The ARDMS (American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography) is a non-profit organization that administers exams and provides credentials for the various areas within the field of sonography. The main fields within sonography that the ARDMS awards credentials are:
According to the ARDMS, within the RDMS credential, there are areas of specialty that you can be certified in. Those areas include: abdomen, breast, neurosonology, obstetrics, gynecology, and fetal echocardiography. Within the RDCS, you can specialize in adult, pediatric, and fetal echocardiography. Within the RVT, you can receive a credential on noninvasive vascular technology.
ARDMS credentials provide you with solid backing by a nationally recognized authority in ultrasound technology and education. Becoming certified will certainly be a major positive on your resume and will make you more competitive when you begin looking for a job. However, only two states at present require certification through the ARDMS. They are New Mexico and Oregon. For more information, you can visit the official ARDMS site directly.
The exam is created by actual senior level sonographers, vascular technologists, physicians, and scientists that are considered experts in the field. Together, they are on a task force to create the exams. The exam is made up of two main sections. They are as follows:
While prerequisites vary depending on the program you are getting certifed for, the following is a minimum requirement: