DIDACTIC AND CLINICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS

Before you can apply for certification and registration using the primary pathway or the R.R.A. pathway, you’ll have to fulfill a range of requirements. Two of those requirements are to demonstrate your competence in an ARRT-specified list of clinical procedures (clinical competency requirements) and complete relevant coursework (didactic requirements) for your discipline. These should be completed through your educational program. 

Review the Didactic and Clinical Competency Requirements document for your discipline:  

  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging—through January 31, 2025
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging—effective February 1, 2025
  • Nuclear Medicine Technology
  • Radiation Therapy
  • Radiography
  • Registered Radiologist Assistant
  • Sonography—through December 31, 2023
  • Sonography—effective January 1, 2024
  • Vascular Sonography—through December 31, 2023
  • Vascular Sonography—effective January 1, 2024

    WHAT ARE DIDACTIC COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS?

    The purpose of our didactic competency requirement is to verify that you've had the opportunity to develop fundamental knowledge of your discipline, integrate theory into practice, and to develop critical thinking skills. To meet this requirement you'll need to complete coursework, as part of an ARRT-approved educational program (for primary pathway) or an ARRT-approved R.R.A. educational program, that addresses the content areas defined in our content specifications. 

    WHAT ARE CLINICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS?

    Clinical competency requirements are the specific clinical procedures you’ll have to demonstrate, either in simulated situations or by providing patient care. We update the requirements based on our practice analysis studies, which show what activities entry-level technologists typically perform in their jobs.

    At some point during your educational program, you’ll have to show that you can perform all mandatory requirements and a percentage of elective requirements. Mandatory competencies are those most vital to all R.T.s. Elective competencies allow flexibility in demonstrating additional important skills.

    HOW DO I DEMONSTRATE MASTERY IN CLINICAL PROCEDURES?

    You’ll have to perform each procedure independently, consistently, and effectively during the course of your formal education. Although we suggest general guidelines, your program will decide how you’ll demonstrate each competency—with one exception. ARRT determines whether you must demonstrate a skill on a patient or use a simulated situation instead. (Some skills require patient contact to provide appropriate learning.)

    When you apply, we’ll ask your Program Director to verify that you’ve demonstrated competence in specific procedures. If you use a paper application, it must include the endorsing signatures of your Program Director and, if applicable, other authorized faculty members.

    ABOUT ARRT AND YOUR EDUCATIONAL PROGRAM

    Your program can use any format to keep records of your progress. Program directors can determine who evaluates students’ competencies and when those evaluations take place. Your program director also is responsible for ensuring the validity of any evaluation method.

    ARRT’s competency requirements are intended to ensure that each candidate for certification and registration has met certain clinical and didactic requirements. Your program can determine how you perform those clinical competencies, what other didactic and clinical competencies it teaches, and what standards of performance are necessary.

    We identify and require core competencies so that everyone who achieves ARRT certification and registration meets certain common requirements. In addition, we require ARRT-approved educational programs to earn accreditation from an appropriate organization.