Updated October 13, 2010

Rationale: The NMTCB entry-level examination is a test of knowledge. The knowledge base for nuclear medicine technology continues to change. Therefore, persons certified by the NMTCB must demonstrate a continued accumulation of knowledge about the field.

Definition of terms:

NMTCB Certificate: A certificate granted by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) signifying recognition that an individual has met certification qualifications set from time to time by the NMTCB, including, but not limited to education, experience, examination, and good moral character.

Certificant: An individual who holds any NMTCB certificate.

Types of NMTCB Certificates:

Active: A duly issued NMTCB certificate currently in good standing.

Inactive: A duly issued NMTCB certificate which is no longer active and is not in good standing due to non-payment of renewal fees.

Retired: An inactive certificate of a certificant who has claimed retirement from the field of nuclear medicine technology.

Emeritus: An inactive certificate of a certificant with either 15 years active certification, or 10 years active certification and over the age of 62.

Probation: The certificant maintains certification, but specific requirements must be met within a given time frame in order to return to Active status. If the probation requirements are not met, the certificant may be subject to further administrative discipline.

Suspension: The certificant has his/her certification removed. There is a possibility of the certification being reinstated after specific requirements have been met.

Revoked: The certificant has had his/her certification removed with no possibility of reinstatement.

Methods: NMTCB certificants will be required to demonstrate involvement in educational activities by completing the following:

Continuing education (CE) credits: a minimum of one (1) hour of continuing education is required for each month of the CE Cycle.

Mechanisms: Certificants are responsible for keeping records of CE hours obtained. The NMTCB shall base each certificant's CE Cycle on the individual's birth month and shall use an odd-even system based on initial certification year for tracking certificants. The NMTCB requires certificants to record the hours of CE obtained during the CE Cycle. The annual renewal statement requires certificants to attest to their current CE status. Excess CE credits (more than the number of hours required for the current CE Cycle) may not be carried over into the next CE Cycle.

Certificants will be randomly chosen for an audit of their CE records. These individuals will be required to provide documentation of the CE activities for the previous CE Cycle within 60 days of the postmark on the letter from the NMTCB. If a certificant is audited and fails to provide documentation and/or does not meet the CE requirements, he/she will be placed on 6 months probation, and will be required to complete the deficient CE hours for the audited cycle by the end of the probation period. If the certificant fails to meet all the CE requirements by the end of the probationary period, his/her certification will be suspended. If after six additional months the CE requirements have not been met, the certificant will be required to meet the current eligibility requirements and pass the Entry Level Exam in order to be certified again. The CE credits obtained during the probation period may not be counted towards the CE hours that are required for the subsequent CE Cycle.

Falsification of CE documentation may result in the revocation of certification(s), monetary fines to cover costs of investigation, and/or permanent disbarment from any and all NMTCB examinations.

Many organizations offer continuing education opportunities online or through meetings or journal activities. Many of these organizations only prepare the activities and are not approval organizations. However, most organization have their activities approved by a recognized continuing education approval organization. Before participating in a continuing education activity, please check with the sponsor to be certain that the activity is approved by one of the organizations listed below.

The following organizations meet the NMTCB's criteria for awarding continuing education credits, therefore educational activities approved by any of these groups will be accepted by the NMTCB. The NMTCB will not recognize continuing education hours that are not approved by one of the organizations listed. Click on each organization's name to visit their website (this list is reviewed and updated on an annual basis):

• American College of Healthcare Executives (ACHE)
  
• American College of Radiology (ACR)
  
• American Healthcare Radiology Administrators (AHRA)
  
• American Medical Association (AMA)
  
• American Society of Nuclear Cardiology (ASNC)
  
• American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology (ASTRO)
  
• American Society of Radiological Technologists (ASRT)
  
• American Academy of Physician Assistants (AAPA)
  
• Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT)
  
• Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC)
  
• British Nuclear Medicine Society (BNMS)
  
• European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM)
  
• World Federation of Nuclear Medicine and Biology (WFNMB)
  
• Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine (ANZSNMT)
  
• Accreditation Council for Pharmacy Education (ACPE)
  
• Charlotte Area Health Education Center (Charlotte AHEC)
  
