Advanced Practice Sonographer (APS) Membership Application ...

Advanced Practice 

Sonographer (APS) 

Membership Application & Guidelines

APS Membership Application & Guidelines 

Introduction 

Table of Contents 

Page 

The Advanced Practice Sonographer (APS) membership 

category was designed by the SDMS to serve as a model 

for recognition of clinical excellence through appropriate 

standards of initial and continuing education, specialty 

certification, clinical experience, and professional 

publication. These guidelines were designed by SDMS to 

assist you in preparing application for APS membership. 

The purpose of the application process is to ensure that the 

applicant has met the standards established by the SDMS 

for APS membership. 

The SDMS appreciates your interest in becoming an 

APS member. If you have any questions or need further 

assistance after reviewing the Guidelines, please contact 

the SDMS Membership Marketing & Service Department. 

Common questions and answers can be found in the APS 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs), beginning on page 4. 

This publication is available on the SDMS website at 

www.sdms.org/membership/, and may be downloaded for 

your use. 

Eligibility Information....................................................3 

Application Process......................................................3 

APS Audit System........................................................4 

APS Appeal Process....................................................4 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs).........................4-5 

Application 

APS Membership Application (page 1).........................6 

APS Membership Application (page 2).........................7 

Processing Fee............................................................8 

Membership Dues (Initial and Renewal)......................8 

Membership Renewal 

Annual Renewal Process.............................................9 

Adding APS Specialties................................................9 

Appendix A - Forms 

APS Documentation Letter Template (APS-DL1)....... 11 

APS Renewal Documentation Letter 

Template (APS-DL2) ..........................................12 

APS CME Log Template (APS-CME).........................13 

Employment Documentation (APS-ED1)...................14 

Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography 

Membership Marketing & Services Department 

2745 N Dallas Pkwy Ste 350 

Plano, TX 75093-8730 

Phone: 214-473-8057 

Fax: 214-473-8563 

Email: membership@sdms.org 

01/14 2


Eligibility Information 

Determine if your are eligible for this membership 

category. If you answer “yes” to each of the following 

questions, you are eligible to apply for SDMS APS 

Membership. 

1. Have you been registered with the ARDMS or CCI for 

at least five (5) years in each specialty area in which 

you want to obtain APS membership? 

2. Do you work a minimum of 24 hours per week 

clinically or in the supervision of clinical work and 

800 scans in each specialty area in which you want 

to obtain APS membership? 

3. Do you have a bachelor’s degree in Diagnostic 

Medical Sonography, Cardiovascular Technology, 

or Echocardiography from an accredited university/ 

college? 

4. Have you acquired 15 hours of CME credit in the 

past three (3) years in each specialty area in which 

you want to obtain APS membership? 

5. Have you been published or accepted for publication 

in a peer-reviewed journal as author or co-author? 

If you answered “yes” to all of the preceding questions, 

please proceed to the next section. 

Application Process 

Step 1 

Complete the entire APS Membership Application 

included in this publication, beginning on page 6. Please 

provide all requested information and documentation. 

Incomplete or illegible applications will not be processed 

and will be returned to the applicant for completion. 

Step 2 

Obtain a notarized letter (form APS-DL1) from your 

employer documenting your job title, years of clinical 

employment, and clinical work experience*. An “APS 

Documentation Letter “ template is included in this 

publication and must be used when providing this 

information. The letter must be printed on institutional 

letterhead and be notarized. 

Previous employment may not be verified by your 

current employer. Letters submitted not using the 

“APS Documentation Letter” template will be returned 

to the applicant along with all other submitted APS 

documentation. 

Step 3 

Request and submit an official transcript from the 

university/college at which your bachelor’s degree was 

bestowed. Contact the Registrar’s Office and request an 

“official” transcript. This transcript must be clearly marked 

as an “official transcript” and must be submitted with all 

requested documentation for APS membership. 

Step 4 

Submit copies of CME certificates and a completed APS 

CME Log (form APS-CME) for verification. 

