Obtaining your Mammography Continuing Education credits to work as a Mammography Technologist requires a number of hours, and most importantly, dedication and hard work. A CEU is a continuing education unit that is equal to 10 hours of participation in an accredited program. A CEU is designed for accreditation in the field, whether you’re a Mammography Technologists or another medical professional. In this article, we take a look at Mammography continuing education credits, as well as how to get your CEUs.
Earning Continuing Education Credits
Continuing education has been mandatory for radiologic technologists registered by the ARRT since 1995. In today’s advanced healthcare environment, doing your job correctly means more than completing your initial training. With technology constantly changing and ever-present shifts in our nation’s health care delivery system, it’s essential that Mammography Technologists participate in regular Continuing Education courses in order to stay current. This highly benefits technologists, but most importantly, it benefits the patients they are working to serve.
Where Can I Find Mammography Continuing Education Credits?
It’s relatively easy to find credits in order to fulfil your CE/CEU requirements, as there are many credits readily available. It’s absolutely essential to ensure that the courses you seek are approved by the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). However, credits can be found in the form of college courses, home studies, seminars, online programs, publishing a scholarly article, and more.
What Are My CE Requirements as a Mammography Technologist?
All Mammography/Radiologic Technologists who are not classified as retired, must earn 24 CE credits every two years, this period in which is called a biennium. Your biennium is assigned to you by the ARRT and is determined by your birth month and the year of your initial ARRT examination. Radiologic Technologists who have successfully completed their first ARRT mammography certification exam will begin the mandatory Continuing Education requirements on the first day of their next birth month after the exam.
CE Credit Categories
As mentioned above, there are a number of ways in order to earn CE credits, but they must meet criteria established by the ARRT. The required 24 CE credits must all include activities that are classified as Category A or Category A+.
What is a Category A Credit?
Category A credits must be evaluated by the Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism (RCEEM). Any activity that is approved by the ASRT is awarded a Category A or A+ credit. This is why it’s essential to look for Category A or A+ approval when choosing your CE activities.
There are some exceptions to this rule, as your activity can still obtain official certification and receive Category A status whether or not they have been approved by a RCEEM. This includes:
- An official certification in advanced cardiac life support or pediatric advanced life support that is RCEEM-approved or has a valid card from the Red Cross, the American Health and Safety Institute, or the American Heart Association. These credits are limited to six credits per biennium and basic cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) is no longer considered a Category A credit.
- Approved academic courses. An “approved academic course” is defined as a formal study offered by an accredited postsecondary educational institution. The courses in question must be in a relevant field, including field biological sciences, radiologic sciences, physical sciences, and health and medical sciences.
What is a Category A+ Credit?
Category A+ CE materials must be related to one or more clinical activities in the role of the Registered Radiologist Assistant, and must be approved by an organization recognized by the ARRT as an A+ CE evaluation mechanism. The three RCEEM+ organizations that are currently recognized by the ARRT are: the ASRT, the Radiological Society of North America (RSNA) and the Society of Nuclear Medicine (SNMMI) – Technologist Section.
Fulfilling Your Mammography Continuing Education Credit CEU Requirements
Fulfilling your required amount of CEUs as a Mammography Technologist should not only be seen as just a minimum requirement to ensure you’re allowed to keep practicing. Receiving regular training and constantly expanding on your education through reputable mammography schools is necessary to ensure that you’re performing your job correctly. As a Mammography Technologist, there is no room for error, and it’s important to ensure that your first priority is always that your patients are receiving exceptional care.
Check Out Our Blog
