By January 1, 2013, certification exams for aspiring radiologists may be more competitive. This is in line with the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists’ (ARRT) decision to slightly raise the exam cut score.
The organization’s executive director Jerry B. Reid pointed that expectations for professional performance inevitably vary. The quality of service that employers, educators, clients and the general public found satisfactory back then may no longer be adequate today. Hence, there is certainly a need to ‘raise the bar’, as Reid put it.
This does not mean to say though that exam questions will be more difficult or that a scaled score of 75 will no longer be considered “passed”. What the ARRT rather aims to change is the level of skills and knowledge equivalent to the figure. The cut score must be that which ensures passers are fully capacitated to perform their job. In detail, the new standard requires an examinee to correctly answer six more questions in a 200-item exam.
The passing standard may be changed from time to time in any of the following instances: (1) when the results of a performance standard study necessitates it; (2) when there is a significant change in expectations for professional performance; (3) for statistical purposes.
ARRT is a credentialing body in the field of radiologic technology. The organization offers certification and registration in seventeen disciplines, including Radiography, Radiation Therapy, Sonography, Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Computed Tomography (CT), and Mammography. As such, ARRT conducts a variety of tests and exams that effectively recognize an individual’s qualification and competence in his/her chosen field. Furthermore, the organization also establishes continuing education requirements and standards of ethics.
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