The allied health school admission requirements will vary depending on where you go to school and what type of allied health career you choose. Allied health careers are varied and include those as a dental assistant, dental hygienist, diagnostic medical sonographer, medical assistant, athletic trainer and massage therapist. Some private schools offer programs for many allied health careers, others focus on just one or two careers, and there are allied health programs at traditional community colleges and four-year universities as well.

The following are broad overviews of the general allied health school admission requirements for several allied health school programs:

Dental Assistant: You must have a high school diploma to enter into a specialized dental assistant training program. You may find dental assistant programs at vocational schools and community colleges, which usually last for about a year before the awarding of a certificate.

Dental Hygienist: Dental hygienist programs require a high school diploma and completion of an application process which may require a suitable college entrance exam test score. These programs are at community colleges and some technical schools. It is a two year program that results in an associate’s degree.

Diagnostic Medical Sonographer: There are many different types of training programs in the military and at hospitals, vocational schools, community colleges and four-year universities. Depending on your career goals you may pursue a certificate, associate’s degree or bachelor’s degree, which all have different requirements.

Medical Assistant: A high school diploma is required for entrance into a program at a vocational school or community college, and some junior colleges may require entrance exams. There are one-year certificate programs at the technical schools and two-year associate’s programs at community colleges.

Athletic Trainer: You’ll need a bachelor’s degree in athletic training or a related subject from an accredited college or university to become an athletic trainer. University requirements may include test scores, grade point averages and an application. You may also transfer to a four-year university after completing an associate’s degree from a junior college.

Massage Therapist: Requirements differ from state to state and school to school, but a high school diploma is typically required. There are programs at many community colleges as well as numerous vocational schools.