Prior to submitting CME certificates to the SDMS, please 

document 15 hours of CME credit in each specialty area 

in which you want to obtain APS membership on the 

APS CME Log (form APS-CME). If you have courses that 

contain credits from multiple areas (ie. annual meetings) 

or courses with vague titles (ie. “Grand Rounds”), list only 

the amount of CMEs from each course which you are 

using to complete this requirement. 

NOTE: CMEs granted in the Other [OT] category are not 

accepted for any specialty area. All CME credits must 

have been obtained within the immediate past three 

(3) years AND must be ARDMS or CCI acceptable as 

appropriate. The APS CME Log MUST be accompanied 

by copies of your CME certificates. (You may submit 

multiple copies of the APS CME Log if you need 

additional space when listing CME courses.) 

Step 5 

Submit a copy of your published (or accepted) peerreviewed 

journal article. This article must be ultrasound 

related. List the journal name, article title, publication 

or acceptance date, and citation (page number and 

publication volume) on the APS Membership Application. 

If the article has been accepted, but not yet published, 

please provide a copy of the journal editor’s publication 

acceptance letter with a copy of the article. 

Step 6 

Submit your completed application and all required 

documentation to the SDMS Membership Marketing & 

Services Department. Pay only application fees at this 

time. If paying by check or money order, please make 

payable to SDMS. Do not submit payment for dues at 

this time. 

*Clinical work experience is defined as performing sonography 

or direct supervision of diagnostic medical sonographers, 

students, or others performing sonographic examinations. 

01/14 3


APS Audit System 

This system is designed to monitor compliance with APS 

standards set by the SDMS Board of Directors. An annual 

random audit of APS member information will consist 

of verification of APS specialty-specific clinical work 

experience and/or continuing education. 

Appeal Process 

If an APS member is determined to be out of compliance 

with APS membership requirements, whether that 

noncompliance relates to the clinical work experience or 

the continuing education component, the member will be 

sent written notification. The notification will include the 

basis for the determination and information regarding the 

appeal process and documentation needed to support an 

appeal and reevaluation. 

If the member disagrees with the audit findings, the 

member may submit a letter of appeal to the SDMS 

Membership Marketing & Services Department. The letter 

should state the reasons for the appeal and include any 

documentation to support the appeal. If the member does 

not appeal within 30 days of notification, the audit findings 

will be considered final. 

Upon receipt of the appeal and any supporting 

documentation, the SDMS Executive Director will 

reevaluate the member’s APS file. The Executive Director 

will notify the member within 60 days of receipt of the 

appeal of the final determination. 

APS FAQs 

Question: Is “APS” a certification or professional 

designation and can it be used as a part of my 

signature? 

Answer: No, APS is a SDMS membership category 

only and as such shall not be used in conjunction 

with your signature. 

Question: Does SDMS require that all APS 

membership requirements are met before the 

application will be accepted? 

Answer: Yes. 

Question: What are the bottom-line rules for meeting 

the APS publication requirement? 

Answer: The article must be an ultrasound related 

research article, case study, or case report 

published n a peer-reviewed journal (i.e., JDMS). 

Abstracts, books, posters, oral presentations, book 

chapters and the JDMS Diagnostic Challenge do 

NOT meet the requirement. If you are unsure if 

your article will comply with APS requirements, 

please contact the SDMS Membership Marketing 

& Services Department at 800-229-9506, or by 

email at membership@sdms.org. 

Question: I’m not the primary author on my published 

article, do I meet the publication requirement? 

Answer: Yes, you may be listed in any place as a 

co-author. 

Question: Is there a registry test for the APS? 

Answer: APS is a SDMS membership category only. 

There is no registry test for APS. 

Question: Is the APS membership category designed 

for multi-specialty recognition? 

Answer: The APS membership category was 

primarily designed to recognize clinical expertise 

in a given area of sonographic clinical work. While 

it is theoretically possible to qualify for more 

than one specialty area APS recognition, the 

requirements of 24 hours per week and 800 scans 

per year will be applied to each specialty area. 

