Abdomen (AB)

To earn an ARDMS credential, Applicants must choose and meet the requirements of a prerequisite. Review the Prerequisite Prep tool to help guide you through the prerequisite selection process and to select a prerequisite that best meets your education and clinical ultrasound experience.

Re-Applicant – A re-applicant is a Candidate or Registrant who has previously applied and been approved by ARDMS to take or has taken an ARDMS examination and who is applying to take another examination; this does not include an individual who has only been approved for MSKS, MW examinations and approval of the Sonography Principles & Instrumentation (SPI) examination under the SPI Examination Requirement Pathway. Re-applicants should apply as such and thus this guide isn’t necessary for you.

You will be considered a Re-applicant for the AB examination:

• If you were previously approved to sit for any of the following Sonographer-level
specialty examinations:

•  If you were previously approved to sit for the SPI examination under a
prerequisite (excludes approval of the SPI examination under the SPI Examination
Requirement)

Applying as a Re-applicant:
• If you have a current AB Clinical Verification (CV) Form on file, you will need to submit
the application and examination fee only. The application will automatically
be approved and you will be able to schedule within a day.

• If you do not have a current AB CV Form on file, you will need to submit the application,
the examination fee, and a current AB CV Form. To access your active CV Form, please log
into MY ARDMS and click on “Clinical Verification Form” under “Application Center.”

You must wait 60 days before you can retake the AB examination if you do not pass it however, you are welcome to reapply after 3 days.

Once you are ready to apply for an ARDMS examination, follow the steps below:

1. Log in to MY ARDMS and choose the “Apply Online” option.
2. Complete the online application form and submit payment. If you are a first-time applicant, you are required to choose a general prerequisite under which to apply.
3. Gather your supporting documentation and submit at time of application
4. To upload your documentation to your MY ARDMS account, click the “My Resources” tab, then “Upload Documents”. For “File Type” select “Application Documents”

For more details, please view the ARDMS How to Apply Guide. For a copy of this guide, complete the How to Apply Guide Request.

Once we have reviewed your information, we will email you with either an Examination Confirmation Letter (ECL) or a request for additional documentation. When you receive the ECL, you may contact Pearson VUE to schedule an examination appointment during your 90-day eligibility period.

If you are found ineligible to take the examination, your application will be partially refunded (less the $100 USD processing fee per examination).

The required supporting documents depend on your chosen prerequisite and must be submitted online with your application.

Please note: We do not review application documentation received prior to receipt and payment of the online application.

Application Letter Requirements

When applying for the examination, if your prerequisite selection requires documentation of clinical experience, please note the following:

• All letters must be printed on the official institution/employer letterhead and include the institution/company name, address, and telephone number as shown in the sample letters.
• All letters must be dated.
• Employer Letters must specify whether the experience was obtained on a full-time or part-time basis and should include the total number of paid clinical hours as indicated in the sample letters.
• Program Completion Letters must include the total number of hours in the program and should separately state the number of didactic and clinical hours in the program as indicated in the sample letters.
• All letters must clearly state the start and end dates of employment or program in mm/dd/yyyy format.
• All letters must specify the specialties in which the experience was obtained.
• All letters must include a hand-written signature. Stamped and/or computer-generated signatures will not be accepted.
• Include the ARDMS/APCA number or physician license number in the signature as indicated in the sample letters.

Sample Letters

• Sample Letter 

CV Forms

• CV Form

Do you have an unreported compliance violation? The examination application will ask you to attest to being compliant with the ARDMS Compliance Policies. If you are unsure if you have a compliance violation or if you have a violation to report, please take a moment to watch the short informational video for guidance. For additional assistance please contact Compliance@Inteleos.org.

​Degrees earned internationally must be evaluated prior to selecting a prerequisite. We require a course by course evaluation. Click here for a complete list of Evaluation Agencies for International Degrees.

