2018
A FREE online course will soon be available that provides an overview of sonographer licensure in New Hampshire (NH). It also provides an opportunity to learn more about becoming a licensed sonographer in NH and offers guidance on how to apply for a sonographer license before the July 31, 2018 deadline. [1.00 SDMS CME credit available]
TARGET AUDIENCE: A sonographer with or without current certification(s), as well as students and recent graduates, who are or will be working in New Hampshire, including a traveler or per diem sonographer.
UPDATES
- The NH Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (MIRT) approved their Mirt 300 and Mirt 500 administrative rules, but the rules still need to be reviewed and approved by the Joint Legislative Committee on Administration Rules (JLCAR), most likely at the Committee’s July 19 meeting.
- While the rules do not yet have formal JLCAR approval, the MIRT Board is moving forward and accepting licensure applications ahead of final implementation of the rules (because the statutory sonographer licensing requirement becomes effective on July 31, 2018). They also want to avoid sonographers and other medical imaging/radiation therapy professionals having to register as a Medical Technician (under another NH law, any unlicensed health care provider must register with a different Board as a medical technician).
- There is now an application for licensure on the Board’s website (https://www.oplc.nh.gov/medical-imaging/forms.htm - the link to the PDF form is at the top of the page; scroll to bottom to see the requirements for sonographers). The application/license fee is $110 for two years. Note that answering “yes” to any of the questions, requires the applicant to submit an explanation. Also note that the application must be notarized before submission (signed in presence of a notary) before submission.
- The SDMS (and others) advocated that the proof of a “course of study” required in the licensing statute was NOT necessarily completion of a sonography educational program completion certificate or diploma (i.e., we have some members who were taught on-the-job as sonographers or have cross-trained from radiography or other medical background). The sonographer's course of study depends on various certification pathways offered by the different certification organizations. We had suggested that showing a current sonographer certification/registration from ARDMS, ARRT, or CCI was all the proof that was needed – so it appears they have accepted our suggestion.
- The biggest challenge for some sonographers will be the time, effort, and cost of obtaining the required “Criminal Offender Record Report” issued by each state the applicant has resided or been licensed in during the past 6 years (and each report must have been issued within the past 60 days).
To assist applicants, the NH Office of Licensed Allied Health Professionals has provided a web page with a link to each state’s agency that would provide the report (note that other states may have different names for it). Scroll to the bottom of this page: https://www.oplc.nh.gov/allied-health/links.htm.
IMPORTANT NOTES:
- If the applicant’s name has changed during the past 6 years (e.g., due to marriage, divorce, etc.), reports must be obtained under all names.
- Reports must be sent by the state agency (NOT printed from the Internet and submitted to the MIRT Board).
- A fee may be required by the state in which you request a Criminal Offender Record Report.
- If you do not have the required supporting materials for your application (e.g., Letter of verification, Criminal Offender Record Report, etc.), please submit your application before July 31, 2018 and then submit the remaining items as soon as they are available, but no later than December 31, 2018.
Contact:
Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy
121 South Fruit Street, Suite 303
Concord, NH 03301
(603) 271-8389
(603) 271-6702 (fax)
tina.kelley@oplc.nh.gov
The NH sonographer licensure requirements primarily impact 4 groups:
Sonographers
Applies to a sonographer who holds a current sonography certification and registration from ARDMS, ARRT, or CCI.
Action Required:
- Apply for license on or before July 31, 2018.
Student Sonographers
Applies to a student who is currently enrolled and attending a sonography educational program.
Action Required:
- None. Students are exempt from licensure while enrolled and attending a sonography educational program.
Graduate Sonographers
Applies to a graduate of a sonography educational program who is no longer enrolled or attending the program (does not include someone who withdraws/quits).
Actions Required:
- After graduation, apply for temporary license (valid for up to 1 year);
- Obtain sonographer certification and registration from ARDMS, ARRT, or CCI before the temporary license's expiration date; and
- Apply for a permanent license before the temporary license's expiration date.
Grandfather Provision
Applies to a person who is performing sonography on or before July 31, 2018, but does not hold a sonography certification and registration from ARDMS, ARRT, or CCI.
Actions Required:
- Register with the Board on or before July 31, 2018;
- Do not change the scope of current practice;
- Complete all continuing education requirements prescribed by the Board;
- Practice only under the supervision of a licensed practitioner (e.g., a physician); and
- Obtain a sonographer license from the Board on or before January 1, 2020 (i.e., obtain sonographer certification/registration and meet all other licensure requirements).
Exemptions:
The statute/rules also include number of exemptions (click here).
2017
In 2017, a bill was introduced in the NH General Court (legislature) to repeal the entire NH Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy licensure statute. The SDMS and other organizations worked to defeat the proposed legislation. In the end, the bill was amended to only extend the effective date of the statute to July 1, 2018. This gives the Board additional time to develop and implement administrative rules.
2016
On May 5, 2016 Governor Maggie Hassan signed Senate Bill 330 making New Hampshire the 4th U.S. state to enact sonographer licensure. The
new law became effective on July 1, 2016.
The law creates a 7-member Board of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy. The New Hampshire Office of Professional Licensure and Certification is the agency responsible for the licensure of sonographers (and other medical imaging professionals). Winslow "Ted" Whitten, BA, RDMS, RVT, FSDMS, an Ultrasound Practitioner at Elliot Hospital in Manchester, NH was appointed by Governor Hassan to the Board. The Office of Professional Licensure and Certification's Division of Health Professions (
https://www.nh.gov/jtboard/) is working with 7-Member Board to develop administrative rules to implement the new law.
The law states that to qualify for a license as a sonographer, an applicant will need to meet the following requirements by July 1, 2017:
(a) Be at least 18 years of age;
(b) Have obtained a high school diploma or have passed an approved equivalency test;
(c) Successfully complete a course of study in sonography approved by the board; and
(d) Possess current certification and registration in sonography from the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, American Registry of Diagnostic Medical Sonography, Cardiovascular Credentialing International, or a certification organization approved by the board.
Statute: http://gencourt.state.nh.us/bill_status/billText.aspx?id=980&txtFormat=html
Rules/Regulations: None at this time