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
• 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: 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 (see 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:

• Associate’s degree in biomedical academic program; OR
• Associate’s degree in electronics technology and one years' full-time BMET work experience; OR
• Completion of a U.S. military biomedical equipment technology program. (Applicants qualifying under this route must still complete one of the three eligibility requirements for certification in addition to the U.S. military biomedical equipment technology course before being awarded certification); 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. If appropriate transcripts are not included, the application will be returned unprocessed.

NOTE: A Bachelor's degree does not replace work experience requirements.

• Application Fee (Full Certification or Candidate Status)............$295
• Special Testing Center Fee...................................................$100
• Special Group Testing Center Fee.........................................$250

  NOTE: Pay special testing fees only if a Special Testing Center or a Special 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, MasterCard, 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 2009. 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 date.

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 10-13), 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 Boards 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 Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) offers a course entitled BMET Evaluation and Review every year at its Annual Meeting. Call AAMI at (703) 525-4890, ext. 217 for more information.

There are no study guides produced by the ICC, the USCC, or the Boards of Examiners. The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) offers a Study Guide for BMET Certification. The guide has been developed to give an indication of the scope and range of topics covered on the BMET certification examination and to help users identify areas that require additional study. It is NOT intended as sufficient preparation for the certification examination. Call AAMI Publications at 240-646-7031, 877-249-8226 or fax 301-206-9789.

NOTE: The ICC, the USCC, and the Boards of Examiners assume no responsibility for the accuracy, content, or relevance of any study guide or review course.

The exam schedule is available online. Changes in selected testing locations can NOT be made later than four weeks before the exam date.

If an applicant lives more than 250 miles from an established testing center, special arrangements for a closer testing center may be possible for the Special Test Center Fee of $100. A written request must accompany the application specifying the preferred location and must be received EIGHT weeks before the examination date. If there is a group of five or more applicants who want an additional testing center, they may request one for the Special Test Center Fee of $250 (per group), regardless of distance from established test centers. This can be done provided all applications and fees are sent in one package at least EIGHT weeks before the examination date. A written request must accompany the Application package specifying the preferred location. Examinations must take place on the dates listed on the exam schedule.

If an applicant is in the military, lives on a 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 on the dates listed on the exam schedule, or as close thereto as can be arranged. 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.

Sunday testing is permitted ONLY for those applicants submitting satisfactory evidence that their religious convictions prevent them from taking the examination on Saturday. The test will be given on the Sunday immediately following the regular Saturday testing date. Requests for Sunday testing must be made in writing and submitted with the application and fees, and must be received EIGHT weeks before the testing date.

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

Cancellations and requests for refunds must be in writing.

An applicant who chooses not to take the examination may receive a partial refund of 50% if the written request is received within 30 days after the testing date. Requests for refunds will not be honored more than 30 days after the testing dates.

Applicants unable to take the examination as scheduled may request a transfer to another examination date up to 14 days after the testing date 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 registered and who fail to provide notification as noted above 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 application fee.

Exams can only be rescheduled once, please plan carefully.

For last-minute cancellations, please call (212) 356-0660 before the examination date and follow-up immediately with written notice. Please address written notification to ICC in care of Professional Testing Corporation, 1350 Broadway, 17th Floor, New York, NY 10018.

Applicants are allowed four hours to answer up to 150 multiple choice questions. The following schedule will be observed at all testing centers:

8:30 am -- Report to testing center
9:00 am -- Examination begins
1:00 pm -- Examination ends

Applicants should report to their assigned centers by 8:30 am on the examination date. Latecomers may be admitted to the examination at the discretion of the examiner, but will NOT be permitted to continue testing beyond the time scheduled for completion of the examination.

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 Active Certificants 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 certificants 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 and an application for Full certification 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 certifee-in-training 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, 1110 North Glebe Road, Suite 220, Arlington, VA 22201.

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). 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, which will be supplied by the ICC, 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 with an Associate's degree in biomedical technology
• 3 years if Associate's degree is in electronics technology
• 4 years 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.

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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