NOTE: As a physician you are a part of APCA, the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement, created to exclusively meet the needs of physicians and now advanced care providers to support their enduring commitment to providing the highest quality patient care. Although ARDMS will continue to award the RDMS, RDCS, RMSKS and RVT certifications, APCA and MY APCA will be your destination to maintain all your certifications. APCA also assumes oversight of the following certifications and examinations: ABVM, RPVI, RMSK, CBCCT, CBCMR, CBNC, RPVI-China, and Latin American Ultrasound Certificate Program. If you wish to earn an additional certification or specialty, please go to Certifications & Examinations select the examination you wish to take and refer to the Re-applicant section found under “Overview.” You must be 18 years of age or older to apply.
As a physician, once you are ready to apply for an APCA or ARDMS examination, follow the steps below. If you are applying for the CBNC examination please visit CBNC.org.
View out steps to apply video to learn more about the application process:
As a physician, once you are ready to apply for an APCA or ARDMS examination, follow the steps below:
- Log in to MY APCA and choose Apply Online under the Application Center tab.
- Complete the online application form and submit payment. If you are a first-time Applicant, you are required to choose a prerequisite under which to apply.
- During the application process you will be required to attest that you have read, understood and acknowledge the following:
*Note: After reading the Confidentiality Agreement, you will be given two response options – “I Agree” and “I Do Not Agree.” Should you choose the “I Do Not Agree” option, you are not agreeing to the terms of the Confidentiality Agreement and as such you will not be able to proceed with the application process.
- Gather your supporting documentation and submit at time of application
- To upload your documentation to your MY APCA account, click the “My Resources” tab, then “Upload Documents”. For “File Type” select “Application Documents”.
For more details, please visit Certification & Examinations to select the specialty examination you wish to apply under. Once we have reviewed your information, we will email you either an Examination Confirmation Letter (ECL) or request additional documentation. When you receive the ECL, you may contact Pearson VUE to schedule an examination appointment during your eligibility period. The eligibility period will be available on your ECL.
If you are found ineligible to take the examination, your application will be partially refunded (less the $100 USD processing fee per examination) and documentation originals will be mailed back to you.
To retake an examination you did not pass, please refer to the specific examination under Certifications & Examinations.
- Once approved, schedule and sit for your examination(s).
- the required examinations for the desired certification and confirmation of your passing scores by APCA, the certification will be awarded. At that time, you may:
- Access your certification information in the Directory of Certificants
- Print a Status Verification letter in MY APCA
- Print a Digital ID Card (if applicable) in MY APCA
- Within 4 – 6 weeks, you will receive your printed certificate. You will also receive a digital badge, or digital version, of your certification that you can share on social media.
- Celebrate your success – you earned it!
For additional information on how to share your new certification, click here.
