Additional Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Echocardiography Program Requirements

Important Notice

Effective Fall 2012 for all Health Occupations Programs, Math placement scores on Compass, ASSET, Accuplacer, and THEA will be valid for three (3) years.

Admission Requirements

• Background Check
• AHA BLS (Basic Life Support) Healthcare Provider CPR
• Program Prerequisites
• Chest X-Ray
• Bacterial Meningitis vaccination for students under 30
• Malpractice/Liability Insurance 
• PSB Test
• TB Test
• Hepatitis B
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) - titer
• Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria, pertussis)
• Flu Vaccine
• Varicella titer or two vaccines
• Health Insurance

General Information

Students must complete all appropriate developmental coursework or retake the section of ASSET, ACCUPLACER, COMPASS, or THEA and score high enough to place into college-level course. To determine your Student Success Initiative (SSI) status, see a college advisor. Students must complete ENGL 1301, MATH 1314, PHYS 1401 or 1410, BIOL 2401 and 2402 prior to the first DMSO/DSAE course in the AAS degree. RADR 1313 and RADR 2305 may be substituted for the PHYS course requirement.

Students who currently hold an ARRT certification or a two-year degree in a patient care health program are eligible for admission to the certificate program. Students who do not hold an ARRT certification or a two-year degree in a patient care health program would apply for the AAS in DMS.

Students are required to successfully pass a background check and at some facilities may also be required to successfully pass a drug screening. Regulations also require that students complete the Hepatitis B immunization series that may take 3 to 6 months prior to direct patient contact. Prospective students are required to attend an information session.

Submit Official Transcripts

Students who have attended class at ANY college, university or other institution of higher education must submit official transcripts to the Student Services Department at Lone Star College–CyFair. State law mandates that official transcripts must be submitted and evaluated by an Academic Advisor at Lone Star College–CyFair for a student’s application to the school to be considered complete. Be aware that students who submit applications to the Sonography/Echocardiography department whose transcripts have NOT been evaluated by a Lone Star College–CyFair Academic Advisor will be considered incomplete regardless of the circumstances. Students should request official transcripts as soon as possible in order to allow the necessary time to complete the evaluation of EVERY class on their transcript(s). Students are encouraged to use the Transcript Request Form  to help ensure proper delivery to the Sonography/Echocardiography Department of official transcripts; but will have to contact the requested college/university regarding delivery of official transcripts to the Student Services Department.

Information Sessions

All sessions are from 1:00pm - 3:00pm.

Proceed to the LSC-CyFair Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Echocardiography Information Session page and plan ahead to attend one of the sessions posted on the website.  Applicants will be given a numbered Certificate of Attendance at the end of the session.  This certificate is required for applications to be considered complete.  Do NOT lose this certificate!

Psychological Service Bureau (PSB) Exam

Below is the form needed to take the required PSB test.  Follow these instructions:

1. Print the PSB Authorization to Test Form  (Available for download during the application period).
2. Bring authorization form and pay the $20 testing fee to the business counter at the Barker Cypress campus.
3. Present authorization form and payment receipt to Assessment Center proctor.
4. Ensure that you take the "Diagnostic Medical Sonographer/Echocardiography" test.  Applications submitted with the incorrect test will NOT be considered complete.  It is the student's sole responsibility to ensure the correct test is taken; otherwise, the student will need to pay an additional $20 testing fee to have their test scored correctly.
5. All PSB tests need to be completed. 
6. The Assessment Center will print the student's individual score sheet.
7. The PSB test will be available to take for the 2013 application period from January 7 through June 3, 2013. 

For sample PSB test questions, go to http://www.psbtests.com/site/products/hoae.html

Submit Application Materials

Please print, sign and date the on-line application to include with the application packet. Applications will be accepted from 8:00 a.m. March 4, 2013 through 3:00 p.m. June 6, 2013.

The Sonography/Echocardiography Application Packet materials:

(These materials will be available before the next application period which will be from March 4, 2013 through 3:00 p.m., June 6, 2013.)

• Online application
• Advisor Checklist
• Student Checklist
• Model Patient Form  (if applicable to student)
• Healthcare Experience Verification Form  (if applicable to student)
• Required Immunization Student Checklist
• Selection Process Worksheet
• Transcript Request Form
• Current certifications/licenses (if applicable to student)
• Criminal Background Clearance
• Information Session Certificate
• Official Transcripts - You must submit official transcripts to the admissions office AND the Diagnostic Medical Sonography/Echocardiography Program.
• Psychological Service Bureau (PSB) Exam - You must have taken the PSB exam.

Interview Process

As part of the application process, students will be interviewed to earn a maximum of 22 points.  Interviews are offered to students based on their cumulative score out of 78 points (please see Selection Process Worksheet).

Mail or Deliver Application Packets To:

Lone Star College–CyFair
9191 Barker Cypress Road, Health Science Bldg, Dean's Suite 204
Attn: Sonography Program
Cypress, TX 77433-1383

Legal Information

Lone Star College System Policy is consistent with Texas law as to requirements and admission of any resident or non-resident student.  For admission and tuition purposes, residency is defined within Texas Education Code §54.052.

In addition, LSCS will notify students prior to, but not as a condition or requirement of admission, that  health care facilities will require students to have a Social Security number or a Visa as a condition of being assigned to a clinical facility. Students who are unable to complete the LSCS health program clinical skills requirement will not be able to complete the program due to a lack of clinical placement. 

Additionally, LSCS will notify students that a Social Security number or a Visa may be required for a background check, and may also be required for taking the licensing examination upon completion of program requirements.