May 2005 | Vol. 23, No. 5

First SVU/SVS Physicians’ Vascular Interpretation Exam Review Course in Chicago

The American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) recently announced a new credential for physicians – Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI) – that will be available in 2006.

The new RPVI credential from ARDMS was developed in response to requests from physicians in vascular surgery and vascular medicine. They asked for a nationally standardized certification from ARDMS that would validate, and provide recognition for, physicians’ skills in interpreting the vascular ultrasound images and physiologic tests that are so important for making consistent and reliable diagnoses in vascular disease.

As the vascular laboratory continues to grow, and the number of specialties involved in this field continues to expand, the RPVI credential from ARDMS will offer a uniform standard for validating physician expertise in the interpretation of vascular tests.

The pilot-test of the new RPVI exam will be available in the fall of 2005, and the first RPVI electronic exam is expected to be given by ARDMS in early 2006.

SVU/SVS Physicians’ Vascular Interpretation Exam Review Course

The Society for Vascular Ultrasound (SVU) and the Society for Vascular Surgery (SVS), in conjunction with Pegasus Lectures, Inc., will offer in Chicago on June 14-15, 2005 an advanced course as a review for physicians planning to sit for the new ARDMS Registered Physician in Vascular Interpretation (RPVI) Certification Exam.

The 1½-day course will focus on reviewing the interpretation skills as specified by the exam content outline, including sessions on vascular physics, arterial hemodynamics, quality assurance, abdominal ultrasound, carotid ultrasound, venous ultrasound, arterial ultrasound, and case-based test question simulation. The review faculty will consist of physicians, vascular technologists and a physicist, all experts in the field of vascular ultrasound.

An Exam Simulation CD, which is expected to be available in September 2005 and which will be offered at a discounted fee to each course attendee, will include test taking strategies, exam simulations following the content outline and format, and an intelligent analysis of performance.

Information on this June SVU/SVS Physicians’ Vascular Interpretation Exam Review Course in Chicago, prior to the 28 th SVU Annual Conference at the Vascular Annual Meeting 2005, is posted on the SVU website at http://www.svunet.org/events/labinterp/05Chicago.htm. Attend this course and be prepared to take the ARDMS RPVI Exam next year.