1. Applicant: an individual sends in an application for internal review in hopes he/she will be allowed to sit for our examination(s). 
2. Candidate: an applicant has met all required prerequisites and is allowed to sit for ARDMS examination(s). A candidate will receive official notification in the mail and has 90 days to take the approved examination(s). 
3. Registrant: a candidate has successfully completed the Sonography Principles & Instrumentation (SPI) examination with a correlating specialty examination to earn a RDMS, RDCS, or RVT credential. 

It is also important to note that first-time candidates have five years to successfully complete both examinations (physics and correlating specialty), from the time they are officially notified that they are a candidate. Failure to achieve the first credential prior to the end of the five year timeframe will require reapplying as a first-time candidate and retaking any previous examination to achieve an ARDMS credential (RDMS, RDCS, RVT, RMSKS)." 

Patients served by sonographers throughout the country deserve the highest quality provider accountability tool available. The "gold standard" within the ​sonography community is certification.