The ARRT requires its radiology techs to get 24 credits every 2 years. For many people this seems unnecessary and a waste of time and energy. The truth is that getting CE credits for ARRT has many values that many radiology techs fail to see.
The reason ARRT asks for these credits isn’t to make your life more difficult. CE credits for ARRT can make you better at your job, keep you updated with all the latest in the field of radiology, and even reminding you of things you might have known but forgotten over time.
Benefits of CE Credits for ARRT
CE activities have many values, as we mentioned earlier. At the top of these is making you better at your job. As a radiology tech, you need to stay updated with all that’s new in radiology.
Radiology is basically all about technology. There are new changes in radiology with each passing day. MRIs are considered relatively new inventions. Newer CTs and MRIs are being made constantly.
Without doing courses to find out about all these new inventions, you’re going to fall behind. Hospitals and centers want someone who can operate the latest technology. The only way for you to be that person is to read about new work and attend talks about it.
CE credits for ARRT can also remind you of old practices that you probably forgot during your years of work. As we become more experienced at what we do, we tend to do the work automatically without thinking about it.
This automaticity can make us forget why we do things or their importance. It’s always a good idea to not just know what you’re doing, but also why you’re doing it. In certain situations, you’ll realize that an adjustment will need to be made instead of doing the work automatically.
CE courses, online or in-person, aren’t just valuable for teaching the new, but also the old. Going back to basics doesn’t hurt. Naturally, the things you’ll learn won’t be outdated or no longer in use, but rather old practices that are still relied on heavily.
A subgroup of radiology techs opts to do research for credits. The benefit for these people is that they’re adding to radiology. They’re not just passive learners or receivers of information. They become active participants and contribute to their fields. Instead of being radiology techs that go to work every day, those who do research are seen in a new light. They become the people that others go to for answers.
Working as a radiology tech is a lot of fun and it can feel like these CE credit requirements do nothing but restrict your freedom. The truth is that CE credits for ARRT are there for your benefit and that of the entire community. There are many sources of credits. Regardless of your motives, you’ll always find methods of acquiring CE credits that suit your needs and with time it’ll be second nature to you.
