 year = 5 pts
• None = 0 pts

4. Advanced Degrees/Professional Credentials (up to 10 points)

• Bachelor’s or higher = 10 pts
• Associate degree beyond minimum = 5 pts
• Additional imaging/cardiovascular credentials = up to 10 pts (e.g., RCIS, RCS, RT).

(ATC applicants must already hold AAS or higher; points here reflect added value.)

5. Letters of Recommendation (up to 5 points)

• Strongly supportive = 5 pts
• Average = 3 pts
• Weak or missing = 0 pts

6. Interview (up to 20 points)

• Excellent communication, professionalism, motivation, and knowledge = 20 pts
• Strong = 15 pts
• Adequate = 10 pts
• Weak = 5 pts