Where To Acquire Ultrasound Technician Certification?
Ultrasound technician certification is one of the important credentials that sonographers must possess. This is their passport into getting decent jobs and high pay rates. Licensed sonographers are more preferred by the medical employers over other sonographers who did not acquire certifications.
Ultrasound technician certification is an optional thing for sonographers. However, the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, there is a very good chance for the licensed technician to be hired by high paying medical employers. Priority applicants are those who have the ARDMS or CCI certifications.
Although several professional organizations are offering ultrasound technician certifications, there are only two professional organizations that are widely recognized to offer such licenses. These are the ARDMS or the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography and the CCI or Cardiovascular Credentialing International. Let us go over these two organizations and also what they can offer the ultrasound technicians aside from certifications or licenses.
American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
This independent and non-profit professional organization was established in 1975. There are four credentials that the ARDMS awards the qualified ultrasound technicians. Among these ultrasound technician certifications are the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS), Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS), Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT) and RPVI (Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RVPI).
These credentials have corresponding credentialing examinations that are required before any ultrasound technician is awarded with the license. The technician may opt to choose one of the credentials after he passes the basic ultrasound examination that is the SPI (Sonography Principles & Instrumentation). This examination should be taken by all the technicians who want to be certified by ARDMS.
The corresponding examinations for the Registered Diagnostic Medical Sonographer (RDMS) are about the sub specialties abdomen, breast, fetal echocardiography, neurosonology, and OB/GYN sonography. For the Registered Diagnostic Cardiac Sonographer (RDCS), the technician is required to take examinations in adult echocardiography, fetal echocardiography, and pediatric echocardiography. To become Registered Vascular Technologist (RVT), an examination regarding vascular technology should be taken and passed. The Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RVPI) credential is designated for the physicians.
Cardiovascular Credentialing International (CCI)
The CCI is another non-profit and independent organization with the objective to administer credentialing examinations for ultrasound technician certifications. This organization started issuing credentials for ultrasound technicians in 1968. The organization is managed by cardiovascular professionals.
Since the organization is concentrated in cardiovascular sonography, the credentialing examinations are also concentrated in this field. All ultrasound technicians who wish to be part of the cardiovascular sonography or those who wish to expend their expertise in cardiovascular sonography are eligible to apply for the certification. The credentials offered by CCI are the following:
- Certified Cardiographic Technician (CCT)
- Certified Rhythm Analysis Technician (CRAT)
- Registered Congenital Cardiac Sonographer (RCCS)
- Registered Cardiac Electrophysiology Specialist (RCES)
- Registered Cardiovascular Invasive Specialist (RCIS)
- Registered Cardiac Sonographer (RCS)
- Registered Phlebology Sonographer (RPhS)
- Registered Vascular Specialist (RVS)
The only method in acquiring a Cardiovascular Credentialing (CCI) is through the examination administration of the CCI. Upon passing the examination administered by the CCI, ultrasound technician certification is awarded to the technician to be used in applying for ultrasound technician jobs. In order to maintain an “Active” status of membership by the CCI, the technician is required to submit a triennial renewal fee and the accumulation of continuing education units on a triennial basis.
The credentials issued by the American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography and Cardiovascular Credentialing International are considered as powerful tools to be used in application for ultrasound technician jobs. Ultrasound technician certifications from CCI or ARDMS possessed by technicians are good enough to mean that they have been trained very well and are capable of rendering effective and efficient service for patients who are required to be diagnosed under the ultrasound machine.