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Musculoskeletal Sonography (MSKS)

Musculoskeletal Health

Administered by ARDMS

Applications open in August.

This exam is administered by ARDMS.

SPI Required?

Within 5 years

Application Window

08/04/2026 - 10/13/2026

Exam Fee

$300 USD

Exam Window

10/27/2026 - 11/19/2026

The Musculoskeletal Sonography (MSKS) exam will test your knowledge of muscles, joints, tendons, ligaments, and soft tissues of the body.

Overview

Support your patients’ strength: focus on musculoskeletal imaging with MSKS.

The exam assesses the knowledge, skills, and abilities that every musculoskeletal sonography specialist needs.

Topics and Anatomy

General anatomy and physiology
- Bone pathologies
- Muscle pathologies
- Tendon pathologies
- Ligament pathologies
- Nerve pathologies
- Soft tissue pathologies
General sonographic protocols
Pathology
Integration of data and protocols
Treatment and emerging technologies
Physics and instrumentation

MSKS is a qualified specialty for RMSKS certification. The SPI exam is also required. You must pass both exams within five years of each other, in any order.

Practice Analysis

Quality exams start with a single purpose: reflect real-world care. We routinely evaluate and update the MSKS exam to ensure that it captures the requirements of today’s practice.

Latest Analysis: 2020

Question format & scoring

The MSK exam covers approximately 195 questions over 4 hours.

Multiple choice
Hotspot questions: answer questions about individual images by marking directly on them
- Watch ARDMS Presents: How to Answer a Hotspot Question.

Scoring

You will receive your score report at the test center after completing your exam, and it will also be available in your Pearson account. Your results will be posted to your Inteleos portal within one week.

Pass/fail score
Point scale 300 to 700 (555 or better passes; not percentage or curve-based)

If you do not pass, you must wait until the next administration to retake the MSKS exam.

Statistics

ARDMS exams assess the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to practice each specialty. Student pass rates vary.

2023 First-time takers: 58% Overall: 89%	2022 First-time takers: 60% Overall: 54%	2021 First-time takers: 62% Overall: 58%
2020 First-time takers: 60% Overall: 57%	2019 First-time takers: 65% Overall: 62%	2018 First-time takers: 68% Overall: 65%
2017 First-time takers: 68% Overall: 62%	2016 First-time takers: 60% Overall: 58%	2015 First-time takers: 68% Overall: 68%