Exam Performance of Reinstatement Candidates Pursuing ARRT Certification and Registration in Radiography

Area of Science:

• Radiologic Technology
• Professional Certification
• Medical Imaging

Background:

• The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) certification is crucial for radiographers.
• Reinstatement candidates represent a unique group with prior certification experience.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the examination performance of radiography certification reinstatement candidates.
• To compare their performance against first-time candidates and their own past successful attempts.

Main Methods:

• Comparative analysis of ARRT radiography exam scores from 2017-2018.
• Data included 412 reinstatement candidates and 22,731 first-time candidates.
• Performance was also benchmarked against the candidates' prior successful exam attempts.

Main Results:

• Reinstatement candidates scored significantly lower than first-time candidates and their own past scores (P < .01).
• The pass rate for reinstatement candidates was 56%, compared to 89% for first-time candidates.
• Lower scores were observed across all exam sections, particularly in Radiation Protection and Extremity Procedures.

Conclusions:

• Reinstatement candidates exhibit lower pass rates than first-time candidates for the ARRT radiography exam.
• Despite lower scores, a pass rate exceeding 50% suggests that achieving certification is feasible.
• Performance disparities across exam sections indicate areas where reinstatement candidates may need further preparation.