The first individual who will be subject to ARRT’s Continued Qualifications requirements is probably a high school junior who isn’t even sure where career plans might lead. He or she might become certified by ARRT in 2011 — for a period of 10 years, at the end of which, in 2021, they’ll have to document continued qualifications.
ARRT certifications awarded January 1, 2011, and thereafter will be time-limited to 10 years. Prior to the end of the 10-year period, the individual will be required to demonstrate continued qualifications in order to continue to hold the certification.
But, ARRT certifications that are awarded prior to January 1, 2011, and that are kept currently registered, will not be subject to Continued Qualifications requirements.
Here’s some information on the program that should answer your questions. Also, see the related news article " Much Ado About CQ."
If you don’t see your answers in either place, please click the Submit Question button at the bottom of the page to submit your questions. We will post the answers as soon as possible. If you have an urgent or individual question, direct it to the ARRT office at (651) 687-0048, ext. 560.
NOTE: This growing Q&A list was re-organized in September 2008 to better address your concerns.
WHO will CQ/2011 apply to?
Q: To whom will the Continued Qualifications requirements apply?
A: Not so much to whom, but to what – any new certifications awarded in 2011 or thereafter will fall under the CQ requirements.
Q: I’m already an R.T.(R). Will the requirements apply to me?
A: All certifications awarded prior to 2011 and maintained as currently registered are exempt from the CQ/2011 requirements. If you earn new certifications after that point, you will be issued a time-limited certificate for that category, even though the certifications earned earlier do not fall under the requirements.
Q: How does CQ/2011 affect my current certificates?
A: It doesn’t. And it won’t, unless you fail to maintain your registration of the certifications. Any certificate that is earned before January 1, 2011, is exempt from the CQ/2011 requirements — provided that registration is maintained.
Q: Will CQ/2011 apply to post-primary as well as to primary categories of certification?
A: Yes. The requirements will apply to every ARRT certification earned January 1, 2011, and thereafter.
Q: So, if I passed my Radiography exam in 1996, or 2006, or even 2010, and that’s the only certification I want or need, am I exempt from the new rule…unless I want to comply with CQ/2011 voluntarily?
A: Yes, any certification earned prior to January 1, 2011, will be exempt from the CQ/2011 requirements. (But don’t forget that Continuing Education requirements will still apply!)
Q: What if I want to maintain my R.T., but I no longer do imaging or radiation therapy?
A: The R.T. designation is not like an academic degree that simply signifies completion of a course of study at some point in time. The R.T. designates that you have demonstrated qualifications (as specified by ARRT) in imaging, interventional procedures, or radiation therapy. Those who are not employed in direct delivery of these services will be able to select activities covering the fundamentals or core knowledge for general imaging, interventional procedures, or radiation therapy — to demonstrate that they have maintained what they learned and have kept up with changes in the core knowledge underlying the discipline.
Q: Will there be an exemption for people who plan to retire in 2011?
A: Unless you plan to earn a new certification in 2011 or after, you won’t be subject to CQ/2011 requirements. They apply only to certifications issued from January 1, 2011, onward.
WHAT will the requirements be?
Q: What will I be required to do if I earn a new certification in 2011?
A: Details are being finalized, but generally the model will include an assessment component tailored to your particular practice pattern, an activities component specific to your areas of need, and a verification component that assures that the areas of need have been addressed. The CQ/2011 model will recognize a variety of activities to document that areas of need have been addressed effectively, including CE.
Q: What do you mean by “tailored to my practice pattern”?
A: Let’s say that you are primarily employed in mammography. Your assessment will focus on mammography, and your activities will be mammography-specific. Other certifications held outside your current practice activities will be addressed in some manner, but will not be the primary focus.
WHEN will there be more information?
Q: When can you give us details?
A: We plan to have all the specifications in place by mid-2009 — almost two years before anyone will be subject to the requirements, and 12 years before the first time-limited certificates (issued in 2011) are scheduled to expire.
WHERE can I get more information?
Q. Where can I go for more information?
A. Be sure to read this article from the 2008 Annual Report to Registered Technologists. If you have more questions, phone the ARRT office at (651) 687-0048, ext. 560.
WHY is ARRT imposing CQ requirements?
Q: Why is ARRT going to issue time-limited certificates beginning in 2011?
A: It’s the right thing to do: consistent with our mission of promoting high standards of patient care. ARRT’s requirements for initial certification are closely linked to what it means to be qualified at entry level. ARRT has been considering for several years what it means to be qualified at points beyond entry into the profession. Although at one time the shelf life of knowledge was sufficiently long that the “once certified, forever qualified” approach was reasonable, this proposition can no longer be defended. The reality is that the rate of technological change is so rapid that knowledge has a limited shelf life, and we want consumers to know that ARRT certification means that the individual has relevant current knowledge that enhances his or her ability to provide high-quality patient care.
Q: Are external forces causing ARRT to go to time-limited certification?
A: No current requirement imposed by an external authority is causing ARRT to introduce time-limited certification for all of its programs. But we are going ahead with announcing this plan because the writing is on the wall. Consumer and regulatory activism are leading to more accountability for all professions, and the continuous quality improvement movement has set the tone in healthcare. Time-limited certification is not an externally imposed requirement for certification organizations today, but it’s likely to be the expectation tomorrow of regulators, third party payers, and the marketplace. We want the ARRT and the profession to be prepared.