If the applicant has taken and passed all three parts of and earned the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates (ECFMG®) certification, a copy of the ECFMG® certificate may be submitted with a copy of current, valid MD or DO license from the U.S. or Canada in lieu of the evaluation.

The examination checklist is a helpful, online tool that lets you track the status of your submitted application. To view it, log into MY ARDMS and visit the “Application Checklist” from the “Application Center” drop down menu.

Once we have reviewed your documentation, you can find out what documentation we accepted and what additional documentation we may still need by selecting “View Checklist.” If “View Checklist” is not available, it simply means we have not yet reviewed your documentation.

You can also use the following form to ensure that you are submitting all the required documentation:
• Application Submission Checklist

​If you are found eligible to take an examination, we will email you an Examination Confirmation Letter (ECL) within one to two days of application approval and you will be able to schedule your appointment at that time. The ECL will also be posted to your MY ARDMS  account and will include your eligibility period to schedule and take your examination.

If you need special accommodations, please select “Yes” for “Special Accommodations” in the application and submit the following along with your completed application:

• An original copy of a letter dated within the past five years and typed on official letterhead
from a qualified physician or health care provider who specializes in the disability. This letter
must document the disability and its severity, describe the applicant’s limitation due to the
disability and state exactly what accommodations are recommended. The letter must contain
an original signature and the physician’s or provider’s credentials.
• An original copy of a comprehensive medical evaluation/report of the diagnosed disability
from the physician or health care provider, dated within the past five years.
• A completed ADA Special Accomodations Questionnaire, which must be submitted each
time you apply for an examination.

For more information, visit Americans with Disabilities Act.

​To reschedule the date and time of your examination during your eligibility period, you must contact Pearson VUE (877-258-9220) at least 96 hours prior to the scheduled examination date and time.

To cancel an examination appointment, you must contact Pearson VUE (877-258-9220) and cancel the scheduled appointment no later than 96 hours prior to the scheduled examination appointment time. You will receive a cancellation email from the Pearson VUE.

To request a partial refund, you must wait 24 hours after canceling the appointment with Pearson VUE and then submit a cancellation/partial refund request no later than 96 hours prior to the last date of the eligibility period.

To submit this request:

1. Log in to your MY ARDMS account.
2. Visit “My Examination/Application Status” under “Application Center.”
3. Select the examination you wish to request a partial refund for. ​
4. Complete and submit the form.

We will refund your examination fee, less the $100 USD processing fee per examination, unless we receive your request too late, you never schedule your examination or you do not keep your scheduled examination appointment. Then, the entire examination and processing fees are forfeited.

If you need more time and cannot schedule your examination within the 90-day eligibility period, you can request a one-time 60-day extension for the examination. You must request this extension at least 96 hours prior to the last date of the eligibility period.

To request an extension:

1. Log in to your MY ARDMS account.
2. Visit “My Examination/Application Status” under “Application Center.”
3. Select the examination you wish to extend.
4. Complete and submit form.

If you have a scheduled examination appointment, you must contact Pearson VUE (877-258-9220) at least 96 hours prior to the scheduled examination, and notify them that you are cancelling your scheduled appointment before you complete the steps above to request an extension.

The entire examination fee is forfeited if we receive your request too late, you never schedule your examination or you do not keep your scheduled examination appointment.

When you arrive at a test center, be prepared to:
• Check in with a Test Center Administrator
• Present one valid photo identification (ID); see Test Center Identification Requirements
• Provide a digital signature
• Have your palm vein scanned
• Take a test-day photograph

Note: The only thing that you can bring into the testing room is you. The test centers have lockers you can use to store personal belongings. Study materials, as well as food and drink, are prohibited in the test center. No visitors, guests, pets or children are allowed.

Important: Review ARDMS’ Examination Admission Compliance policies to ensure you are not refused admission at the test center and do not conduct unauthorized examination behavior.

Test centers will provide white boards for notes during the examination upon request.

If you need special accommodations, please select “Yes” for “Special Accommodations” in the application when you apply.

