T (ARRT) - Radiation Therapy RT

The Radiation Therapy (RT) credential from the American Registry of Radiation Technologists (ARRT) is intended to recognize professionals with the training and expertise necessary to administer radiation treatment and monitor patients during and after the administration of radiation. RTs work closely with radiologists and oncologists and are valuable treatment team members for patients requiring radiation therapy.

Cost

The fee for the exam and initial certification is $225. Reapplication fee is $200.

Once educational and ethics requirements are met, the final step to certification is taking the exam. This is a 200 question, computer-based, multiple choice exam. Applicants have 3 attempts to pass the exam during the 3 years following their educational program. Once the exam has been passed, certification is good for one year.

To become RT certified, professionals first need a minimum of an Associate’s degree. Being a Registered Nurse is not a requirement for RT certification, and many other Associate’s prepared professionals can become RTs. Still, nurses make a great candidate for the distinction, and being an RT can add a new level to the nursing care an individual can provide. 

Professionals seeking the RT certifications will also need to attend an educational program for radiation therapy. These programs are offered at colleges and universities around the country, and the ARRT website lists potential places to attend. Once the program is completed, applicants have 3 years to apply for certification, or they will need to repeat the program. 

After the appropriate educational requirements are met, applicants must complete an ethics review to determine if they uphold the profession's standards. This review is in the form of a questionnaire asking about criminal offenses, charges, or convictions as well as educational institution violations. The Ethics Committee of AART must review any pertinent offenses to determine if an applicant is still eligible for certification.

Once certified, RTs must recertify every year through ARRT. They must also track their continuing education credits over each two-year period, called a biennium. A minimum of 24 continuing education credits must be earned in each biennium or an RT will be placed on probation and will have 6 months to make up the uncompleted credits. 

In addition to biennial CEUs and yearly recertification, there is also a Continuing Qualifications Process that RTs must undergo every 10 years to identify and fill any gaps in knowledge or healthcare advancement that may have occurred since initial certification.

Renewal Fees

• First discipline: $30

• Renewal with additional AART certifications: $15

The ARRT offers resources for exam candidates, including:

• Candidate Handbook

• Competency Requirements

• Exam Content

• Tasks Inventory

Patients requiring radiation therapy are often experiencing a very stressful point in their lives.  Being an RT puts professionals in a unique position to provide support and comfort and skilled and knowledgeable care to patients at their most vulnerable. Besides the educational requirements for RT certification, compassion and empathy are at the center of what RTs do. 

The ARRT also offers the following certifications:

• Registered Radiologist Assistant RT (R-RRA)

• Radiography RT (R)

• Nuclear Medicine Technology RT (N)

• Magnetic Resonance Imaging RT (MRI)

• Sonography RT (S)

• Vascular-Interventional Radiography RT (VI)