Alliance for Physician Certification and Advancement (APCA)

APCA Examination Testing

OnVUE testing is currently available for selected APCA examinations. Please check the APCA website for further information.

It is your responsibility to review the technical requirements to ensure your system is compatible with the online proctoring software. If your system does not meet the requirements and causes a problem during the examination, you will have to reschedule at your own cost. Additionally, when choosing the online delivery option, APCA candidates accept all responsibility for the testing environment and ensuring all requirements are met. Be advised that while your device may pass the system check, your device may still not function properly once the examination is downloaded. If your examination is revoked for any reason, as noted by Pearson VUE, this will result in the candidate needing to submit a new online application and payment. If you are concerned about these requirements, candidates are encouraged to test in a Pearson VUE test center.

Take your APCA exam conveniently from home through OnVUE online proctoring. A live proctor will monitor you through the webcam on your workstation to provide a secure exam experience.

Watch the short video on the APCA online proctoring page to see how convenient it is to test from home or work. Be sure to run the system test before you sign in to register for an online proctored exam. Good luck!

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The Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement™ (APCA™) exclusively serves the physician community and supports its enduring commitment to continual learning and providing high-quality and compassionate patient care through certification.

APCA Certifications & Examinations:

Recognizing physicians’ enduring commitment to the highest quality of patient care through continual learning, APCA offers the following certifications:

The RPVI certification is obtained by applying for, being deemed eligible, and passing the Physicians’ Vascular Interpretation (PVI) examination.

The RMSK certification is obtained by applying for, being deemed eligible, and passing the Musculoskeletal sonography (MSK) examination.

CBCCT certification is obtained by applying for, being deemed eligible and passing the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Computed Tomography (CBCCT) examination.

CBCMR certification is obtained by applying for, being deemed eligible and passing the Certification Board of Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance (CBCMR) examination.

CBNC certification is obtained by applying for, being deemed eligible and passing the Certification Board of Nuclear Cardiology (CBNC) examination.

The ABVM Vascular Medicine certification is obtained by applying for, being deemed eligible, and passing The American Board of Vascular Medicine Vascular Medicine (ABVM-VASC) examination.

The ABVM Endovascular Medicine certification is obtained by applying for, being deemed eligible, and passing The American Board of Vascular Medicine Endovascular Medicine (ABVM-ENDO) examination.

A $50 USD fee* will be assessed to individuals taking APCA examinations at international testing centers (outside the US, Canada and Mexico). Additionally, all applicable Value Added Tax (VAT) fees will be charged at the current rate. The fee(s) will be charged at the time the examination is scheduled and is subject to change without notice. All international scheduling fees and associated VAT are non-refundable. If you cancel an existing appointment and schedule a new appointment the fee will be assessed again.

*Not Applicable to CBCCT, CBCMR, CBNC Candidates

Sonographer-Level Certifications & Examinations

ARDMS, the globally recognized standard of excellence in sonography, administers examinations and awards the following credentials:

The RDMS, RDCS,and RVT certifications are obtained by applying for, being deemed eligible and passing two examinations: (1) a Sonography Principles & Instrumentation (SPI) examination; and (2) at least one corresponding specialty examination. Please review the ARDMS certification pathways chart for additional information.

Applying For Your Examinations

To apply for an APCA examination, visit www.apca.org/Certifications-Examinations. The APCA sends eligible applicants an Examination Confirmation Letter within four weeks from receipt of the completed application. The letter indicates the approved examinations and the eligibility period in which to schedule the examinations.

Scheduling Your Examinations

IMPORTANT INFORMATION

ARDMS recently formed the Alliance for Physician Certification & Advancement (APCA) to meet the exclusive needs of physicians. If you already have a Pearson VUE account established under ARDMS, you do not need to create a new APCA Pearson VUE account. Please use the log-in information you previously created information.

Please use the Sign in button on this page to begin the process. You may also schedule your examination by calling 877-258-9220. Ineligible applicants are notified by the APCA and a reason for the decision is provided.

Scheduled and rescheduled examinations will be confirmed by email. If you do not receive an email within 24 hours of the date you scheduled/rescheduled your appointment, please contact Pearson VUE on 877-258-9220.

APCA administers examinations throughout the year in testing centers located in the US, Canada and select international sites. Please use the Locate a Test Center button on this page for additional information. Take a virtual tour of a test center.

A $50 USD fee* will be assessed to individuals taking ARDMS examinations at international testing centers (outside the US, Canada and Mexico). Additionally, all applicable Value Added Tax (VAT) fees will be charged at the current rate. The fee(s) will be charged at the time the examination is scheduled and is subject to change without notice. All international scheduling fees and associated VAT are non-refundable. If you cancel an existing appointment and schedule a new appointment the fee will be assessed again.

* Not Applicable to SVT-Tech or SVT-Phy Candidates

Day of Your Test

Valid Signature IDs
At the test center, you must present a non-expired, government-issued, photo ID with your signature; see the accepted list of IDs here.

  • The first and last name on the application must EXACTLY MATCH the first and last name on one current, valid signature ID.
  • Failure to present one acceptable ID will prevent your admission to the test center. If this happens, you will be marked absent and you will forfeit the entire examination fee and seat.

If the names do not EXACTLY MATCH, do not schedule your appointment until you have contacted APCA and updated your APCA name of record.

Preparing for Your Examination

For information on how to prepare for your examination, please visit the APCA Certification & Examination page to select the specialty of interest. Once on the specialty examination page, please click on the “Prepare” tab for more information.

Sample Testing

The following demonstration exam is a resource developed with questions from previous exams. The purpose is for the candidates to prepare for the exam environment by reviewing previous exam material with the features and functions of the Pearson VUE CBT environment.

Contact us

Office hours

Monday–Friday, 7:00 a.m.–10:00 p.m. CT, Saturday, 7:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m. CT, and Sunday, 9:00 a.m.–3:00 p.m. CT; closed on local holidays.

Telephone numbers
  • English support: 877-258-9220 (toll-free)
  • Spanish support: +1-952-681-3872 (toll)