As a prerequisite for registration, radiologist assistants (RA) are required to complete continuing education. Current requirements for radiologist assistants are summarized below. If you would like to review the current rule, these requirements are currently listed under the Texas Administrative Code, Title 22, Part 9, Chapter 194, Subchapter A, Rule 194.7(c), adopted to be effective November, 2019, located here.

Radiologist assistants need to complete a minimum 24 hours of continuing education (CE) every 24 months (24 month timeline goes by the biennial registration period, not the calendar year). A permit holder must report during registration if she or he has completed the required CE during the previous two years (biennial registration period).  

New Human Trafficking Prevention Requirement

House Bill 2059 (86^th Legislature) requires physicians, physician assistants, and any licensee of the TMB’s advisory boards or committees that provide direct patient care, to complete a human trafficking prevention course approved by the Texas Health and Human Services Commission (HHSC). This requirement applies to the renewal of a license on or after September 1, 2020.

HHSC is the approving body for the human trafficking prevention requirement. HB 2059 requires HHSC to approve training courses on human trafficking, including at least one that is free of charge, post a list of approved trainings on its website and update the list of approved trainings as necessary.

HHSC now has an approved course available, which is free of charge, that satisfies the requirements for all licensees impacted by HB 2059.

• See HHSC's Health Care Practitioner Human Trafficking Training page to access the approved courses and for more information about this requirement.

Documentation of CE courses shall be made available to the Board upon request, but should not be submitted with the registration. Random audits will be made to assure compliance.

If you have any questions regarding continuing education requirements, please email us at registrations@tmb.state.tx.us .

Radiologist Assistant CE Requirements (Per Biennium)

As a prerequisite to the biennial renewal of a radiologist assistant certificate, the following must be completed:

• a minimum of 23 hours of continuing education hours must be completed during each biennial renewal period. The hours must be in activities that are designated for Category A or A credits of continuing education evaluated by an organization recognized by ARRT as a Recognized Continuing Education Evaluation Mechanism (RCEEM) or RCEEM during the biennial renewal period; and
• a course in human trafficking prevention approved by the executive commissioner of the Texas Health and Human Services Commission.
  • See HHSC's Health Care Practitioner Human Trafficking Training page to access the approved courses and for more information about this requirement. 
  • Please note that these HHSC approved courses will count towards CE totals without being provided by an organization also recognized by ARRT.

• In-person, instructor-led courses are NOT required at this time. 

• There is a maximum of 48 total excess credit hours that may be carried forward from a renewal period and applied to the CE requirements in the subsequent renewal period, except for the required course in human trafficking prevention. The course in human trafficking prevention must be completed prior to each renewal..
• Those who hold temporary permits/certificates are not subject to these continuing education requirements.

Other Permits

An RA who also holds a current Texas license/registration/certification in another health profession may satisfy the CE requirement for renewal of a certificate with hours counted toward renewal of the other license, registration, or certification provided the hours meet all the current requirements.

ARRT Registration

An RA who holds a current and active annual registration or credential card issued by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) indicating that the certificate holder is in good standing and not on probation, satisfies the CE requirement for renewal of the RA certificate, except for the required course in human trafficking prevention, provided the hours required for the card were completed during the  biennial renewal period and meet or exceed the current requirements.

Content of Continuing Education

• At least 50% of the required number of hours must be activities which are directly related to the use and application of ionizing forms of radiation to produce diagnostic images and/or administer treatment to human beings for medical purposes. 
  • Directly related topics include, but are not limited to:
    • radiation safety, radiation biology and radiation physics;
    • anatomical positioning;
    • radiographic exposure technique;
    • radiological exposure technique;
    • emerging imaging modality study;
    • patient care associated with a radiologic procedure;
    • radio pharmaceutics, pharmaceutics, and contrast media application;
    • computer function and application in radiology;
    • mammography applications
    • nuclear medicine application;
    • and radiation therapy applications.

• No more than 50% of the required number of hours may be satisfied by completing or participating in learning activities which are related to the use and application of non-ionizing forms of radiation for medical purposes.
• No more than 50% of the required number of hours may be satisfied by completing or participating in learning activities which are indirectly related to radiologic technology.
  • Indirectly related topics include, but are not limited to:
    • patient care,
    • computer science,
    • computer literacy,
    • introduction to computers or computer software,
    • physics,
    • human behavioral sciences,
    • mathematics,
    • communication skills,
    • public speaking,
    • technical writing,
    • management,
    • administration,
    • accounting,
    • ethics,
    • adult education,
    • medical sciences,
    • and health sciences.
  • Other courses may be accepted for credit provided there is a demonstrated benefit to patient care.

Alternative Continuing Education Accepted by the Board

The additional activities for which continuing education credit will be awarded are as follows:

• The successful completion of an entry-level or advanced-level examination previously passed in the same discipline of radiologic technology administered by or for the ARRT during the renewal period.
  • The examinations shall be topics dealing with ionizing forms of radiation administered to human beings for medical purposes.
  • Such successful completion shall be limited to not more than one-half of the continuing education hours required.
• The successful completion or recertification in a cardiopulmonary resuscitation course, basic cardiac life support course, or advanced cardiac life support course during the continuing education period. Such successful completion or recertification shall be limited to not more than:
  • three hours credit during a renewal period for a cardiopulmonary resuscitation course or basic cardiac life support course; or
  • 6 hours credit during a renewal period for an advanced cardiac life support course.

• Attendance and participation in tumor conferences (limited to six hours), in-service education and training offered or sponsored by Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO)-accredited or Medicare certified hospitals, provided the education/training is properly documented and is related to the profession of radiologic technology.

• Teaching in a program described in the “Acceptable continuing education” section above, with a limit of one contact hour of credit for each hour of instruction per topic item once during the continuing education reporting period for up to a total of 6 hours.
  • No credit shall be given for teaching that is required as part of one's employment.
  • Credit may be granted in direct, indirect or non-ionizing radiation based on the topic.

• Developing and publishing a manuscript of at least 1,000 words in length related to radiologic technology, with a limit of six contact hours of credit during a continuing education period.
  • Upon audit by the department the MRT must submit a letter from the publisher indicating acceptance of the manuscript for publication or a copy of the published work. The date of publication will determine the continuing education period for which credit will be granted.
  • Credit may be granted in direct, indirect or non-ionizing radiation based on the topic.

Recordkeeping

Documentation of CE courses shall be made available to the Board upon request, but should not be submitted with the registration. Random audits will be made to assure compliance.

Exemptions

A licensee may request in writing an exemption* for the following reasons:

• the licensee's catastrophic illness;
• the licensee's military service of longer than one year's duration outside the United States;
• the licensee's residence of longer than one year's duration outside the United States; or
• good cause shown submitted in writing by the licensee that gives satisfactory evidence to the board that the licensee is unable to comply with the requirement for continuing education.

*Exemptions are reviewed on a case by case basis.  An exemption may not exceed one registration period, but may be renewed, subject to approval.

RA Continuing Education Exemption Request Form