• ARDMS to Convert to Scaled Scoring
  Find out more about ARDMS' new scoring methodology.

• Have You Met Your 2007 Renewal Requirements?
  Log in and pay your 2007 annual renewal fee before the Dec. 31, 2006 deadline.

• ARDMS Held a Hearing on the Public's Comments on SPI
  Members of the ARDMS Board and Certification Committee heard oral presentations from the public.

• The Term "Registry Eligible"
  The term "Registry eligible" is not recognized by this organization.

• Ongoing CME Offerings and CME Course Directory
  ARDMS offers a listing of upcoming courses and always-available CME providers.

 

In September, we reluctantly said goodbye to Kirk Beach, Ph.D., MD; Brian Garra, MD; Gail Sandager-Hadley, RN, RVT; and Barbara Specter, MD, who each completed terms on an Exam Development Task Force (EDTF); and Anne Andrew, M.Ed., RDCS, RDMS, Vice Chair and Paul Cardullo, MS, BSN, RVT, Past Chair who completed their tenure on the ARDMS Board of Directors. A simple thank you seems insignificant but it is hoped that the over 50,000 individuals who have earned an ARDMS credential(s) recognize the over 50 years (a half century) of service this group of professionals have volunteered to enhance the standards of the sonography profession. To complete the transition, congratulations Patricia Prince, RT(R), RDMS, RVT, as she began her term as Vice Chair and Steven A. Leers, MD, RVT as he began his term as Chair-Elect.

Also, please feel free to join the increasing number of Registrants who renew their Active (or Retired) Registry status by paying the annual fee with ARDMS’ secured online services (www.ARDMS.org). If you have not visited the site recently, take a few minutes to navigate the Web site after completing your renewal and printing your receipt.

This is also a good time to take a few minutes to verify you have developed a method of documenting and filing CME credits earned this year. In the event of an audit, starting with the 2007 renewals, being able to pull out one folder to send copies of earned CME will be easier than trying to track down the documents months after the activity.

As ARDMS begins its 32nd year, applause once again from the sonography community because ARDMS passed the American National Standards Institute - International Organization for Standardization (ANSI-ISO) 17024 international accreditation annual audit with zero non-compliances.

Diane M. Kawamura, Ph.D., RT(R), RDMS
Chair, ARDMS Board of Directors

Beginning February 1, 2007, all ARDMS examinations will have a passing score of 555. This change comes as ARDMS makes the switch to scaled scoring for all examinations.

The standard passing score of 555 is based on a scale of 300-700, no matter what the specialty or test form.

About to take an examination?

Here is what you’ll need to know about your score:

Since the passing score for all ARDMS examinations is now 555, there will be no more dealing with different and sometimes confusing passing scores (cut points) for every examination. Each examination will be calibrated on a 300-700 scale, from now on. So no matter which examination you take: if your score is 555 or above, you pass.

It is important to understand that your scaled score is not a percentage. Rather, it is your raw score automatically converted into a score based on a scale from 300-700.

The same scoring methods will still be used to calculate each individual’s scores. However, the test taker’s score will now be reported as a scaled score, for easy score reporting. The content of the tests has not changed in any way and the change to scaled scoring will not affect the rate of those who pass ARDMS examinations.

Why the change to scaled scoring?

In the past, ARDMS has reported scores as raw data, as such there may be different passing scores assigned for each test form. This practice has, at times, been confusing for our candidates, Registrants and the sonography community. To simplify and streamline the score reporting process, ARDMS has adopted scaled scoring.

Scaled scoring is already the industry standard among major allied health professional organizations. This way of reporting scores will make scores easier to understand and process.

How does ARDMS ensure fairness?

Our testing department is continuously monitoring the difficulty level of each examination, in order to fairly score each test-taker. Because of this, we can be assured that no matter which examination someone takes, all ARDMS Registrants will be the highest caliber of medical professionals. It is because of this, that ARDMS can continue its tradition of excellence among ultrasound certification.

You should soon be receiving your 2007 renewal notice in the mail. If you’ve already paid your 2007 annual renewal fee, please accept our thanks. If you haven’t, here is some information you need to know about the 2007 renewal process.

Now that ARDMS has converted to the CME audit system to verify compliance with your continuing medical education requirements, the renewal process will be a little different this year. The two requirements for maintaining ARDMS credentials remain the same.

