Overview of the Sonography Principles & Instrumentation (SPI) Examination
Reminder: Active Registrants who hold the RDMS, RDCS, and/or RVT credentials, do not need to take the SPI examination in order to maintain current credentials.
In Spring 2009, the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) will introduce the new Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) examination. The SPI examination will meet the fundamental physical principles and instrumentation requirements for the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS), Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS), and Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) credentials.
Sonography professionals wanting to earn an ARDMS credential will be required to apply for and pass both the SPI and corresponding specialty examinations. Once the SPI examination is passed, applicants may go onto earn multiple credentials without having to repeat any physical principles and instrumentation requirements1. ARDMS will begin accepting applications for the SPI examination in 2009 and will begin administering the examination in the Spring of the same year. 
ARDMS Examination Pathways Beginning in Spring 2009
Physical Principles &
Instrumentation Examination
|
Corresponding Specialty
Examination(s)
|
Credential
Earned
|
Sonography Principles
&
Instrumentation (SPI)
|
+
|
Abdomen
|
=
|
Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS)
|
+
|
Breast
|
=
|
+
|
Fetal Echocardiography*
|
=
|
+
|
Neurosonology
|
=
|
+
|
Obstetrics/Gynecology
|
=
|
+
|
Adult Echocardiography
|
=
|
Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS)
|
+
|
Pediatric Echocardiography
|
=
|
+
|
Fetal Echocardiography*
|
=
|
+
|
Vascular Technology
|
=
|
Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT)
|
*Applicants may pursue the fetal echocardiography specialty under either the RDMS or RDCS credential.
Once the designated credential is earned, it cannot be switched.
The SPI examination will test basic physical principles and instrumentation knowledge required for all sonography professionals and students. The 2009 versions of the specialty examinations will include some physics and instrumentation content and questions that are unique to that specialty. The content outline for the SPI examination is available on the ARDMS website. Content outlines for the 2009 versions of the specialty examinations will be posted on the ARDMS website in March 2009.
The ARDMS would like to assure active Registrants that they are not required to take the Sonography Principles and Instrumentation (SPI) examination to maintain current credentials. Active Registrants will only need to take the SPI examination if they want to earn a new credential.
Say, for example, that you currently hold the RDMS credential - meaning you passed the Ultrasound Physics & Instrumentation (UPI) examination and a corresponding specialty such as Abdomen (AB). In the summer of 2009, after the release of the SPI examination, you decide that you want to earn the RDCS credential. To do so, you will need to take the SPI examination and a cardiac specialty examination (Adult, Pediatric, or Fetal Echocardiography) to obtain the RDCS credential. Then, if you decide in the future to obtain the RVT credential, you would only be required to take and pass the Vascular Technology (VT) examination as you have already taken and passed the SPI examination. Registrants wanting to earn additional specialties within an existing credential will only need to take the specialty examination.
ARDMS policy does not permit a “grandfather clause ” for active ARDMS Registrants or for those who previously passed the specialty-specific Ultrasound (RDMS), Cardiovascular (RDCS), or Vascular (RVT) Physical Principles and Instrumentation examinations.
ARDMS is pleased to announce that students in a sonography/vascular technology related program who can document successful completion of a physics program by the Program Director will be permitted to apply for and take the SPI examination prior to graduation1. Students may begin applying for the SPI examination in 2009. Additional details, including specific prerequisite information and the date applications will begin to be accepted, will be posted on http://www.ardms.org/.
New applicants, candidates, and Registrants working towards earning ARDMS credentials may wish to focus on taking multiple specialty examinations over the next year. Upon the release of the SPI examination in Spring 2009, those who have taken and passed specialty examinations and the new SPI examination will have the unique opportunity of earning multiple credentials. New applicants and candidates who are required to earn a credential prior to the release of the SPI examination in Spring 2009 will need to follow the current examination pathways (the credential-specific physical principles and instrumentation and the corresponding specialty examinations). Finally, candidates still in the process of earning a credential as of Spring 2009 will automatically be converted to the new streamlined pathway.
ARDMS will share more detailed information regarding the SPI examination with Registrants, educators, students, and the sonography community over the coming months through postings on the ARDMS website (www.ARDMS.org), e-mails, newsletters, and press releases.
1 Within ARDMS application guidelines.
51 Monroe Street, Plaza East One, Rockville, Maryland 20850-2400