Question: Who can verify my clinical work experience 

on the APS Documentation Letter? 

Answer: This information should be verified by 

your direct supervisor, supervising physician or 

personnel/human resources director. 

Question: Can I have my current employer verify 

employment information from another institution or 

past employer? 

Answer: No, your current employer may verify only 

the experience you have at your current place of 

employment. Past employment or employment at 

another institution must be verified by personnel at 

those institutions. 

01/14 4


APS FAQs (continued) 

Question: What do I do if a past employer has gone 

out of business and I need to document my clinical 

experience at that facility? 

Answer: Submit a properly executed Employment 

Documentation Form (APS - ED1). That form can 

be found on page 14 of this publication. 

Question: What steps will I have to take to renew my 

APS membership? 

Answer: Please see the “Annual Renewal Process” 

section on page 9. 

Question: What happens if I cannot meet the APS 

renewal requirements? 

Answer: Your membership category will be changed to 

Active (ACT). 

Question: Why are APS dues higher than the other 

individual SDMS membership categories? 

Answer: The membership fee schedule is reviewed 

annually by the SDMS Board of Directors and the 

APS dues have been set to reflect the additional 

processing and verification time needed to insure 

the APS standards. This process requires individual 

handling and the process cannot be automated. 

Question: What is the normal turnaround time for 

processing an APS membership application? 

Answer: Normal processing time is 3-4 weeks, but this 

may vary in peak membership periods. 

Question: What do I do if I have CMEs listed in the 

‘Other’ category that actually belong to a specific 

specialty? ie. AB, AE... 

Answer: All CMEs used to meet APS requirements 

must be specialty specific. You should contact the 

CME provider to petition category changes. 

01/14 5


Advanced Practice Sonographer (APS) 

Membership Application 

Please Print or Type 

Name: Mr./Ms./Dr. _________________________ __________________ ___ Credentials:_________________ 

Last First MI 

Address 1:__________________________________________________________________________________ 

Address 2:__________________________________________________________________________________ 

City: _______________________________State/Province: _____________ Zip+4/Postal Code: ______________ 

Country: ____________________________ Daytime Phone: (_____)_____________________ Ext: __________ 

Email Address: ______________________________________________________________________________ 

Current SDMS membership number: Female Male 

Please provide this information for verification and CME tracking purposes: 

Birth Date: / / Social Security Number: XXX - XX - 

Please check the specialty area(s) for which you are applying for APS membership: 

Abdomen Cardiac (Adult) Cardiac (Pediatric) Ob/Gyn 

Breast Cardiac (Fetal) Neurosonology Vascular 

Registry Numbers (all applicable): ARDMS _____________ CCI _______________ ARRT ______________ 

Please check all specialty areas in which you are currently practicing: 

Abdomen Cardiac (Adult) Cardiac (Ped.) Neurosonology Vascular 

Breast Cardiac (Fetal) Musculoskeletal Ob/Gyn Veterinary 

Registrations/Certificates you hold (please check all that apply): 

NOTE: 

RDMS RDCS RVT RPVI RMSK This application 

RVS RCS RCCS RPhS valid through 

RT(CV) RT(M) RT(S) RT(VS) RT(BS) 12/31/14 

MD DO RN 

Please check all specialty areas in which you are registered or certified: 

Abdomen Cardiac (Adult) Cardiac (Ped.) Ob/Gyn 


Highest educational level completed: 

Bachelor’s Degree Master’s Degree Doctorate Degree 

SDMS Office Use Only: 

Member Number: ____________ Payment: _____________ Amount: ___________ 

Batch and/or 

Reference Number: ____________ Item #: ____________ Date Received:_________________ 

01/14 6


EDUCATION - List Bachelor’s Degree or higher only 

Degree Institution (Name & Address) Date Degree Received 

ARDMS REGISTRATION - List specialty area(s) for which you are apply for APS membership 

Specialty Date Registered If applicable, describe reasons for any lapse in registration. 