1. You must earn a minimum of 30 ARDMS-acceptable CMEs in your three-year CME period.

Not sure of your three-year CME period? You can find out your three-year CME period at any time by logging in to “Registrant Secured Services.” Your record will always note your three-year CME period. That way, you will always have quick and easy access to this important information.

Under the CME audit system, you should not send your CMEs in to ARDMS. Instead, please retain your CME certificates for a minimum of four years, in the event that you are audited.

2. You must pay your renewal fee each year.

All Registrants must pay the 2007 annual renewal fee by Dec. 31, 2006. The 2007 renewal payment, both online and mailed, must be received by ARDMS by the end of the year.

Does your three-year CME period end this year?

If your three-year CME period ends on Dec. 31, 2006, when you pay your 2007 renewal fee, you will be attesting that you have earned your minimum of 30 ARDMS-acceptable CMEs in the 2004, 2005, 2006 three-year CME period.

That testament is a legal agreement. If you, in fact, did not earn the minimum of 30 ARDMS-acceptable CMEs in the 2004, 2005, 2006 three-year CME period, ARDMS may revoke or otherwise take action in connection with your certification.

Before you take that CME course, make sure it is ARDMS-acceptable. Please view the list of organizations that meet the requirements of the ARDMS Accepted Continuing Education Evaluation Model System (AACEEMS). As long as you earn your 30 CMEs from one of those organizations, you’ll be fine.

The process remains the same every time your three-year CME period ends. Your next three-year CME period is 2007, 2008, 2009. Your next three-year CME period after that is 2010, 2011, 2012. And so on.

Does your three-year CME period end in 2007 or 2008?

If your three-year period does not end this year, then you can go ahead and pay your 2007 renewal fee using the renewal notice you received in the mail or you can pay online by logging in to “Registrant Secured Services.”

By paying your 2007 annual renewal fee, you will be attesting that you are, and will stay, in compliance with all ARDMS rules and policies.

When your three-year CME period does end, by paying your annual renewal fee for that year, you will be attesting that you have earned your minimum of 30 ARDMS-acceptable CMEs in the appropriate three-year CME period.

Although your three-year CME period does not end in 2006, you should still be earning CMEs in order to have your minimum of 30 ARDMS-acceptable CMEs by the time your deadline arrives. Don’t wait until the last minute to earn your CMEs.

And remember to hold on to those CME certificates for a minimum of fours years. In the event that you are randomly selected for audit, you will need to provide your certificates to ARDMS. Make sure you store your CME certificates in a safe place where you’ll remember the location.

Do you have more questions about the CME audit process? Please visit the “CME Audit” section of the ARDMS Web site to find the answers to your questions. Or send an e-mail to cmeaudit@ardms.org with your question.

Don’t miss the deadline to pay your 2007 annual renewal fee.

A $150 USD (or $187 CND) reinstatement fee will be assessed to Registrants who fail to pay their annual renewal fee by the Dec. 31, 2006 deadline.

If you fail to pay your annual renewal fee by Dec. 31, 2006, your credential(s) will be revoked. In order to have your credential(s) reinstated, you will need to pay the annual renewal fee of $60 USD (or $75 CND) as well as a $150 USD (or $187 CND) reinstatement fee by Feb. 28, 2007.

If you fail to comply with these requirements by Feb. 28, 2007, your credential(s) will remain revoked, and all necessary ARDMS examinations will need to be retaken in order to regain your lost credential(s).

Has your name changed?

Please fax name-change requests to (301) 738-0312 and be sure to provide legal documentation (driver’s license, court document, etc.) indicating your new name. Please remember to include your ARDMS Registry number on all documentation sent to ARDMS.

Has your address changed?

Please log in to your record in “Registrant Secured Services” to update your address at any time. Please ensure that you keep both your mailing address and e-mail address up to date in your record. ARDMS uses your e-mail address and mailing address to send you information about new ARDMS policies and procedures, renewal reminders, important updates and essential information that may affect your credential(s).

Do you need your 2007 ID card by Jan. 1, 2007?

In order to receive your 2007 ID card by Jan. 1, 2007, please pay your 2007 annual renewal fee by Dec. 1, 2006.

On Saturday, August 25, 2006, members of the ARDMS Board and Certification Committee were available to hear oral presentations from the public on whether or not there should be clinical and didactic prerequisite requirement(s) for the sonography principles and instrumentation (SPI) examination.

The staff-compiled summary report is still available online for your review.

