A good study guide is the difference between a stressful exam preparation and a casual but productive study session. In my semester days, I remember times when I was chilling around, and my friends were like pressure cookers.
Because I had everything scheduled; and thankfully, was right on track. Approaching your ARDMS SPI Exam with a proper and logical content outline plan is a great way to study through this rigorous exam.
In this article, I will cover the most efficient way to study for the SPI exam, how you can test your progress, and an emergency option if you’re short on time.
What’s the Best Way To Prepare for the ARDMS SPI Exam?
Okay, let’s start. One of the most efficient ways to prepare for the ARDMS SPI exam is by prioritizing topics that contribute more marks as a percentile from the content outline.
First, I would like to share the content outline for the exam:
- Clinical Safety, Patient Care, and Quality Assurance
- Physical Principles
- Ultrasound Transducers
- Imaging Principles and Instrumentation
- Doppler Imaging Concepts
Now let’s check the percentile of these five sections:
The Percentage Split-Ups of All the Topics Covered in the Exam
If I was preparing for the exam, this is how I would study to cover the syllabus for the SPI Exam. And I will explain why this is a good strategy to ace the exam. Here is our take on the content outline and the order you should cover them:
Doppler Imaging Concepts — 1st Priority
This topic is the 5th major section of the SPI exam. And it covers 31% of the exam. Out of all the sections, Doppler Imaging Concepts would be my topmost priority for the exam, and here is why:
- It makes up the largest chunk of the syllabus for the SPI exam (31%).
- It only has one subsection: Hemodynamics, which takes up all the allotted marks.
- It’s probably the hardest part of the exam.
Even if you love physics (like I do), some of the topics tested in the Hemodynamics section can be challenging. There are 18 topics within this subsection, which is just hardcore physics. Hence, I would focus on this subsection before focusing and anything else.
Imaging Principles and Instrumentation — 2nd in Order
This topic is the 4th major section of the SPI exam. And it covers 28% of the exam. For my exam preparation, I would next jump to Imaging Principles and Instrumentation, and here are my reasons:
- It makes up the second biggest portion of the syllabus for the SPI exam (28%).
- Again, it only has one subsection: Instrumentation, which takes up all the allotted marks.
- Depending on your field of interest, it could be easy or as hard as the Doppler concepts.
It’s not surprising that the most rigorous and science-oriented concepts carry the most marks in the SPI exam. But you can do it!
And just like the Hemodynamics subsection, which was our 1st priority, the instrumentation subsection also has 18 topics; that require deep and intensive study hours to cover.
After focusing on these two sections, there is wiggle room on the next priorities. But by covering topics that make up almost 60% of the exam first, you’re setting yourself up to score well in the SPI exam.
Clinical Safety, Patient Care, and Quality Assurance — 3rd in Order
This topic is the 1st major section of the SPI exam. And it covers only 10% of the exam. Yet, I would place this as the next big topic you should cover, and here are my reasons for it:
- You will likely have a mental overload after focusing on core physics concepts.
- It has four subsections, some of which are mostly just standard protocol, that you can breeze in quick succession.
- Is not as intensive to prepare as other major sections, so it’s a good retreat before we jump back to them.
If you’re up for the challenge and prefer core science-related topics, the logical step would be to prioritize the major section on Ultrasound Transducers as 3rd in order. And focus on this section last, as it carries the least amount of marks of the overall exam.
Ultrasound Transducers — 4th in Order
This topic is the 3rd major section of the SPI exam. And it covers 16% of the exam. I was slightly confused about the priority between Ultrasound Transducers and the 2nd major section, Physical Principles, but here is my reasoning:
- Yes, it carries a tiny 1% more marks than the 2nd major section hence the next logical choice.
- It has one subsection: Transducers, which has 11 topics and requires more time to study.
- This main section would be good mental exercise before we move on to the final topic.
Physical Principles — Final Topic To Cover
This topic is the 2nd major section and the final portion for you to cover if you prepared based on our guide article. And it covers 15% of the SPI exam. Here is why it makes sense to keep this as the final topic to cover:
- The reason is mainly to maintain a manageable difficult curve when studying. Think of it like a sandwich between easy-hard-easy topics.
- Again, it has only one subsection, but there are only 8 topics.
- So, after covering transducers, this should be easy to finish and should not give you too much trouble.
That should conclude your study preparations. But also remember, practice is crucial and here are some tips to keep you motivated.
Wrapping Up
Smart planning and dedication are the keys to ace the ARDMS SPI exam. I have outlined a plan based on my experience as a student at my university. But if you feel you can be more efficient if you change the order outlined in this article, please feel free to do so.
And check out the ARDMS SPI Practice Test to gauge your skills after preparation. If you need more help, I’m inviting you to check out our SPI Hero Comprehensive Study Guide. Great results are guaranteed!
