RDMS in residency???

[bobdobaleena]

---

Members don't see this ad.

Any programs out there doing this? has anyone done this? Do you know anyone who's done this? I'm looking into trying to get my RDMS during my final year of residency. Any help would be much appreciated. I've been on the ARDMS website and it's fairly confusing.

B

 

[FoughtFyr]

Any programs out there doing this? has anyone done this? Do you know anyone who's done this? I'm looking into trying to get my RDMS during my final year of residency. Any help would be much appreciated. I've been on the ARDMS website and it's fairly confusing.

B

It is difficult at best - usually RDMS is during a fellowship. In order to get RDMS certified you have to perform a great deal of scans (including types not usually associated with EM) that are overread by a radiologist. There are two things to remember about the RDMS. First, it is a "tech" certification. That is, the interpretation of the scans (the important skill in EM) is less important than getting the pictures. The scans performed by a professional full time RDMS are interpreted by a radiologist, not by the RDMS performing the scan. Second, as an EP, you are unlikely to be credentialled at your eventual job to interpret all of the scans you would be capable of performing as an RDMS. Having the certification does not lead to increased ability to perform (and bill for) these scans in real life.

There is a great deal of confusion regarding ultrasound. Most EM groups have negotiated the right to perform certain scans. Most EM residencies will leave you prepared to be credentialled at these institutions. Better still, as ultrasound is a newer technology, current residents would likely be able to pick-up a class being used to bring existing staff up to the level where they are credentialled (if your residency somehow left you deficient).

An RDMS is helpful if you are looking to teach at an ultrasound fellowship, or even be the local "expert" on U/S, but outside of academia there is little to no utility in it.

I know that isn't the question you asked but...

BTW - I am fully credentialled to perform U/S at my job (to perform IUP checks, limited echoes in codes, FAST exams and procedural guidance - abscess and CVA) and I do not have my RDMS.

- H

 

[tkim]

Sitting for the RDMS cert immediately after residency is included in one of our 'scholarly tracks' at Buffalo. As FF says, its utility as an EP is questionable, but since U/S interests me most at this time - why not?

http://www.sunyabem.org/research_ultrasound.html

 

[peksi]

You cannot sit for ARDMS "during" residency. the approval path includes ultrasound use during residency thus you now must complete a residency or fellowship, as well as have someone with RDMS sign a "verification form" . That being said we have had about 10 resident graduates go on to obtain RDMS outside of any that have done a fellowship.


Paul

 

[bobdobaleena]

any idea if the ARDMS has certain criteria when it comes to logging your qualifying studies? or is this institution dependent? i keep coming across the number "800" scans when it comes to the total number needed to qualify to sit for the exam. anyone know anything different from that? thanks for all the input so far......

B

 

[southerndoc]

any idea if the ARDMS has certain criteria when it comes to logging your qualifying studies? or is this institution dependent? i keep coming across the number "800" scans when it comes to the total number needed to qualify to sit for the exam. anyone know anything different from that? thanks for all the input so far......

B

Your ultrasound director should have you log all your ultrasounds. We log all of ours, and if we get 800 scans and study the physics portion of the exam (which I hear is hard), a resident is able to sit for the RDMS certification exam after residency.

 

[roja]

You have pretty much gotten the skinny. I became RDMS 'eligable' (aka 800 plus scans) by the end of my second year of residency. I started looking into the certification and realized I wouldn't be able to 'sit' until I graduated. Which is fine. Its money. I plan to sit for it sometime this year.

You can get credentialed in your institution, depending on where you go, but the RDMS, if you have the scans, is a nice thing to have.

I have the scans, the cost of the course/exam is covered by my CME money. Why not get it if you like ultrasound?
It certainly doesn't hurt.

 

[JkGrocerz]

are EP's who are credentialed in ultrasound, now billing for their scans that are done in the ED? If not, I don't see the benefit of doing these ultrasounds over sending people to get a formal one....or does everyone get a formal one anyway?

 

[FoughtFyr]

are EP's who are credentialed in ultrasound, now billing for their scans that are done in the ED?

Yes.

If not, I don't see the benefit of doing these ultrasounds over sending people to get a formal one....or does everyone get a formal one anyway?

The idea of being "credentialed" locally is that the institution agrees to act on the findings of the scan performed by the EP, without a "formal" scan. For that reason even RDMS EPs are not given carte blanc to perform scans, but instead perform (and bill for) only those types of scans agreed to by the institution. The common types of ultrasounds performed are: confirmation of IUP, FAST exam, line placement, sometimes biliary scans, sometimes echo, and dermal scans for FB / abscess.

- H

 

[EMIMG]

As stated, credentialing is a hospital-based policy.

But, the reason why you should do the scans even if you cannot bill for them is for patient care. Being able to do a quick, focused, limited ultrasound examination can do wonders for patient care. Being able to do an endovag US to show an IUP prevents the patient many times from needing an HCG level drawn, requiring a foley, leaving the department for an ultrasound, and then adding overall time to the patient stay.

THere are plenty of studies out there that show that EPs can not only successfully perform limited ultrasound examinations, but we also save a lot of time in doing so. I think that most EPs that do ultrasound will state that we are not trying to replace radiology, we are just trying to enhance patient care with what we are doing.