Each practice test costs $45 USD.

You can now register for an AB practice test by signing into your MY ARDMS account and clicking the Sign Up/View Practice Test option in the Application Center tab. You can also view the computer system requirements in your MY ARDMS portal. For any general questions or technical problems regarding the practice tests, please call ARDMS at (800) 541-9754 option  1 for assistance.

Before you start your test you should review the practice test tutorial instructions. Please note you will not get a chance to review the test tutorial during the actual practice test , so please prepare accordingly. Once your session begins, you have 30 minutes to complete the practice test.

Register for an AB practice test, by signing in to your MY ARDMS account.

The AB examination covers the following content areas. All percentages are an approximate distribution of the questions across the content areas.

AB Content Outline

(Please click on “AB Content Outline” for the detailed Content Outline in PDF-Printable format).

 Anatomy, Perfusion, and Function [30%]

•Assess physical characteristics of anatomic structures
•Assess perfusion and function of anatomic structures

Pathology, Vascular Abnormalities, Trauma, and Postoperative Anatomy [42%]

 Abdominal Physics [8%]

•Apply concepts of equipment/image optimization
•Apply concepts of imaging artifacts

Clinical Care, Practice, and Quality Assurance [20%]

Please note: All percentages are approximate.

Your score report will display and include performance feedback for these content areas.

After all of your diligent preparation and hours spent studying, here are a few valuable tips to help make your examination day a success:

1. Double check that you know where the test center is before examination day and give yourself plenty of time to get there. Remember, you MUST arrive and register at least 30 minutes before the examination begins.
2. Get a good night’s sleep before you take your examination. Being well rested and relaxed when you take your examination will help you concentrate.
3. Bring one form of current and valid identification that complies with the test center identification requirements.
4. Travel light. The only thing you can bring into the testing room is you. You can store your personal belongings — your car keys, watch, smartphone, purse, backpack, etc. — in lockers at the test center. The following items are not allowed in test centers: study materials, food, drink, visitors/guests, pets and children.
5. Request a white board if you plan to jot down notes during the examination. Test centers are using white boards (rather than paper) in an effort to “go green.”
6. Be advised that the use of a calculator for this examination is prohibited. However, you may utilize the White Board provided at the test center or the digital White Board provided for online proctoring examinations for manual calculations.

Good luck!

Even though we offer practice exams and sample questions, we do not offer study materials for our exams – but our sister societies do. You can find materials at:

• Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography
• American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine 
• Society for Vascular Ultrasound
• American Society of Echocardiography

​​The AB examination features Advanced Item Types (AIT) questions, which assess and measure your practical sonography skills. They include hotspot questions in which you will receive questions about individual images. You will use the cursor to mark the correct answer directly on the image.

Watch ARDMS Presents: How to Answer a Hotspot Question.

You can receive a score report at the test center once you complete the examination. Additionally, your score report will be available in your Pearson VUE account. The Pass or Fail results will then be posted to your secure MY ARDMS account within the next week.

Candidates receiving a confirmed passing score on all required examinations and meeting all other requirements will be awarded a certification, effective the date the final examination was taken. For information on the ARDMS’ scoring methods, visit Notification of Results and Scoring.

Candidates who do not pass are invited to re-apply but must wait 60 days between attempts.

​When submitting your ARDMS application, you consent to us releasing your examination results to your educational program.

Program Directors can receive a School Report for current programs and programs completed in the past three years. To learn more, visit School Reports.

You can request a score verification for a $35 USD fee, payable by check, money order or credit card. Score verification ensures that the computer counted the correct and incorrect answers appropriately, but it does not review the questions and answers.

You must submit the completed Exam Score Verification Form within 30 days of having taken the examination in question. The Exam Score Verification Form will be returned if incomplete, unsigned or unpaid.

When deciding whether to have your score verified, please consider that ARDMS examinations are scored electronically with a high degree of accuracy, and it is unlikely that verification will alter your original score.