Compliance Pre-Determination Application (PDA)

As described in the PDA video, the Compliance Pre-determination Application (“PDA”) review process is for individuals who wish to determine the impact of a previous criminal or disciplinary matters on their eligibility to apply for ARDMS certification. The Compliance PDA review process is recommended for individuals who have not applied for the examination and are contemplating employment in the field of sonography or enrollment into a sonography program.

Individuals who have already started a program, completed a program, or are ready to apply for an ARDMS examination should submit their examination application and respond to the questions on the application relating to criminal matters and provide the requested documentation regarding such matter(s).

Under the Compliance PDA review process, ARDMS will review only actual (not hypothetical) cases in which an individual has been:

1. Disciplined by a certifying body, licensing or other regulatory authority, accrediting body, or national professional association; or
2. Convicted, pled guilty or nolo contendere concerning a crime (felony or misdemeanor), other than a speeding or parking violation. ARDMS will also consider matters involving deferred or withheld adjudication, suspended or withheld sentences, and military court marshals. The process is not available for matters involving arrest only or during a period when a criminal trial or plea bargain is pending.

Expunged cases must be reported and reviewed as a violation of Compliance Policy Standard 1.5. A criminal record triggers the Compliance review process, regardless of whether the criminal matter was expunged. ARDMS certifications are a measure of an individual’s ability to promote quality care and patient safety, thus holding the credential to a higher standard and necessitating a review of criminal proceedings that meet the threshold of Standard 1.5, even if they were later expunged. All Compliance violations are reviewed on a case by case basis in accordance with the process outlined in the Compliance Policies. Each matter is reviewed individually on its merits and whether the matter was later expunged may also be taken into consideration.

Please note: The Compliance PDA process is only available for criminal and disciplinary matters, not other issues of eligibility. You will still need to submit a completed examination application once you have fully complied with the educational and clinical requirements of one of the examination prerequisites to be deemed eligible for an examination.