How To Get a Radiology Certification in 11 Steps (With Tips)
Radiology is a field of medicine that uses imaging technologies like X-rays, ultrasounds and MRIs to diagnose and treat diseases. The radiology department is an important part of the medical team, and there are a variety of careers that require a radiology certification, including that of a radiologic technologist, MRI technician and nuclear medicine technologist. If you currently work in the radiology field or you hope to eventually, it may be helpful to learn how to earn radiology certification.
In this article, we explain what a radiology certification is, list the steps you can take to earn this certification. offer helpful tips and describe the benefits the certification can offer.
What is a Radiology Certification?
A radiology certification recognizes an individual’s knowhow in the field of radiology. The organization that typically scholarships these certifications is the (ARRT). The ARRT certification can help radiology candidates cabinet their expertise in the radiologic sciences. Candidates can earn their certification in a variety of disciplines, including:
- Radiography: Radiography is a medical discipline that uses X-rays and additional imaging technologies to diagnose and treat illnesses and injuries.
- Sonography: Sonography is the application of medical ultrasound techniques to produce images of the interior structures of the body, especially during pregnancy.
- Radiation therapy: Radiation therapy is a medical action that uses ionizing radiation to kill harmful cells in the body, and it’s commonly used in cancer treatment.
- Nuclear medicine technology: Nuclear medicine is a discipline that uses radioactive materials and imaging techniques to diagnose and treat illness.
- Computed tomography: Computed tomography (CT) scans are imaging technologies that produce detailed interior images of the body for diagnosis.
- Magnetic resonance imaging: Magnetic timbre imaging, or MRI, is a technology that produces images of the inside of the body using attractive fields and radio waves.
- Bone densitometry: Bone densitometry is a technique for measuring the density of bone structures using X-rays.
How to get a Radiology Certification
These are some steps that you can take to earn your radiology certification:
1. Make a plan
Before beginning the certification process, it may be helpful to determine your professional goals in the radiology field. These might include earning a higher salary, switching to a different specialization, changing companies, finding a lucrative radiology job or simply applying for a more senior position. Once you determine your goals, you can establish a timeline for completing your education and earning your certification. Your goals can also help you decide what specialization to pursue when earning your ARRT certification.
2. Meet the Education Requirement
It’s necessary for candidates who want to earn an ARRT certification to first earn a high school diploma or equivalent. After completing high school, you can earn an associate degree in radiologic technology or another field. Search for accredited programs at your local community college or technical school. Many programs offer hybrid learning experiences, which may make it easier to work while you complete your education. An associate degree program typically takes two years to complete, although it may take longer if you’re in a part-time program.
3. Choose a Specialization
Once you’re ready to begin earning your certification, you can choose a specialization. This determines what additional educational requirements you may need and what exam you can take. Once you choose a specialization, you can prepare yourself to complete the certification requirements, which include ethics compliance, completion of an educational program and a passing test score. If you’re applying for additional certification, you can choose any field. There are 15 specializations the ARRT offers, but only the first six are available to first-time candidates. These include:
- Radiation therapy
- Sonography
- Radiography
- Vascular sonography
- Nuclear medicine technology
- Magnetic resonance imaging
- Breast sonography
- Bone densitometry
- Cardiac interventional radiography
- Mammography
- Cardiovascular interventional radiography
- Computed tomography
- Quality management
- Registered radiologist assistant
- Vascular interventional radiography
4. Complete an ARRT-Approved Program
To be eligible for certification, the ARRT requires that candidates complete an educational course in one of the six primary eligibility fields. The ARRT has a search feature on its site that allows candidates to locate approved educational programs in their area. After completing your education, you have three years to apply for your ARRT certification and register for the exam.
5. Fulfill the Ethics Requirements
Since radiology personnel work in the medical field, there are a lot of important ethical considerations they may make throughout their career. Good ethical practices ensure the well-being of patients and the security of their medical information. The ARRT has an extensive set of ethics requirements for its candidates, and the organization expects them to follow them in their area of practice.
