Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer® (RDMS®)

If you are not a physician but are interested in applying for the  ARDMS RDMS credential, please visit the ARDMS website​.​

​The RDMS certification, offered by APCA’s companion council the American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS), raises the standard of diagnostic medical ultrasound practice worldwide and promotes best practices for enhanced patient safety.

As a physician, you are eligible to earn many of the certifications offered by the ARDMS. ARDMS manages the RDMS certification and its associated sonographer-level specialty examinations (listed below). As a physician, you may apply, prepare for, schedule and maintain both your APCA and ARDMS certifications through APCA and MY APCA .

The RDMS certification is designed to certify knowledge and proficiency in the field of diagnostic medical sonography. By earning the RDMS certification, healthcare professionals gain a critical edge in promoting public safety in ultrasound.

Please consult the information below to learn how to become RDMS certified, the application and examination process, and how certification pertains to your career in medical diagnostic sonography.

RDMS Certification Prerequisites
To obtain the RDMS certification, you must meet the examination prerequisites and pass the physics and a corresponding specialty examination within five years:

Physics Examination:

AND

Specialty Examinations:

Note: Applicants may pursue the FE specialty under either the RDMS or RDCS certification . Once you take the examination toward earning either the RDMS or RDCS certification, it cannot be switched.

Important Announcement about FE and PS Windowed Administration Testing
The Fetal Echocardiography (FE) and Pediatric Sonography (PS) specialty examinations for the RDMS certification (and the FE examination for the RDCS certification) are administered twice during select times of the year at Pearson VUE test centers. Visit the FE or PS examination page and click on the “Schedule” tab to view the examination application and administration dates.