Certification

Applicants must meet ONE of the following minimum eligibility requirements:

• Associate’s degree in biomedical academic program and two years' full-time BMET work experience; OR
• Completion of a U.S. military biomedical equipment technology program and two years' full-time BMET work experience; OR
• Associate’s degree in electronics technology and three years' full-time BMET work experience: OR
• Four years' full-time BMET work experience.

Additional eligibility routes for CLES applicants only:

• Associate's degree in medical laboratory technology and three years' full-time BMET work experience; OR
• Bachelor's degree in medical laboratory technology and two years' full-time BMET work experience.

* CRES and CLES applicants for full certification: At least 40% of work experience over the last two years or 25% over the last five years must be in the designated specialty area.

Applicants desiring full certification, but who do not yet meet the eligibility requirements (as listed above), have the opportunity to apply through candidate status. Successful candidates are given five years to meet the minimum eligibility requirements and be awarded full certification.

To test as a candidate for any certification, an applicant must meet ONE of the following minimum eligibility requirements as of the application deadline:

• Associate’s degree in biomedical academic program; OR
• Completion of a U.S. military biomedical equipment technology program; OR
• Associate’s degree in electronics technology and one years' full-time BMET work experience; OR
• Two years' full-time BMET work experience.

Additional eligibility routes for CLES applicants only:

• Associate's degree in medical laboratory technology and one years' full-time BMET work experience; OR
• Bachelor's degree in medical laboratory technology.

IMPORTANT: If claiming eligibility based in full or in part on an Associate’s or Bachelor's degree, an official college transcript MUST be included with the application and fees. A copy of the diploma is required for individuals applying under the completion of a military program. Official transcripts may be requested at the discretion of the application reviewer, but are required from international applicants. NOTE: A Bachelor's degree does not replace work experience requirements.

• Application Fee (Full Certification or Candidate Status)...........................................$375
• Special Testing Center Fee (for candidates outside the U.S. or Canada ...................$100
• Group Testing Center Fee (for groups of five or more candidates)...........................$250

• NOTE: Pay special testing fees only if a Special Testing Center or a Group Testing Center is being requested.

  PAYMENT METHODS:

• Make checks payable to: ICC Examinations. Complete check payment section of Part 1, Page 2 of the application.

• To use VISA, Master Card, or American Express, complete the credit card payment section on Part I, Page 2 of the application.

• Applications received without appropriate fees will be returned unprocessed.
  
  NOTE: Fees listed above apply for 2012. All fees are subject to change annually.

Obtain an application for the ICC Certification Examinations from the Professional Testing Corporation, 1350 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York NY 10018, 212-356-0660, www.ptcny.com This application is also available in the Forms and Documents area.

Yes. Applications may be submitted up until six weeks prior to the examination date. Applications received later than six weeks prior to the examination date cannot be guaranteed acceptance. Applications are valid only for the requested examination period.

The CBET, CRES, and CLES examinations consist of 150 multiple choice items in the following five main subject areas:

A detailed content outline for each exam is provided in the Applicant Handbook (see pages 10-12), available for download in the Forms and Documents area.

It is considered a conflict of interest for any certifying organization or commission to help individuals attain the credential it issues. The Board of Examiners, the USCC, and the ICC do not sponsor or endorse any refresher course. Contact local biomedical associations or ask colleagues about organizing study groups or arranging for review courses.

The exam schedule is available online.

9. Can I request a testing location that isn't listed on the exam schedule?

The Examinations for Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician, Certified Radiology Equipment Specialist, and Certified Laboratory Equipment Specialist are administered during an established two-week testing window on a daily basis, Monday through Saturday, excluding holidays, at computer-based testing facilities managed by PSI.  PSI has several hundred testing sites in the United States, as well as Canada. Scheduling is done on a first-come, first-serve basis. To find a testing center near you visit: http://www.ptcny.com/cbt/sites.htm or call PSI at 800-211-2754. Please note: Hours and days of availability vary at different centers. You will not be able to schedule your examination appointment until you have received an Eligibility Notice from PTC.

It is highly recommended that each candidate become familiar with the location of the testing site. Arrival at the testing site at the appointed time is the responsibility of the candidate.  Please plan for weather, traffic, parking, and any security requirements that are specific to the testing location. Late arrival may prevent you from testing.

It is the candidate’s responsibility to call PSI (the test administrators) to schedule the exam appointment. It may be possible to establish a special testing center to take a paper and pencil examination outside of the United States for an additional fee of $100. A letter must be sent with your application and fees, specifying your preferred city and country and must be received eight weeks before the testing period begins.

If there are no computer test centers in your province in Canada, you can follow this same procedure or travel to the closest computerized testing center in the United States to take the examination. You will be contacted by e-mail to confirm your test center. 

All of the applications for a group international test center must be submitted in one package, with all the fees and original documentation included, plus a cover letter specifying the city and country where the special test center is being requested. For groups submitting five or more applications, a group testing fee of $250 must be submitted (rather than the $100 per application). PTC is not responsible for following up on credit card payments – the candidate is responsible for paying the fees at the time his application is submitted.

If an applicant is in the military, lives on a non-domestic US military base, and cannot leave that base to take the examination at an established testing center, special arrangements can be made for testing on base.  However, examinations must take place in the testing window listed on the cover of the Handbook. Send a written request to Professional Testing Corporation with the name, address, phone number, and/or e-mail address of the Education Center on the base at least EIGHT weeks before the examination date.  The Special Testing Center Fee is NOT required.

If you are requesting a group special test center at a military base, all the applications and required documentation must be submitted in one package with a cover letter providing the name and mailing address for the base education officer.  All fees must be submitted with the applications.

