Educational Requirements

The ACRRT currently available two levels of examination that demonstrate and assess the individual's knowledge and and skill of radiologic technology. Each of these examinations has different prerequisite educational requirements.

ACRRT Examination
Limited Permit Examination

ACRRT Examination

To challenge the ACRRT Examination requires the satisfactory completion of the Radiologic Assistant program curriculum. This guideline establishes the minimum hourly requirements for the radiological assistant as being 300 hours. The program is further defined as including, at a minimum, the following:

	Two hundred hours of the radiologic assistant program curriculum in x-ray-related subject matter, i.e.: Radiologic Technology Imaging Principles of Radiation Exposure Radiation Physics Radiation Biology Radiographic Procedure, including: Patient preparation and positioning Patient care Film processing technique Film quality evaluation Emergency procedures & radiation protection
	One hundred hours would be applied to such subject areas as: Ethics Terminology Anatomy & Physiology Pathology Chiropractic Principles/Philosophy

Any individual who has completed an approved course of study, and who is of good moral character, may make application for the ACRRT examination. If successful in passing the examination, the individual may make application for ACRRT registration and membership status.

 

Limited Permit Examination

In addition to the ACRRT examination, for those individuals who have successfully completed the prerequisite educational requirements, the ACRRT also administers several examination programs for state licensing purposes only. These are known as the Basic Chiropractic X-ray Technology Examination or the Limited Permit Examination. Just as prerequisite educational requirements vary from state to state, so are many of the limited permit examinations tailored to each state's individual requirements. The ACRRT does not issue certification based upon this examination, but administers this exam solely for the states with limited permit provisions in their licensing laws.

Successful completion on the limited permit examination does not qualify an individual for membership status within the ACRRT.

The various State Regulatory Agencies establish the prerequisite educational requirements necessary to challenge the Limited Permit Examination. The state agencies that typically oversee this limited use permit in radiologic technology may include either the State Board of Radiologic Technology, State Board of Chiropractic Examiners, State Department of Health, or State Department of Licensing and Regulation. The educational requirement varies considerably, from 8 to 120 hours. The ACRRT recommends, for the limited permit applicant, a minimum of 48 hours of didactic training.

Included in a typical 48 hour limited permit educational experience is the didactic presentation of, but is not limited to, the following areas:

	Introduction to radiologic equipment, procedures and physics
	Basic principles of x-ray physics
	Radiographic film
	Cassettes and screens
	Film identification
	Darkroom procedures
	Trouble shooting, darkroom and processing errors
	State and federal regulations
	X-ray exposure factors
	Charts and tests (quality assurance)
	Problem solving for radiographic exposures
	Radiation biology
	Radiation protection
	Legal and ethical aspects of radiology
	Quality control
	Anatomy and patient positioning

Sample course outlines for the basic 48-hour preparatory course that are utilized by various institutions to prepare an individual to challenge the Limited Permit Examination are available from the ACRRT.

Please note that not all states conduct or recognize a Limited Permit status for chiropractic paraprofessionals engaged in radiographic technology. It is recommended that any individual interested in gaining this limited permit status should first check with the state chiropractic examining board, or state chiropractic association to determine the exact requirement in that state.