• Consultants in Nuclear Medicine
• Echelon-a division of Florida Hospital College of Health Sciences
• NorthEast Medical Center
  
• Radiological Society of North America (RSNA)
  
• Society of Diagnostic Medical Sonographers (SDMS)
  
• Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SNMMI)
  
• Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging Technologist Section (SNMMITS)
  
• Society for Vascular Ultrasound
  
• With the exception of Basic Life Support (BLS) and CPR, continuing education activities approved by the following state licensing agencies will be accepted:
  
  1. California
     
  2. Florida
     
  3. Illinois
     
  4. Iowa
     
  5. Kentucky
     
  6. Massachusetts
     
  7. New Mexico
     
  8. Oregon
     
  9. Puerto Rico
     
  10. Texas
      
• The American Institute of Ultrasound in Medicine (AIUM)
  
• The Institute for Nuclear Medical Education (INME)
  
• The Section for Magnetic Resonance Technologists (SMRT)

NOTE: Technologists should contact organizations directly from which they are acquiring continuing education hours to submit a request for addition to the NMTCB approved list if the organization is not currently listed. NMTCB will not contact individual organizations. Click here for more information

Sources of CE Equivalency: The NMTCB does recognize certain activities as being the equivalent to a specific number of CE hours, even though these are not approved by one of the recognized organizations listed above.

1. Specialty examination: successful completion of any post-primary specialty examination offered by the NMTCB, American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT), American Registry for Diagnostic Medical Sonography (ARDMS) or American Healthcare Radiology Administrators (AHRA). Successful completion of a specialty exam will be recognized as the equivalent of 24 hours of CE. Note: The entry level examinations for the NMTCB and the ARRT (Radiography, Nuclear Medicine Technology, Radiation Therapy, Sonography or Primary Magnetic Resonance Imaging) are not considered the equivalent to CE hours.
2. Certain college level courses: Official grade transcripts from an accredited post-secondary school must be submitted as proof of successful completion (grade of C or better) of college courses related to the Radiological Health Sciences, Patient Care, Business/ Management, Technology and/or Education. The equivalent of sixteen CE hours will be recognized for successful completion of one semester college credit or 12 CE hours per quarter college credit.
3. Successful completion of American Heart Association Advanced Cardiac Life Support (ACLS) will be recognized as the equivalent of 6 CE hours per 2-year cycle. A signed and dated copy of the ACLS certification card must be submitted for the credits to be recognized. Successful completion of Basic Life Support (BLS) or CPR training is NOT recognized as meeting the continuing education requirements of the NMTCB. Certification or licensure as a BLS or CPR instructor also is NOT recognized as meeting the continuing education requirements of the NMTCB.
4. Successful completion of American Heart Association Pediatric Advanced Life Support (PALS) will be recognized as the equivalent of 6 CE hours per 2-year cycle. A signed and dated copy of the PALS certification card must be submitted for the credits to be recognized. Successful completion of Basic Life Support (BLS) or CPR training is NOT recognized as meeting the continuing education requirements of the NMTCB. Certification or licensure as a BLS or CPR instructor also is NOT recognized as meeting the continuing education requirements of the NMTCB.
5. Successful completion of both ACLS and PALS (as described above) will be recognized as the equivalent of 9 CE hours per 2-year cycle. A signed and dated copy of the ACLS and PALS certification cards must be submitted for the credits to be recognized. Successful completion of Basic Life Support (BLS) or CPR training is NOT recognized as meeting the continuing education requirements of the NMTCB. Certification or licensure as a BLS or CPR instructor also is NOT recognized as meeting the continuing education requirements of the NMTCB.

Certificants who have not maintained Active status continually: The NMTCB provides limited mechanism for certificants who have let their certification lapse.

In order to return to Active status after less than 5 years, a certificant may reactivate by completing both of the following requirements:

• Paying back dues up to a total of no more than the current examination fee, plus a $65 reactivation fee, AND
• Documentation of completion of 12 continuing education credits for each year he/she was inactive

In order to return to Active status after 5 years or more, you are no longer considered a certificant and must pass the entry-level examination in order to reactivate. To reactivate, you must submit a new application to the NMTCB under current eligibility requirements - either as a program graduate or an Alternate Eligibility applicant.