Since certification examinations are required to be practice-related, ARRT periodically conducts a job analysis to make certain that the certification examination content specifications and the clinical requirements remain comprehensive, accurate, and fair. ARRT, with the help of the professional community, reviews the certification documents every five years. The ARRT Board of Trustees recently approved changes to the following documents, which go into effect on January 1, 2023.

OVERVIEW OF MAJOR CHANGES TO THE CONTENT SPECIFICATIONS

• Sedation and pain control are now included under Patient Monitoring and Assessment.
• Additional detail was added to Infection Control.
• Reporting and data system (BI-RADS) was moved from the procedures section to the safety section.
• MRI equipment safety was expanded.
• Additional content has been moved to the section detailing procedure question topics. Examples include patient assessment, medical devices, and CT and MRI post processing.
• Added the following procedures: removal of percutaneous drainage catheter, and nasogastric/enteric and orogastric/enteric tube placement, cardiac stents, pulmonary vascular coils, pulmonary malignant and benign masses, and breast tissue expander and radiofrequency devices, superficial soft tissue mass biopsy, tunneled venous catheter removal, umbilical vascular catheters, and insertion of tunneled central venous catheter.
• Removed the following procedures: CT colonography, cardiac perfusion status, and breast needle localization.

OVERVIEW OF MAJOR CHANGES TO THE DIDACTIC AND CLINICAL PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS

• Current advanced cardiac life support (ACLS) certification was added to the Certification and Registration Eligibility Checklist.
• Two years of full-time patient care clinical experience following radiography certification and registration are now required.
• A master’s or doctoral degree will be required for candidates graduating after January 1, 2023, or after January 1, 2024, depending on the outcome of the amendment process underway for the Rules and Regulations.
• The following procedures were added to the clinical experience and competence assessments: percutaneous, nasogastric/enteric, and orogastric/enteric tube evaluation – verification with contrast injection, superficial soft tissue mass biopsy, and tunneled venous catheter removal.
• The following procedures were removed from clinical experience and competence assessments: CT colonography, breast needle localization, and insertion of tunneled central venous catheter.

Effective January 2023, the R.R.A. examination will move the second portion of the examination from a Case Study Essay Section to a Case Study Selected Response Section. Previously two of a possible 13 procedures were included in this section. As of January 2023, a varied selection up to 13 procedures will be included in this section of the R.R.A. Examination. Two and a half hours will be given to complete this portion of the examination.

Please direct any questions about your eligibility and requirements for R.R.A. certification and registration to Initial Certification. Call 651.687.0048, then select the option for earning an ARRT credential.

R.R.A. Entry Level Clinical Activities
R.R.A. Content Specifications
R.R.A. Didactic and Clinical Portfolio Requirements