Membership Associations
Membership associations are comprised of members who belong to a community of individuals who share similar interests, needs, and goals.
Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography (SDMS)
2745 Dallas Pkwy Ste 350
Plano, TX 75093-8730
214-473-8057
214-473-8563 FAX
http://www.sdms.org
The SDMS is a professional membership organization founded in 1970 to promote, advance, and educate its members and the medical community in the science of diagnostic medical sonography. The SDMS, with over 23,000 members, is the largest association of sonographers and sonography students in the world. In addition, SDMS offers membership in a variety of categories. More information on membership, visit Join SDMS.
The SDMS provides its members continuing education through publications, products, and conferences, easy access to information affecting their profession, discounts on products and services, group pricing for professional services such as liability, health, and auto insurance, legislative/regulatory representation to promote and safeguard the profession, and assists them in matters concerning their practice. There are many opportunities for members to actively participate in their particular area of interest within the association such as serving on committees.
SDMS continuing education credit is accepted by the ARDMS, ARRT, CCI and CARDUP. For a copy of the SDMS CME Guidelines, visit CME Approval.
Other Membership Organizations
American Institute of Ultrasound Medicine (AIUM)
14750 Sweitzer Lane, Suite 100
Laurel, MD 20707-5906
301-498-4100 or 800-638-5352
http://www.aium.org
American Society of Echocardiography (ASE)
2100 Gateway Centre Blvd. Suite 310
Morrisville, NC 27560
919-861-5574
http://www.asecho.org
Canadian Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (CSDMS)
Kathleen Foran, Executive Director
P.O. Box 1220
Kemptville, ON K0G 1J0
CANADA
888-273-6746
888-743-2952 FAX
http://www.csdms.com
csdms@bellnet.ca
Society of Pediatric Echocardiography (SOPE)
1500 Sunday Dr, Suite 102
Raleigh, NC 27607
919-863-9488
919-787-4916 FAX
http://www.sopeonline.org
Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU)
4601 Presidents Drive
Suite 260
Lanham, MD 20706
301-459-7550
http://www.svunet.org
Certification Organizations
These organizations administer examinations and award credentials to those who successfully pass the examinations. Once an individual passes the examination, the certification organization awards the “registered” credential. Most organizations require annual registration renewal and require continuing education credit to maintain registration. Certification is voluntary however, many employers often recruit and hire only registered sonographers.
American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS)
1401 Rockville Pike, Suite 600
Rockville, MD 20852
Toll free: 800-541-9754
Main number: 301-738-8401
Fax: 301-738-0313
http://www.ardms.org
The ARDMS is a certification body (an independent, nonprofit organization) that administers examinations and awards credentials in the areas of diagnostic medical sonography, diagnostic cardiac sonography, and vascular technology. The three credentials offered by the ARDMS to eligible candidates are:
| RDMS® | Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer |
| RDCS® | Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer |
| RVT® | Registered Vascular Technologist |
As a certifying body, it is the responsibility of the ARDMS to promote the continuing competency of its registrants. To meet the continuing competency requirements of the ARDMS, registrants must accrue continuing medical education (CME) credits. To maintain eligible status, registrants must accrue 30 CME credits per three- year period. For information on certification examinations, submission of continuing medical education credits, or matters related to registry status, contact the ARDMS.
Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)
1500 Sunday Dr, Ste 102
Raleigh, NC 27607
800-326-0268 or 919-861-4539
919-787-4916 FAX
http://www.cci-online.org
CCI is a certification body (an independent, nonprofit organization) that administers examinations and awards credentials in all areas of cardiovascular technology. The credentials offered by CCI upon successful examination completion are the:
- Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT)
- Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT)
- Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist (RCES)
- Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS)
- Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS)
- Registered Congenital Cardiac Sonographer (RCCS)
- Registered Phlebology Sonographer (RPhS)
- Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS)
As a certifying body, it is the responsibility of the CCI to promote the continuing competency of its registrants. To meet the continuing competency requirements of the CCI registrants must accrue continuing education units (CEU). To maintain an Active Status registrants must accrue 36 CEUs per three- year period, 30 of which must be cardiovascular related. For information on certification examinations, submission of continuing education units, or matters related to registry status, contact the CCI.
Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI) has been awarded program accreditation for its examinations from the American National Standards Institute (ANSI). CCI has met the accreditation requirements to earn Accreditation Number 0777 under ANSI/ISO/IEC 17024:2003 General Requirements for Bodies Operating Certification Systems of Persons. CCI will now be regarded as an ANSI accredited Certifier – 0777.
American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT)
1255 Northland Dr
St Paul, MN 55120
651-687-0048
http://www.arrt.org
The ARRT is a certification body (an independent, nonprofit organization) that administers examinations and awards credentials in the following modalities of interest, but are not necessarily limited to: radiography, nuclear medicine technology, radiation therapy, cardiovascular-interventional radiography, mammography, computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, quality management, sonography, bone densitometry, vascular sonography, cardiac-interventional radiography, vascular-interventional radiography, breast sonography and radiologist assistant. The credentials offered by the ARRT to eligible candidates are:
- (R) for Radiography
- (N) for Nuclear Medicine Technology
- (T) for Radiation Therapy
- (MR) for Magnetic Resonance Imaging
- (S) for Sonography
- (CV) for Cardiovascular-Interventional Radiography
- (M) for Mammography
- (CT) for Computed Tomography
- (QM) for Quality Management
- (BD) for Bone Densitometry
- (VS) for Vascular Sonography
- (CI) for Cardiac-Interventional Radiography
- (VI) for Vascular-Interventional Radiography
- (BS) for Breast Sonography
The category designation should be inserted between the “R.T.” and the “(ARRT)” and should be shown as “R.T.(*)(ARRT)” where the asterisk is replaced by the letter or letters indicated in the list above.
For example, “R.T.(R)(M)(ARRT)” designates the individual as certified and registered in radiography and mammography.
Registered Radiologist Assistants, or R.R.A.s, should list that credential followed by their R.T. Credential. For example, “R.R.A., R.T.(R)(ARRT).”
As a certifying body, it is the responsibility of the ARRT to promote the continuing competency of its registrants. To meet the continuing competency requirements of the ARRT, registrants must accrue continuing education (CE) credits. To maintain eligible status, there are three options for meeting the CE requirements. Only one option must be met to satisfy the requirements. The options are: (1) earn 24 CE credits that meet the criteria set forth by the ARRT; or (2) pass a primary examination in a discipline not previously passed and for which the individual is eligible; or (3) pass one of the post-primary examinations not previously passed and for which the individual is eligible. For information on certification examinations, submission of continuing education credits, or matters related to registry status, contact the ARRT.
Accreditation Organizations
Educational Program Accreditation
Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP)
1361 Park Street
Clearwater, FL 33756
Phone: 727-210-2350
Fax: 727-210-2354
http://www.caahep.org
CAAHEP awards accreditation to entry-level allied health education programs. Visit CAAHEP’s website for a complete list of accredited diagnostic medical sonography and cardiovascular technology programs, and accreditation application information.
Joint Review Committee on Education in Diagnostic Medical Sonography (JRC-DMS)
6021 University Blvd, Ste 500
Ellicott City, MD 21043
443-973-3251
mail@jrcdms.org
http://www.jrcdms.org
The JRCDMS evaluates educational programs in the field of diagnostic medical sonography and makes accreditation recommendations to CAAHEP.
Joint Review Committee on Education in Cardiovascular Technology (JRC-CVT)
1248 Harwood Rd
Bedford, TX 76137
214-206-3117
office@jrccvt.org
http://www.jrccvt.org
The JRCCVT evaluates educational programs in the field of cardiovascular technology and makes accreditation recommendations to CAAHEP.
Laboratory Accreditation
Intersocietal Accreditation Commission
The Intersocietal Accreditation Commission (IAC) provides facility accreditation programs for Vascular Testing and Echocardiography.
Vascular Testing – ICAVL
Echocardiography – ICAEL
6021 University Boulevard, Suite 500
Ellicott Ciry, MD 21043
800.838.2110
www.intersocietal.org
Accreditation of Ultrasound Practices
American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM)
14750 Sweitzer Lane, Suite 100
Laurel, MD 20707-5906
301-498-4100 or 800-638-5352
http://www.aium.org
American College of Radiology (ACR)
1891 Preston White Dr
Reston, VA 20191
703-648-8900
http://www.acr.org