CLINICAL WORK EXPERIENCE - Attach extra page, if needed. 

Dates Job Title Employer (Name, address, and Supervisor’s Name) Typical/Average Scans Per Day 

PUBLISHED ARTICLE(S) 

Journal Name Article Title Publication Date/Publication Acceptance Date Citation 

AFFIDAVIT 

I, __________________________________, swear or affirm that the statements contained in this application and all 

supporting documentation are to the best of my knowledge true and accurate. I further affirm that I understand that 

falsification of information is a violation of the Code of Ethics for the Profession of Diagnostic Medical Sonography and will 

result in rejection of my APS Membership Application. I authorize SDMS to verify the submitted membership information 

by contacting employers (present and past), educational institutions, and my certification organization(s) at any time. I 

understand that in order to maintain eligibility for the APS membership category, I must maintain “active” status with my 

certification organization(s), and I will provide SDMS with documentation to verify my continued compliance with APS 

membership category requirements each year at membership renewal. I also understand that the one-time processing fee 

is non-refundable and any dues assessed for APS Membership upon application approval are non-refundable and can not 

be transferred. 

__________________________________________________ ___________________________________________ 

(Applicant Signature) 

(Date) 

01/14 7


APS Membership Processing Fee 

There is a one time, non-refundable processing fee for each specialty area. Please use the following chart to calculate the 

appropriate fee to submit with your APS Membership Application. Write the specialty area(s) in which you are applying for 

APS membership in the column on the left. The column on the right indicates the processing fee for each specialty area. 

The “Total” is the sum of fees for each specialty area for which you are applying. The “Total” is the amount you should 

submit with your APS application and other required documentation. 

APS Specialty Area 

Application Fee 

1. $20 USD 

2. + $20 USD 

Total $ ______ USD 

Payment Method 

Please indicate payment method (US dollars drawn on US bank): 

Check #____________ 

Money Order 

Charge: $20 $40 to: 

American Express Discover MasterCard Visa 

Credit Card Number _______________________________________________ Expiration Date ____________ 

Cardholder’s Name________________________________Signature _________________________________ 

(as it appears on card) 

Cardholder’s Billing Address __________________________________________________________________ 

(as it appears on statement) 

(Please include address, city, state/province/country, and zip+4/postal code) 

APS Membership Dues 

Initial Payment 

Once your APS membership has been approved, your initial dues payment will be calculated based on the following 

criteria: 1) your current SDMS expiration date, and 2) your APS membership date of approval. Do not send a dues 

payment with your APS membership application. You will be billed for the appropriate dues once your membership has 

been approved. 

Annual APS Renewal 

Each year, prior to your annual anniversary date, you will be billed for annual APS dues. The APS dues are: $197 USD 

Membership dues to the SDMS are not deductible as a charitable contribution for U.S. Federal tax purposes, but may be partially deductible as a 

business expense. The SDMS estimates 11.7% of your dues are not deductible because of the SDMS’ lobbying activities on behalf of its members. 

01/14 8


Annual Renewal Process 

Each year, prior to your annual membership anniversary date, you will be billed for the appropriate APS membership dues. 

At that time you will also be asked to submit documentation illustrating your continued compliance with APS membership 

category requirements in clinical experience and continuing education. This documentation consists of: 

1. a properly executed APS Renewal Documentation Letter (Form APS-DL2), and 

2. copies of CME certificates outlining (required) CMEs in your specialty area(s) if records indicate a 

deficiency, and 

3. a completed copy of the APS CME Log (Form APS-CME) if a deficiency is noted. 

(You may submit multiple copies of the APS CME Log if you need additional space when listing CME courses.) 

The required documentation should be sent to the SDMS along with your dues payment and invoice. Membership dues 

may be submitted independant of documentation to ensure no membership lapse. Failure to submit this documentation 

will result in the loss of membership in the APS membership category. Membership will be converted to Active, and you 

will be sent notification of this category change. 

