Introduction
The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists is the body charged with the certification and registration of all the radiologic technicians (RTs) in the United States of America. Additionally, it maintains an up-to-date register of the RTs who are required to renew their registration every year.
The body is also charged with the mandate of accrediting all the education programs training RTs; and the examination of all the eligible candidates prior to their registration. Currently, the register contains 285,000 RTs. The body also administers continuing education for registered RTs; and has the mandate of enforcing the rules and regulations governing the practice of radiation therapy.
All these activities are aimed at maintaining high quality and ethical practice in the field of radiologic technology.
The registry was established in 1923, three years after the Radiological Society of North America and the American Roentgen Society came up with a plan to certify X-ray equipment operators. The registry was thus mandated to execute the plan. Over the years, the registry has evolved to its current status and mandate.
Purpose for Certification
This is the process whereby a radiologic technologist who has satisfied the set standards of qualification gets recognized as being a professional in this area. The purpose of certification is to ensure only highly qualified individuals go ahead to be registered to practice as radiologic technicians; this serves to maintain high standards of intelligent and ethical practice of the clinical radiology profession. Certification is a one-time process; and is conducted after one has completed the educational part of the qualification and has passed all the tests required to prove this qualification.
Only the persons who have graduated and have been tested from an approved educational program can be certified by the body.
The disciplines of certification
The American registry of radiologic technologists certifies technicians in the fields of radiography, nuclear medicine technology, radiographic therapy, sonography and magnetic-resonance-imaging.
A list of the accredited educational programs under each of these disciplines is available on the official ARTT website.
The eligibility requirements for certification of a Registered Technologist (RT)
The ARTT has formatted an ‘Equation for excellence’ which stipulates three areas where a candidate must fulfill in order to be eligible for certification by the body. These areas are education, ethics and examination.
Education
In order to be eligible, a candidate must satisfy the education requirements of the ARRT. The candidate must have completed a course in an education program that is accredited by or through a method that is allowed by the ARRT. Further, the candidate must be able to demonstrate that he or she is competent in didactic coursework. Finally, the candidate must show competence in a list of clinical procedures listed by the ARTT.
Examination
After the completion of the coursework, the candidate must sit and pass an ARRT set and administered examination. The purpose of the examination is to gauge the amount and depth of knowledge that the candidate possesses that will enable him or her to perform tasks that define the respective discipline of practice intelligently. The subject matters of the examination are defined by the ARRT and are listed on their website; the fields of examination for certification are in radiography, nuclear medicine, radiation therapy; and mammography, computed tomography, MRI, quality management, sonography, bone densitometry, vascular sonography, cardiac-intervention radiography, breast sonography and Registered Radiological Assistant.
Ethics
Prior to certification, a candidate must agree to follow the rules and regulations and the standards of ethics stipulated by the ARTT. The candidate must demonstrate that he or she is of good moral standings; additionally, the candidate must declare all the convictions of crime including those related to drugs or alcohol, any ‘guilty’ verdicts by a court of law, any suspended or stayed sentences, court-martials in the military or any court proceedings that candidate entered a ‘guilty plea.
Before certification, the ARRT makes thorough investigations into whether a candidate has withheld any information which he or she is required by regulation to disclose.
Procedure of submitting an application to the ARRT
The process of certification starts when a candidate obtains the handbook specific to the discipline which s/he is applying for the certificate. The materials for application and the details of the process are contained in the handbook; these are usually availed to the directors of the education programs that have been accredited by the ARRT; and they in turn, supply them to the eligible candidates.
The candidate will then fill the application form provided and then submit this it the ARTT together with the certification fees stipulated in the handbook. Additionally, the candidate will provide the information on education, ethics and examination to prove his eligibility for registration. From this point the candidate just awaits the correspondence from the ARRT regarding the outcome of the application.
Conclusion
The ARRT continues to maintain the tradition of certification of only the qualified and competent RTs. Additionally, the continuous education programs of the technicians ensure that the profession is represented by people who are up to date with the current medical practice
These are the qualities that have enabled the Registry to remain relevant over the years.
References
ARRT: Eligibility for ARRT Certification. 2009.
ARRT: Examination Content Specifications. 2009. Web.
ARRT: How to Apply for ARRT Certification. 2009. Web.