Special testing arrangements will be made for individuals with special needs.  Submit the Application, fee(s), and a completed and signed Request for Special Accommodations Form, available from www.ptcny.com or by calling PTC at 212-356-0660.  Requests for special testing for individuals with special needs must be received at least EIGHT weeks before the testing date.

Please notify PTC at least two weeks prior to your test appointment if you need to bring a service dog, medicine, food, or beverages necessary for a medical condition with you to the test center.

Cancellations and requests for refunds must be in writing. 

Applicants who choose not to take the examination may receive a partial refund of 50% of the application fee if the written request is received within 30 days after the original testing date. Requests for refunds will not be honored after the 30 days.

Applicants unable to take the examination as scheduled may request a transfer to another examination period. Requests must be submitted within 14 days of the testing period if submitted with the rescheduling fee of $100* and may elect to reschedule to a date within one year of the originally scheduled date. Applicants who cannot attend the examination on the date for which they are registered and who fail to provide advance notification will have the application closed and must complete the application process from the beginning in order to take the examination. Fees are forfeited.

*The rescheduling fee is based on cost, and is not punitive in nature. The rescheduling fee must be paid at the time the request for rescheduling is made. The $100 rescheduling fee cannot be refunded. Once applicants choose to reschedule, they cannot request a refund of either the $100 rescheduling fee or of the original fee(s).

Exams may only be rescheduled once, please plan carefully.

Applicants are allowed four hours to answer up to 150 multiple choice questions.

Applicants will receive notification from PTC within six weeks whether they have passed or failed the examination. In addition to the total score, scores on the five subject areas of the examination will be reported for informational purposes. The notification of examination scores will be followed by a letter or package from the ICC office. NOTE: Examination results will NOT be provided over the telephone, e-mailed, or faxed by PTC or ICC under any circumstances.

The minimum score required to pass the certification examination is 105 correct answers out of 150 questions.

Passing the examination (full status): Applicants who pass for full certification will receive their scores from PTC and a certification package from ICC. All certified individuals will be listed on the AAMI web site under the ICC Directory of Certificates and are authorized and encouraged to use the appropriate acronym (CBET, CRES, or CLES) to denote certification on business cards, letterhead, at signature, etc. Certification is initially considered valid through the remainder of the year in which certification is received plus the following full calendar year. At that time it becomes necessary to renew certification and upon renewal certificates are put on a triennial schedule. A renewal notice from ICC will be sent to all individuals when it is time to renew certification.

Please keep your contact information current.

Passing the examination as a candidate: Applicants who pass under Candidate status will receive their scores from PTC and a congratulatory letter from ICC. (See "What are the requirements to upgrade from Candidate Status to Full Certification?"). Candidates have five years in which to complete the remaining requirements and apply for upgrading to full certification. Candidates are not eligible to represent themselves as certified, but may use the congratulatory letter from ICC as proof of certifier status.

Applicants who do not pass are eligible to retake the exam beginning with the next regularly scheduled examination date. There is no limit regarding the number of times the examination may be taken. With each examination taken, the full application fee is required.

Individuals may not take the exam for a certification which they currently hold (active or inactive).

Upon notification of examination results, an applicant wishing to appeal the decision must submit a letter to the Board of Examiners requesting an appeal within 90 days of receiving the examination results. If challenging a particular item on the examination, provide as much detail as possible about the item. The appeal will be carefully reviewed by the Board of Examiners to determine the appropriate action. Each appeal is handled individually depending upon its nature. Applicants will be contacted if additional information is needed, or when a decision has been reached. Challenges made by way of notations on the examination booklet are not considered an appeal and will not be reviewed by the Board or taken into consideration. Send written appeals to the BMET Board of Examiners at ICC, 4301 N. Fairfax Drive, Suite 301, Arlington, VA 22203.

It is up to each individual to notify an employer or others as to whether you have passed or failed the examination. Upon inquiry, the ICC will release information regarding the status of an individual’s certification only (i.e. certified or not certified, active or inactive, date certification expires, date certification was granted, and certification number or ID number). Information regarding scores and whether an individual took the exam will not be released.

Each certification (CBET, CRES, CLES) requires a separate, complete examination. A percentage of the questions are applicable for all three exams, and a percentage are specific to the specialty for which the exam is being given. Additionally, the overall percentages of the main subject areas vary with each exam type. Applicants may only test in one discipline per exam cycle.

Requirements for maintaining certification include the payment of renewal fees and the accumulation of at least 15 points of continuing practice activities reported every three years. The initial period of certification includes the remainder of the year in which certified plus the full calendar year immediately following. At the end of that period, individuals will receive a renewal invoice. Upon payment of renewal fees, certification is extended for a three-year period. The first Continuing Practice Journal is not due until the end of that three-year period. Journals are due every three years thereafter. The categories for obtaining points in the Journal are varied and well within the reach of any actively practicing BMET. Failure to comply with the renewal requirements will result in the revocation of certification. To regain certification, a new application must be submitted and the examination taken again.

In order to receive full certification, as stated in the ICC Applicant Handbook you must meet the required minimum work experience and/or education:

• 2 years full-time BMET work experience with an Associate's degree in biomedical technology
• 2 years full-time BMET work experience with a completion of a U.S. military biomedical equipment technology program
• 3 years full-time BMET work experience if Associate's degree is in electronics technology
• 4 years full-time BMET work experience if no degree is held
• at least 40% of work experience over the last two years or 25% over the last five years must be in the designated specialty area (for CRES and CLES applicants only).

Upon completion of the remaining requirements, submit the upgrade application from candidacy status to full certification to the ICC office. Please be aware that you have five years in which to complete the remaining requirements. If you do not complete the requirements and do not submit the upgrade application within five years of achieving candidacy status, you will be required to retest in order to become fully certified.

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