PLEASE NOTE: Do not submit renewal information prior to receiving your renewal packet by mail. Detailed instructions 

regarding the renewal process will be mailed to you including any changes to the process for that membership year. 

Adding APS Specialties to your Current APS Membership 

You may add specialty areas to your current APS ,embership each year during your annual membership renewal period. 

In order to achieve this you must return the following documentation with your membership renewal invoice: 

1. a letter indicating your intent to add a specialty and the date of certification for that specialty, 

2. the appropriate processing fee ($20 per specialty added), 

3. additional copies of CME certificates and completed copy of the APS CME Log (form APS-CME) indicating 

compliance with the CME requirement for that specialty area, and 

4. a properly executed APS Documentation Letter (Form APS - DL1) for the added specialty. 

Please note: If you add a specialty to your APS membership, you will be required to submit a Form APS - DL1 for the new 

specialty area and a Form APS - DL2 for the renewing specialty. 

Note: Specialty areas may not be added to your current APS membership unless you have a Bachelor’s Degree 

in Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Cardiovascular Technology, or Echocardiography. 

01/14 9


APPENDIX 

01/14 10


APS Documentation Letter Template - APS-DL1 

A properly executed copy of this letter must accompany your APS Membership Application and documentation. This letter 

must be printed on institutional letterhead and the Personnel Director’s (or Supervisor or Supervising Physician) signature 

must be notarized. 

(Institutional letterhead) 

APS Documentation Letter 

(Date) 

Membership Marketing & Services Coordinator 



Plano, TX 75093-8730 

Dear SDMS Membership Coordinator, 

This letter is to document that ___________________________________________ has the job title and job 

(sonographer’s name and ARDMS/CCI registry number) 

description of _______________________________________. 

(current job title) 

I affirm that ______________________________ has satisfactorily performed his or her duties in the area(s) of 

(sonographer’s name) 

____________________________________________________, maintaining a minimum of 24 hours per week of 

(List all specialty areas for which APS membership is being sought.)* 

clinical work per specialty, from _________________________ to _______________________. 

(start date) 

(current or end date) 

I further affirm that ___________________________________ has satisfactorily performed or supervised at least 800 


sonographic examinations per year per APS specialty during this time. 

I, __________________________________________________, affirm that the above statements are true based on 

(Personnel Director’s (or Supervising Physician in a private clinic) name 

past employment and work experience only at the institution listed on this letterhead. 

__________________________________________________________ 

Personnel Director’s (or Supervisor or Supervising Physician) Signature and Title 

__________________________________________________________ 

Notary Seal, Signature, and Date 

* Abdomen, Adult Cardiac, Breast, Fetal Cardiac, 

Neurosonology, Ob/Gyn, Pediatric Cardiac, Vascular. 

APS-DL1 

01/14 11


APS Renewal Documentation Letter Template - Form APS-DL2 

A properly executed copy of this letter must accompany your SDMS APS membership renewal. This letter must be 

printed on institutional letterhead, signed by your Personnel Director’s (or Supervisor or Supervising Physician) and by 

you. Your signature must be notarized. 

(Institutional letterhead) 

(Date) 

APS Documentation Letter 

Membership Marketing & Services Coordinator 



Plano, TX 75093-8730 

Dear SDMS Membership Coordinator, 

This letter is to document that ___________________________________________ has the job title and job 

(sonographer’s name and ARDMS/CCI registry number) 

description of _____________________________________. 

(current job title) 

I affirm that ______________________________ has satisfactorily performed his or her duties in the area(s) of 


____________________________________________________, maintaining a minimum of 24 hours per week of 

(List all specialty areas for which APS membership is being sought.)* 

clinical work per specialty, from _________________________ to _______________________. 

(start date) 

(current or end date) 

I further affirm that ___________________________________ has satisfactorily performed or supervised at least 800 


sonographic examinations per year per APS specialty during this time. 

I, __________________________________________________, affirm that the above statements are true based on 

(Personnel Director’s (or Supervising Physician in a private clinic) name 

past employment and work experience only at the institution listed on this letterhead. 

