ARRT offers limited time changes to RT certification process
The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) has released a change to its ARRT Rules and Regulations, stating that individuals whose registration was dropped more than five years after their CE probation end date will no longer be required to re-enroll in and complete an educational program in order to reinstate their registered technologist designation.
The change, which will be effective Sept. 1, stated that the passing of the exam and ethics compliance will be needed to become registered again with ARRT, and reinstated certifications will not be subject to the 10-year duration under Continued Qualifications Requirements for 2011 (CQ/2011).
However, any individuals applying later than Dec. 31 will be subject to the CQ/2011 requirements that will apply to all certifications granted Jan. 1, 2011 and thereafter, stated ARRT.
The proposed policy change--which was first published in the 2010 Annual Report to Registered Technologists--stated:
• An individual may make three attempts to pass the exam within three years of initially applying for the reinstatement exam. If the third attempt does not yield a passing grade, the individual will be required to once again complete an ARRT-recognized educational program in order to regain eligibility to attempt to pass the exam; and
• If reinstating a post-primary category, individuals must first complete re-examination in the primary supporting category. Those whose supporting category was not from ARRT (i.e., ARDMS, NMTCB) must either prove continued maintenance of that certification or successfully complete an ARRT exam in an appropriate supporting category (in which case they will not receive the primary category certification from ARRT).
“Requalification requirements were intended to ensure, above and beyond the re-examination requirements, that individuals who had not met CE requirements were still qualified to hold the RT designation,” said the St. Paul, Minn.-based ARRT. “Rather than assuming that an individual who hasn’t maintained CE is not qualified after five years, the individual should have the opportunity to demonstrate qualifications by passing the certification exam,” the statement concluded.
The change, which will be effective Sept. 1, stated that the passing of the exam and ethics compliance will be needed to become registered again with ARRT, and reinstated certifications will not be subject to the 10-year duration under Continued Qualifications Requirements for 2011 (CQ/2011).
However, any individuals applying later than Dec. 31 will be subject to the CQ/2011 requirements that will apply to all certifications granted Jan. 1, 2011 and thereafter, stated ARRT.
The proposed policy change--which was first published in the 2010 Annual Report to Registered Technologists--stated:
• An individual may make three attempts to pass the exam within three years of initially applying for the reinstatement exam. If the third attempt does not yield a passing grade, the individual will be required to once again complete an ARRT-recognized educational program in order to regain eligibility to attempt to pass the exam; and
• If reinstating a post-primary category, individuals must first complete re-examination in the primary supporting category. Those whose supporting category was not from ARRT (i.e., ARDMS, NMTCB) must either prove continued maintenance of that certification or successfully complete an ARRT exam in an appropriate supporting category (in which case they will not receive the primary category certification from ARRT).
“Requalification requirements were intended to ensure, above and beyond the re-examination requirements, that individuals who had not met CE requirements were still qualified to hold the RT designation,” said the St. Paul, Minn.-based ARRT. “Rather than assuming that an individual who hasn’t maintained CE is not qualified after five years, the individual should have the opportunity to demonstrate qualifications by passing the certification exam,” the statement concluded.