Q: Is ARRT implementing CQ/2011 to make money?
A: ARRT is not instituting CQ/2011 for financial reasons — and if we were, it would be a bad move, since any new requirements implemented for certification and registration create additional costs for ARRT.
When ARRT instituted CE requirements in the mid-1990s, the financial impact for ARRT was zero additional revenue and considerable extra expense. But ARRT’s Board of Trustees felt that continuing education requirements would add value to the credential and, consequently, value for R.T.s holding the credential.
Just as CE adds some additional costs for R.T.s, so too does maintaining your qualifications. It’s a professional obligation that you assumed when you decided to become a professional. It’s in your patients’ best interest, in the profession’s best interest, and in your best interest. Time-limited certification will demonstrate that the R.T. has relevant current knowledge that enhances his or her ability to provide high-quality patient care.
But, back to the original question…about money. ARRT fees (for both certification and renewal) have remained steady and low for long periods of time. How can we do more and not cost more? It’s due to the efficiencies that we develop for requirements. Compared to other professions, ARRT fees are very low.
We hope that you agree it’s a small price to pay for what you get in return.
HOW will the program work?
Q: Does the CQ/2011 program mean I’ll have to re-take the entry-level exam?
A: Although the requirements for CQ/2011 aren’t finalized, we anticipate that there will be various ways of satisfying the requirements. Re-taking the entry level exam may be an option, but not the only option. We can’t be more definitive at this time, because the program is in the very early stages of development. ARRT announced the upcoming requirements to give everyone as much advance notice as possible, but the “how” is going to take some time to develop. We’re researching the best methods of assessing continued qualifications.
Q: What happens if I fail the test three times?
A: It’s important to remember that the CQ/2011 requirements may or may not involve a traditional exam of some sort. ARRT is evaluating the options, and plans on announcing the details in mid-2009.
In the meantime, the three-times-in-three-years rule applies to any certification attempt, as explained in the ARRT Rules and Regulations. Please see Section 3.06 of the rules and regulations for the requirement as it applies to primary pathway candidates, and Section 3.07 for the requirement as it applies to post-primary candidates.
Q: Can I participate in the CQ program even though I earned my certification before 2011?
A: Yes, voluntary compliance will be encouraged, but not required, for certifications earned prior to 2011 and subsequently registered annually.
Q: Will retired status still be allowed?
A: There are no plans at this time to discontinue retired status. Note that the retired status is intended only for those who will not return to active practice in any capacity related to radiologic technology including teaching, management, or commercial.
Background and Related Issues
Q: When did ARRT decide to introduce time-limited certification?
A: ARRT has been considering the issue of continued qualifications and gathering information for several years. ARRT held an invitational conference in November 2005 to discuss the issue of assuring ongoing qualifications. Representatives of the American Society of Radiologic Technologists, the American College of Radiology, the Society of Nuclear Medicine Technologist Section, and the Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonography participated. ARRT has attended various conferences on continuing competence and has reviewed the mechanisms used by other organizations. The decision to introduce time-limited certification is the result of information-gathering and discussions over a long period of time.
Q: When the idea of re-certification surfaced at the ASRT 2006 conference, many of the attendees disapproved. How can ARRT go ahead and impose these requirements?
A: Actually, ARRT had been considering this project long before the 2006 ASRT Conference. And we determined that there were several good reasons to proceed. Fundamentally, it’s the right thing to do if ARRT is going to pursue its patient-care mission in the most meaningful way. Beyond that, it’s the practical thing to do, because it’s the trend in healthcare certification across the board. And we’re anticipating that it will soon be the required thing to do, ultimately mandated by regulators, third-party payers and/or the consumer marketplace.
Q: Do any other medical certification bodies issue time-limited certification?
A: ARRT is joining a number of other healthcare certification agencies that already are or soon will be requiring periodic recertification for newly issued certificates. In fact, the American Board of Medical Specialties (ABMS) several years ago adopted the requirement that all of their boards, including the American Board of Radiology (ABR), institute a mandatory process for periodic quality-control checks as a component of ongoing certification for newly issued certificates. They call their program Maintenance of Registration (MOR®).
Q: Will CQ/2011 make it more difficult for older workers to hold on to their certification?
A: Quite the contrary…the requirements will be most challenging for those younger individuals who cannot achieve eligibility for certification prior to January 1, 2011. Those who are already in the workforce have several years in which to establish eligibility, and pass an ARRT certification exam. Regardless of the R.T.’s age, technology in the workplace is always changing, and quality patient care requires the technologist to keep pace. This is the reality of the field, with or without CQ/2011.
Q: Will the continuing education requirements be discontinued?
A: CE will continue to be required to maintain registration of your certifications. ARRT currently distinguishes between certification and registration as follows:
CE will still be required of all R.T.s on a biennial basis to maintain registration of certifications. CQ, on the other hand, will be required every 10 years for certificates awarded January 1, 2011, and thereafter in order to maintain certification, which is a prerequisite to registration. ARRT’s current distinction between certification and registration will be updated to reflect the CQ/2011 requirements.
Please note that this "Submit Question" button only works for CQ/2011 related information. For any other topic, check the related area on this website or phone ARRT at (651) 687-0048, ext. 8560.