__________________________________________________________ 

Personnel Director’s (or Supervisor or Supervising Physician) Signature and Title 

I, the undersigned, swear or affirm that the statements contained in this document are to the best of my knowledge 

true and accurate. I further affirm that I understand that falsification of information is a violation of the SDMS Code 

of Ethics and will result in rejection of my APS membership renewal. 

__________________________________________________________ 

SDMS APS Member’s Signature, and Date 

__________________________________________________________ 


* Abdomen, Adult Cardiac, Breast, Fetal Cardiac, Neurosonology, Ob/Gyn, Pediatric Cardiac, Vascular. 

APS-DL2 

01/14 12


APS CME Log Template - Form APS-CME 

Please use the following chart to outline your CME credits required for APS membership. NOTE: Documentation of (15) 

CME credits is required for each APS specialty area. For New Membership: See step 4 of the Application Process 

for use of this form. For Membership Renewal (if deficient): ONLY credits earned 3 years prior to your current APS 

Membership expiration are valid for use during the renewal period. This form MUST be accompanied by copies of CME 

certificates acceptable by your certification organization; which fulfill the APS CME requirement. 

Name: _______________________________ Specialty 1: _________ Specialty 2: _________ Specialty 3: _________ 

Date Specialty* Title of Course Credit Hours 

in Specialty 

01/01/2000 OB 1 st Annual Preconvention & Convention for Ultrasound 2.5 

(Sample) (Sample) (Sample) (Sample) 

* AB=Abdomen (includes Small Parts) AE = Adult Cardiac BR = Breast PE = Pediatric Cardiac FE = Fetal Cardiac PE = Pediatric Cardiac 

NE = Neurosonology OB = Obstetric/Gynecology VT = Vascular Technology 

I, the undersigned, swear or affirm that the statements contained in this 

document are to the best of my knowledge true and accurate. I further 

affirm that falsification of information is a violation of the SDMS Code 

of Ethics and will result in rejection of my APS Membership Renewal. 

_________________________________________________________ 

SDMS APS Member’s Signature 

Date 

Total CMEs for specialty 1: __________ 



01/14 13


Employment Documentation 

This form may be used in lieu of the required APS Documentation Letter only if your employment records with a previous employer are 

completely inaccessible or destroyed. This information will be verified. 

1. APS Applicant’s Name: _________________________________________________________________________ 

2. Maiden Name (if applicable):_______________________________ SDMS Member # (if applicable) ____________________ 

3. Address:_____________________________________________________________________________________ 

Street City State/Province Zip+4/Postal Code Country 

4. Name and last known address of company: _________________________________________________________ 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________ 

5. Reason for inability to obtain employment records: Company out of business (date ____________________) 

Other (Please specify________________________________________________________________________) 

6. Dates of employment at this company: From _____ / _____ / ________ to _____ / _____ / ________ 

7. Job Title during your employment: ________________________________________________________________ 

8. Immediate Supervisor during this time period: _______________________________________________________ 

(Print First and Last Name and Title) 

9. How many hours per week did you perform ultrasound examinations? ___________________________________ 

10. In which specialty area(s) are you applying for APS membership? 

Abdomen Cardiac (Adult) Cardiac (Pediatric) Ob/Gyn 


11. How many hours per week did you perform ultrasound examinations in your first APS specialty?_________ 

How many scans did you perform in this specialty per year? _____________ 

12. If applicable, how many hours per week did you perform ultrasound examinations in your second APS 

specialty? ____________ 


13. If applicable, how many hours per week did you perform ultrasound examinations in your third APS 

specialty? ____________ 


I, the undersigned, swear or affirm that the statements contained in this document are to the best of my knowledge true 

and accurate. I further affirm that I understand that falsification of information is a violation of the SDMS Code of Ethics 

and will result in rejection of my APS Membership Application. 

__________________________________________________ __________________________________ 

Applicant’s Signature 

Date 

__________________________________________________________ 


APS-ED1 

01/14 14

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