The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) is looking for help from working professionals in radiography. We encourage you to review the proposed changes to the Radiography Examination Content Specifications and Clinical Competency Requirements.
Our goal is to produce comprehensive, accurate, and fair documents that cover the knowledge and cognitive skills required of radiographers. ARRT’s examinations are job-related. That is, we only include topics if knowledge of those topics relates directly to a clinical activity typically required in one’s job. Two separate surveys of possible tasks and procedures were sent to 3,900 current radiographers to determine these topics. Results from these surveys were used to update the content specifications and clinical competency requirements.
ARRT’s Radiography Practice Analysis Advisory Committee (composed of subject matter experts from throughout the nation) began working on these documents in July 2019 and will complete work on them later this year. After that, ARRT’s Board of Trustees will review the proposed changes. The revised radiography documents have a scheduled implementation date of January 1, 2022.
SUMMARY OF MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE RADIOGRAPHY EXAMINATION CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS
Patient Care Section
Documentation (e.g. changes to order, medical event) was added to the legal issues subsection.
Procedural technique and medication dose calculation was added to the pharmacy subsection.
The patient care section was updated to reflect current practice and guidelines.
Safety Section
In the biological aspects of radiation subsection, somatic effects were updated. Embryonic and fetal risk and genetic impact were removed.
Shielding was removed from the minimizing patient exposure subsection.
Image Production Section
The contrast column was removed from the technical factors affecting image acquisition and evaluation chart.
Caliper measurement was removed from the technique charts subsection. Grids and OID were added to this section.
Procedures Section
Zygomatic arch was removed.
Attachments
On Attachment A, several procedures were removed and one procedure, supraspinatus outlet (Neer) for the shoulder, was added.
No changes were made to Attachment B.
Attachment C was deleted.
SUMMARY OF THE MAJOR PROPOSED CHANGES TO THE CLINICAL COMPETENCY REQUIREMENTS
Zygomatic arch was removed. In the pediatric and geriatric sections, upper or lower extremity were combined into one procedure. Hip or spine was added to the geriatric section.
Requirements about simulating procedures were added. Imaging procedures that are eligible for simulation were added to the chart. A maximum of ten eligible imaging procedures may be simulated. Simulation may be used for mandatory or elective procedures.
Additionally, wording was updated for clarification and consistency.
REVIEW THE DOCUMENTS AND PROVIDE FEEDBACK
We invite you to review the documents below and provide feedback through an online survey (live until October 31, 2020). The survey is the official method by which we track feedback. The Radiography Practice Analysis Advisory Committee will review all comments and may make additional changes based on your feedback.
Note: Additions are in blue and deletions are in strikethrough red in the drafts.
QUESTIONS?
If you have questions about how the proposed changes may affect your eligibility for certification and registration in Radiography, call our Initial Certification Department at 651.687.0048. Choose the option for earning an ARRT credential.
Thank you for your contribution to this important project.