Continuing Qualifications Requirements (CQR) for the ARRT

Continuing Qualifications Requirements allows every medical practitioner to sharpen their knowledge and skills and ultimately provide the best quality care to the patients. With the rapid advancements of technology in the medical field, it is vital to stay abreast of it through assessments and certification.

The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) has taken a radical step in this matter. They have built a robust and comprehensive process called Continuing Qualifications Requirements or CQR to keep radiographers ahead of the curve.

Moreover, If you are outside the industry, understanding the CQR for the ARRT can seem quite daunting. Well, you can rest your worries. Today we take an in-depth look into this unique process of re-certification.

What are Continuing Education Requirements CQR for ARRT?

• a compliance process that aims to identify potholes in the ongoing radiographers’ practices and remedy them. It includes procedural techniques, safety measures, best practices for patient care, and image production.

CQR stands for Continuing Qualifications Requirements, which the ARRT announced in 2012. It applies to radiologic technologists who were certified from 1st January 2011. If, however, you are a Registered Radiology Assistant (R.R.A)., you will need to complete one CQR every ten years, irrespective of when you earned the certification. Non-R.R.A credentials earned before 1st January 2011 are exempted from the CQR process.

This program renders the certifications valid for only ten years, irrespective of whether it is a primary or post-primary certification. Recertification is subject to the successful completion of the CQR program. This ARRT license renewal process is also a “time limit certification.”

What are the three main components that make up the ARRT CQR?

• Professional profile
• Structured self-assessment
• Prescribed or targeted continuing education

Professional Profile

It is an online survey-like program where you must answer questions about your discipline and work. It gathers information about your clinical procedures and the frequency of performing them.

Completing the task is pretty straightforward. You can click on the spot on the frequency bar or drag the slider to the desired location for every option.

You will have a couple of sections that need to be confirmed before proceeding to the next. If you performed a clinical activity that was not on the list, you could add it at the end of the exercise. Reviewing and editing of the answer perform easily.

Further, At the end of it, the profile will summarize your experience and compare them to other practitioners within the same discipline. The data will show the frequency and the variety of clinical activities you have performed in the preceding years.

Participants also get access to materials called “clinical refreshers,” which are online activities to refresh your skills. But it is solely based on the review of your profile. Undertaking these activities is optional and is also free of cost. They can access at a later time if you wish to.

Structured Self-Assessment or SSA

This part of the program evaluates the skills and knowledge of the participants and is not a test, per se. You will be asked what knowledge and skills are expected of those newly joining a particular discipline.

Further, The pattern of the questions is reminiscent of the ARRT exam and comprises multiple-choice questions, hot spots, multi-select questions, and a sorted list.

Radiologic technologists required to renew every ten years can either choose to complete the SSA practice test at a Pearson Vue testing center or another approved offsite location. Remember that a proctor will keep track of your progress with a webcam when you choose to complete this test offsite.

The results of the SSA are posted on the participants’ online accounts one or two weeks after the exercise is completed. It will reveal whether you met all the standards of your discipline. If you did, this completes your CQR process.

On the other hand, if the SSA practice test results show some areas where you need improvement, then you proceed to the third step.

Prescribed or targeted continuing education or CE

This final step is not mandatory for everyone. Only those techs whose professional profile and SSA revealed the need for reinforcements in targeted areas would undergo this step. This continuing education program requires the completed activities report in the online CQR tool.

One major advantage of the prescribed or targeted continuing education is that the activities completed in this step can also be applied to the biennial CE requirements. A good plan of action is, if you get the continuing education program, start working on it as soon as possible. This gives you ample time to prepare for the biennial and the CQR CE.

Further, These activities are available within the online CQR tool. These wide ranges of activities meet all the prescriptions of your continuing education program. To complete these activities, click on the ‘CE options.’ All the activities under one option approve for the particular content area. To maximize your activities, log in regularly, as new activities are updated frequently.

Further, Remember that the CE courses have separate sponsors, so you need to pay for the courses. ARRT has no role in CE courses. This feature is almost like biennial CE activities. After you complete a particular activity, you need to access the CQR tool and keep updating your progress to have the credits to clear the CE.

You need 24 credits in two years to clear the CE program. However, R.R.A.s need a total of 50 credits every two years.

What is the CQR Compliance Period?

• ARRT CQR compliance period is three years.

• It will begin seven years after the first certification period of ten years.

For instance, if your certification date was 2012, your compliance period starts in 2019. This gives you three years to complete the three steps, professional profile, SSA practice test and targeted continuing education by 2022.

ARRT does a great job of alerting the techs as soon as the countdown begins. Rad techs are reminded through their online accounts when the time comes. All the details are displayed on the individuals’ dashboard.

A ready checklist of the process is also displayed on the dashboard, which helps to simplify the process. To begin the CQR process, users must click on the pencil icon on the top right corner of the screen.

How can I study for the CQR?

• You need no specific course or preparation to complete the CQR.
• The exercises gauge your strengths and weaknesses in your field of work, so you should have no trouble completing it successfully.

However, there are some tips we would like to share so you can ace all the exercises in a single attempt.

1. Review the updated content outline of the discipline you are in. This is particularly helpful when you are undergoing the SSA practice test. The ARRT CQR assessments are typically based on the current outline.