The ARRT asks its candidates to review these requirements before applying and lists several questions concerning ethics compliance on the certification application. The organization also encourages its members to review the ethics code annually to ensure compliance. If you’re concerned about potential ethics violations, you can request an ethics review from the ARRT before you apply. These are some of the ethical considerations and areas of concern that the ARRT code addresses:
- Professional conduct
- Cooperation with ARRT investigations
- Fitness to practice
- Management of patient records
- Fraud and deceptive practices
- Subversion
- Adherence to state and federal regulations
- Reporting procedures
- Administrative procedures
6. Complete an application
The ARRT has three different application paths, and each has distinct requirements. The three paths include the primary eligibility pathway for candidates earning their credential for the first time, the post-primary eligibility pathway for additional credentials and the Registered Radiologist Assistant (R.R.A.) credential for registered radiology assistant candidates. There are seven steps in the general application process:
- Review the primary handbook
- Create an ARRT account online or ask your program director to provide you with an application
- Submit an application fee of $225 for the primary pathway or $450 for the post-primary
- Complete the application form
- Provide proof of ethics compliance and education requirements
- Provide an electronic signature
- Submit the application
7. Prepare for the Exam
Once you’ve completed and submitted your application, wait for the ARRT to send you instructions for scheduling your exam. The ARRT requires that you complete the exam within 365 days of your application and that you schedule the exam through a Pearson VUE test center. To prepare yourself for the exam, you can consider reviewing the content specifications on the ARRT website to better understand the exam format and the types of questions it might ask. The Practice Analysis Advisory Committee determines the exam format. You can expect questions related to the following areas:
- Bone densitometry
- Sonography
- Computed tomography
- Mammography
- Radiation therapy
- Nuclear medicine sonography
- Vascular interventional radiography
8. Take the Exam
On the day of the exam, it’s often helpful to arrive early so that you have time to check in and have your photo taken. Be sure to bring two forms of identification that match the information on your application. Before the test begins, you have the opportunity to watch an 18-minute instructional video demonstrating how to answer the questions. The ARRT exam is computer-based and asks questions about everyday situations that radiology personnel may experience. Most of the questions on the test are multiple-choice and the time it takes depends on chosen discipline.
9. Wait for Your Results
After you complete the exam, you may receive a preliminary test score at the test center. The ARRT then mails you your final results within three weeks of taking the test. Its scoring scale ranges from one to 99, and a minimum score of 75 is necessary to pass. If you don’t pass the test, you can take it again up to three times within three years. You can also submit an exam appeal request if you think that your environment disadvantaged you during the exam process.
10. Maintain your certification
Once candidates earn their certifications, the ARRT necessitates them to improve their information of radiology and renew their certifications annually. Persons can meet the continuing education requirements by attending lectures and seminars, implementation online classes and taking in-person classes at local institutions. Certification holders can complete their annual renewal process online by paying a small fee and demonstrating their continuing education compliance. There are additional education requirements after 10 years to ensure that certified radiologists understand the current practices in their field.
11. Explore additional credentials
After earning your first certification and gaining work experience, you can consider earning additional credentials. This can help you become eligible for a wider range of positions and apply for different specializations. The application process for additional certifications is similar to the primary eligibility pathway, but there are some extra requirements. These are the requirements for the post-primary eligibility and R.R.A. pathways:
- An up-to-date ARRT certification and registration
- Clinical experience or at least a year of clinical practice in radiography
- Additional structured education in your field of choice
- A bachelor’s degree
- Compliance with ARRT ethical standards in your work
- A passing exam score
- Completion of an appropriate registered radiologist assistant educational course for the R.R.A.
Tips for Earning a Radiology Certification
These are some tips to reflect while in the procedure of earning a radiology certification:
- Earn the right associate degree. While there are no specific major supplies for radiology certification applicants, it may be helpful to make yourself by researching different radiology-related majors before you apply to a program. A degree in radiologic technology or radiography can prepare you for certification and potentially even offer you practical experience.
- Use practice questions to prepare. The ARRT doesn’t offer any official study guides for the exam, but there are many ways to prepare. You can consider creating practice questions based on the ARRT content guide, working with other people in your preferred field who’ve passed the test or searching for practice questions on the internet.
- Use your test time wisely. The ARRT certification exam is a timed test, so it’s important to use your time wisely when taking it. You have the option of returning to questions later, so it may be helpful to skip challenging questions and return to them if you have time later in the test.
Benefits of earning a Radiology Certification
Earning an ARRT certification can be helpful when searching for a job in the radiology field. These are some benefits of a radiology certification:
- More opportunity: While not all radiology jobs require certification, an ARRT credential may be necessary for many specialized and senior positions. Earning a certification may make you eligible for a wider range of radiology positions.
- Enhanced competitiveness: Earning a radiology certification can be a useful way to enhance your competitiveness as a candidate, even if it isn’t necessary for the positions to which you’re applying. It can help you distinguish yourself from other candidates by demonstrating your experience and commitment.
- Greater knowledge: Earning a radiology certification requires candidates to complete extensive training in their chosen discipline. This can provide them with increased knowledge of their field, allowing them to better prepare for a long-term career.
- Continued learning: The ARRT requires certification holders to renew their certification annually and to complete continuing education requirements. The rigorous standards can ensure that you maintain your expertise while also allowing you to continue to increase your knowledge of radiology over time.
- Proven expertise: The ARRT is a well-known organization in the radiology field, and it has rigorous requirements for certification candidates. Earning an ARRT certification can be a beneficial way to demonstrate your expertise and hard work to employers and other members of the field and progress within your career more quickly.
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