On Jan. 1, 2020, ARRT will begin using a new cut score for the Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT) examination. Although we’ll continue to report the exam’s cut score as a scaled score of 75, the minimum number of correct items necessary to meet this passing threshold is a few points higher than it was in previous years. 

The revised cut score reflects new performance expectations for entry-level nuclear medicine technologists. ARRT last updated the NMT cut score in 2000.

Why the Change?

Since 2000, the field of NMT—and our NMT content specifications—have changed significantly, largely because of the increasing prominence of positron emission tomography (PET) and CT scans and the constantly changing availability of radiopharmaceutical compounds. When such changes take place, or when it’s been some time since we last evaluated the cut score for an exam, ARRT’s psychometricians conduct a standard-setting study.

In psychometrics, periodic evaluation of cut scores is considered a best practice. Such studies re-evaluate what level of performance is necessary to pass an ARRT exam. They give us confidence that cut scores are valid measurements of who should and should not earn ARRT credentials. 

What’s a Cut Score?

A cut score is the number of correct answers needed to pass an exam. A passing score shows that a candidate has mastered enough knowledge to be deemed qualified to safely and effectively perform the role being tested. 

How Did ARRT Determine the New Cut Score? 

To determine an appropriate cut score, our NMT Standard Setting Advisory Committee members reviewed each question from a representative version of the exam. Individually, they rated the likelihood that barely passing candidates would answer each question correctly. That process required multiple rounds and incorporated in-depth discussions with other committee members. The goal: to determine what level of exam performance demonstrates sufficient knowledge and skills for a candidate to be certified and registered as an entry-level nuclear medicine technologist.

The advisory committee ultimately submitted its recommendations for the cut score to ARRT’s Board of Trustees. The Board reviewed all information from the standard setting study and the committee recommendations. Then the Board adopted a revised cut score.

What Effect Will the Change Have?

The standard-setting process helps to ensure that our exam appropriately measures who should and should not become certified and registered in NMT. We anticipate that the new cut score and our new performance expectations may lead to a slight decrease in the percentage of candidates who pass the NMT exam.