• Radiography
• Nuclear Medicine Technology
• Radiation Therapy
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging—through December 31, 2019
• Magnetic Resonance Imaging—effective January 1, 2020
• Sonography
• Mammography
• Computed Tomography
• Bone Densitometry
• Cardiac Interventional Radiography
• Vascular Interventional Radiography
• Vascular Sonography
• Breast Sonography
• Registered Radiologist Assistant (R.R.A.)

This will give you a clear idea of what to expect and undertake the exercise very successfully. You will find the current content outline within the CQR tool on your dashboard under the ‘content specification document.’

• Take the time to watch an online tutorial on Structured Self-Assessment or SSA. This will allow you to have a good grasp of the exercise before you proceed and meet all the standards, so you don’t have to undergo the third step in the process.

Although there is no harm in undergoing the targeted continuing qualifications requirements, it can take longer for you to complete the CQR program.

Is the CQR exam harder than the ARRT board exams?

A straightforward answer? Absolutely not.

ARRT board exams require full-fledged preparation and perhaps even burning the midnight oil. To sit for the board exam, you need to understand the format of the exam, the time allotted for each paper and the number of questions on it. You also have to review the specifications of the content of your discipline and make arrangements for accommodation, if you have special needs.

There are also a number of procedures that you need to complete on the day of the ARRT exam. You need to arrive early, dress in a particular way and complete the check-in process. Even after the exams are over, you will be required to keep track of a number of things. It requires extensive preparation, demands time and a lot of patience.

On the other hand, ARRT CQR is not on a tight time leash, and you don’t have to study anything. You just need to use your common sense and be mentally present at the moment. You can sit comfortably at home and complete the program at your own convenient time.

NOTE: However, there are some things that you need to take care of before you can complete CQR, especially the SSA practice test. Lets us take you through them.

As briefly mentioned above, you have two options to sit for the program – through the Pearson Vue professional center or through an offsite location. There are different specifications and rules depending on your choice of location for completing the exercise.

The following are the requirements if you choose to complete the program through the Pearson Vue professional center.

• You must have applied to ARRT and received a candidate status report.
• You must have been notified that you are eligible for the SSA.
• Your examination authorization fee has been paid to ARRT.
• Create an account at the Pearson Vue website using your ARRT ID. If you already have an account on the website, you do not need to create another.
• You can now schedule for the test by calling the toll free number or through their website.

If you choose to complete the program through a remote location, the following are the requirements.

• You must have applied to ARRT and received a candidate status report.
• You must have been notified that you are eligible for the SSA.
• Your examination authorization fee has been paid to ARRT.
• Run a systems compatibility test to make sure there are no technical issues with the computer while undertaking the test. The compatibility test must be run on the computer as well as the network that you will use on the day of the exam. You can test your system requirements here.
• If you are taking the test for the first time, you need to create an account with Pearson Vue.
• You can now schedule your remote location test.

Bonus! Irrespective of your choice of location for the test, SSA practice is typically available free of cost. However, if you missed a scheduled appointment and need to reschedule another, there will be a charge. The fee is usually around $10 for every appointment that needs to be rescheduled.

Bear in mind that this fee is charged by Pearson Vue and not by the ARRT. The overall ARRT renewal cost is practically zero.

Here’s what Techs are saying:

“I take my SSA test for MRI on the 15th. I personally waited till now to start a new biennium. That way what ever credits I’m prescribed pull double duty and hopefully save me a little money because of it.”

“The test will be based ln current practice. For example- techs who passed their Radiography registry in 2011 were taught screen film and digital. Screen film is not on the registry any longer. As technology advances the registry changes to meet current practice. The purpose of CQR is to ensure the technologist remains competent through the changes by continuing to educate themselves.”

“You need to look at the ARRT content specifications. The outline is what will be on the assessment. Yes all categories Pt Care, Imaging,Procedures etc.”

” I look forward to taking the CQR next year. Interested in seeing what I retained and what I need to refresh myself in. The CE credits go towards your regular 24 anyways. I don’t think it’s a big deal. Guess I’ll see next year!”

“CQR is required for each and every ARRT certification obtained 2011 and after plus all RRAs. It allows 3 years to complete beginning in the 7th year after you obtain the certification. You take a test (SSA) in the modality. It is evaluated and the ARRT prescribes the required CE credit in the categories you need refreshing in based on the exam. The ARRT has many approved CE courses by various vendors and they can count for your CQR and regular CEs. I completed mine for the RRA at the beginning of this year. Your ARRT account online will guide you through the process.”

Conclusion.

ARRT CQR is an excellent package to keep radiologic technologists on track with the latest advancements in the medical industry. Moreover, It is not a cumbersome test as many imagine it to be. CQR is not a test. It is an exercise to jog your memory to see if you are up to date with current best practices in your discipline.

CQR polishes your knowledge and aims to fill in the gaps, which will boost your credentials. With so much competition and practitioners joining the field, it pays to be an accomplished technologist.

This excellent program is not limited to those in the field of radiology. It is also widely benefiting other medical practitioners such as dieticians, surgical technologists, nurses, physician assistant and those in the field of oncology.

Moreover, As a responsible radiologic technologist, the moment a patient steps onto our table, they have placed their trust into our hands. So, We owe it to ourselves and them, to be the best in our field and provide the best possible care to them.

Hence, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Thanks for your take on this, Ronnie. If anyone has specific questions about CQR, visit our website at https://www.arrt.org/CQR. Or call us at 651.687.0048 and ask for Continuing Registration. They have the background necessary to answer your questions.