It is important to ARDMS that we get a representation of the varying opinions on this issue, whether it is for or against the issue at hand. The Registry uses a strategic-planning method for the implementation of its changes in policy; part of that method is the need for research and data on possible policy-changing decisions. ARDMS is committed to promoting effective public involvement when making key decisions in both the planning and project-implementation stages of its programs. Therefore, to elicit a full range of opinion on this issue, ARDMS made a call for comments from the community, compiled the results, made them available online for public consumption and held a public hearing where individuals could present their position on the issue.

Background:

The ARDMS Board of Directors approved the concept of a sonography principles and instrumentation (SPI) examination in September 2004.

How will this change affect future test-takers? Under SPI, candidates will take one sonography principles and instrumentation (physics) examination and can select from all three credentials (RDMS, RDCS or RVT) and all of their specialties to earn an ARDMS credential(s).

All questions and content that are unique to a particular credential or specialty will be moved to the appropriate clinical specialty examination, with only principles and instrumentation-specific questions remaining in the SPI examination. The content on the SPI examination will be comprehensive and based on common principles and instrumentation across all three ARDMS sonography credentials. The examination content for each ARDMS credential will be equivalent with today’s examination content and comply with the most recent documented job functions of a sonographer and vascular technologist.

Note: Candidates must pass both the SPI examination and the specialty examination before earning an ARDMS credential.

The actual development and deployment of such an extensive examination will take some time; this examination will not be ready for several years. Also, once the SPI is deployed, the existing three physical principles and instrumentation examinations will still be available for a period of five years for existing ARDMS Registrants.

Do you know someone who is employed and/or operating under the title of “Registry eligible?” If so, please be aware that there is no such designation as “Registry eligible.”

ARDMS has three recognized levels within our examination process:

1. Applicant – An individual who sends in an application for review in an effort to be approved to sit for ARDMS examination(s) and is awaiting notification of eligibility.

2. Candidate – An applicant who has met all required prerequisites, whose application has been approved and who is allowed to sit for ARDMS examination(s).

3. Registrant – A person who has successfully completed a physical principles and instrumentation examination with a correlating specialty examination and has earned an ARDMS credential.

A person can be classified as an applicant, a candidate or a Registrant (Active or Retired); nothing else. “Registry eligible” is a term that is not recognized by this organization. ARDMS has never used nor has it endorsed or approved of the use of this term and strongly cautions against using it.

The ARDMS mission is to promote quality care and patient safety through the certification and continuing competency of ultrasound professionals. The use of the term “Registry eligible” connotes an inaccurate affiliation with certification.

ARDMS credentials document personal achievement of recognized professional standards. Our patients deserve to be served by an ARDMS Registrant who has demonstrated their competency by passing rigorous ARDMS examinations and earning the recognized international standard in sonography credentialing – an ARDMS credential.

ONGOING CME OFFERINGS 

Breast Ultrasound Foundation. Five CD-Rom set on breast ultrasound for only $100. (800) 541-9754 x221.

CME COURSE DIRECTORY

• November 3-4, 2006
  Philadelphia, PA
  Transvaginal Ultrasound
  Thomas Jefferson University
  http://jeffline.jefferson.edu/jeffcme/office/calendar.html
• November 11-12, 2006
  Los Angeles, CA
  Vascular Technology
  www.pegasuslectures.com/vasculartech.html
• December 9, 2006
  Dallas, TX
  Hands-On Breast Ultrasound
  www.kmaultrasound.com/c_list.htm
• Jan 28-30, 2007
  San Antonio, Texas
  OB-GYN Ultrasound
  World Class CME
  http://worldclasscme.com/sanantonio/index.php
• February 22-24, 2007
  Lake Buena Vista, FL
  30th Annual Advanced Ultrasound Seminar: OB/GYN
  Disney's Contemporary Resort
  http://www1.wfubmc.edu/ultrasound/Seminars/Orlando.htm
• June 16-20, 2007
  Seattle, WA
  American Society of Echocardiography 18th Annual Scientific Sessions
  Washington State Convention and Trade Center
  Information: 919-861-5574
  www.asecho.org
  

ARDMS publishes meeting and conference notices as an informational source only. This is only a compilation of possible CME courses. ARDMS does not review or endorse these or other sources of CME information. Registrants seeking CME credits should ensure in advance that ARDMS accepts the sponsor of the particular activity.