How to Apply

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A Mayo Clinic advanced cardiovascular sonographer with a physician

Class size and location

The Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography Program admits eight students every year on a competitive basis. Class sizes and clinical groups are small, with one-on-one instruction provided.

While coursework is completed online, the clinical internship requires an on-site presence in a Mayo Clinic echo lab in Rochester, Minnesota, or Phoenix, Arizona.

Admission requirements and policies

Prerequisites

To be eligible for the Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography Program, you must have:

A bachelor's degree or higher in any field
An adult echocardiography credential from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (RDCS) or Cardiovascular Credentialing International (RCS)
Three years of clinical experience in echocardiography (include in your CV/resume)

Applicants must meet the technical standards (with or without reasonable accommodation) necessary to acquire or demonstrate competence in health professions as outlined in the Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography Program technical standards

To seek exceptions to these standards or reasonable accommodations, students accepted for admission must initiate a request with the program director at least six weeks before the program begins.

Non-U.S. citizen applicants

Admission to Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences is open to U.S. workers in the four categories below. Therefore, visa sponsorship is not available.

U.S. citizens
U.S. nationals
Lawful permanent residents
Asylees and refugees

Applicants whose primary language is not English must submit results from the Test of English as a Foreign Language Internet-based test (TOEFL iBT). Scores from the speaking portion of the exam are given particular consideration in admission decisions. Learn more about the exam and register online at the Educational Testing Service.

The Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences code for the TOEFL iBT is 5784.

Educational transcripts from schools outside the U.S. must be translated (if they are not already in English) and evaluated for U.S. equivalence by an accredited credential evaluation service company prior to submission. Please refer to the National Association of Credential Evaluation Services for a list of qualified companies. The applicant pays for the examination and credential-evaluation services.

Application process

Your application and all supporting documentation must be submitted between Nov. 1 and Feb. 1 for classes beginning late August.

Application timeline

Application window	Program start date	Apply
Nov. 1-Feb. 1	August	Online application

Application instructions

Complete the following steps to apply:

Create an account to begin the online Application for Admission
- Select - Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences
- Select - Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography Program
Complete each section of the application and submit
After submission, view the required Supplemental Items and Documents

Upload each required item in the Supplemental Items section
Complete the Recommendation Request section

Additional required items

Essay should be between 300-500 words and include the following. Upload it in the Supplemental Items section.
- Why are you choosing the Advanced Cardiovascular Sonography Program at Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences?
- What strengths and characteristics make you a good candidate for this program?
- Share something about you that is not included anywhere else in your application.
CV/resume (be sure to include your three years of clinical experience in echocardiography)
Two letters of recommendation are required and must be completed in the Recommendation Request section. Each recommender will receive an email with a link to complete a rating form and upload a letter.
- Professional: Choose a physician from your facility who interprets echocardiograms and can speak to your cardiac sonography experience and exam quality. It is preferred that your physician reference holds an FACC or FASE credential, but this is not a requirement.
- Professional: Choose a person familiar with your professional qualities and your potential success in the field of echocardiography. References may include employers, supervisors, or sonographer colleagues.
Current credentialing status from the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography or Cardiovascular Credentialing International. Upload in the Supplemental Items section in “Additional Documentation.”
Unofficial transcripts may be uploaded in the Supplemental Items area for application purposes. If accepted to the program, official transcripts must be sent directly from the institution(s) to the program.
- Electronic official transcripts are preferred and should be sent to mccm@mayo.edu.

Interview process

Applicants considered for acceptance are invited to a virtual interview with the admissions committee. Only the top-ranked applicants are invited for an interview. A skills evaluation will be part of the interview process. Interview expenses incurred by applicants are not reimbursed.