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Dear Joan, Terry, Mark, et al. This morning I received a call from an echo student who attends a local community college, and wanted to attend a meeting the Florida State Chapter of the ACP is holding here in Miami. The student informed me that they are required to have obtained 32 "SDMS" CEUs before graduation. This educational program is an AS degree program that is two years in duration. I find this very offensive and on the verge of what I consider "monopolizing" when a State run institution favors the "SDMS" credits over the ACPs. The ACP credits are not only good for echo, but for nursing, radiology and respiratory. After reviewing the all of these CEU programs, they are all basically the same. I find nothing that makes the SDMS credits more valuable than the others. The community college is a tax funded institution and therefore should have NO bias. Furthermore, I find the requirement of 32 CEUs in 2 years to be ridiculous. Even those who are ARDMS certified are only required to earn 32 every 3 years. FYI, CCI requires 36 every 3 years. This is totally unfair to these students, since the practitioners don't even have to meet such stringent standards. Maybe you all might educate me as to why this is, but until such time as I am convinced that this is ethical. I will be sending letters to both the Florida Board of Education that governs this community college and the college itself demanding justification for these mandates. Now you all had to get me started... Tony