Introduced by state representatives Herb Conaway, M.D., and Raj Mukherji, Assembly Bill 3763 will allow the New Jersey Radiologic Technology Board of Examiners to license individuals who perform magnetic resonance technology.

AB 3763 recognizes the American Registry of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists (ARMRIT), a non-profit organization who certifies R.T.s and non-R.T.s to perform MRI, as an accepted certification organization for individual seeking MR licensure and references the ARMRIT educational curriculum as a magnetic resonance educational curriculum for licensure purposes.

AB 3763 amends the existing law to change the accepted programmatic accreditation organization for radiography and radiation therapy educational programs to the Council on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).  CAAHEP does not accredit radiography or radiation therapy programs. The Programmatic accreditation organization for radiography and radiation therapy educational programs recognized by the ASRT is the Joint Review Committee on Education in Radiologic Technology (JRCERT).

The New Jersey Society of Radiologic Technologists and ASRT support licensure for magnetic resonance imaging technologists.  We believe setting educational and certification standards through licensure for technical personnel performing magnetic resonance imaging examinations will increase the quality and safety of care that patients undergoing magnetic resonance imaging examinations receive.   The ASRT Magnetic Resonance Practice Standards recognize certification in magnetic resonance by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) as the appropriate credential for radiologic technologists performing magnetic resonance.  NJSRT and ASRT believe that for AB 3763 to be effective that the ASRT Magnetic Resonance Educational Curriculum and ARRT MR certification examination should be referenced along with those of ARMRIT in the bill.  AB 3763 also needs to be amended to reflect the JRCERT as the programmatic educational accreditation organization for radiography and radiation therapy educational programs.

What we need New Jersey radiologic technologists to do:

• Contact Rep. Conaway and Rep. Mukherji to tell them you support licensure for MR technologists and ask them to amend AB 3763 to include organizations representing radiologic technologists who perform magnetic resonance (ARRT, ASRT and JRCERT).  There are more than 9,000 ARRT-certified radiologic technologists in New Jersey, and more than 1,100 hold ARRT certification in magnetic resonance. To not include radiologic technologist organizations in AB 3763 would diminish the standards that AB 3763 seeks to enact through licensure for magnetic resonance technologists.
• Encourage your colleagues to reach out to these lawmakers and others in the New Jersey State Legislature to make the same request.
• Join the New Jersey Society of Radiologic Technologists.  NJSRT is the state organization representing all medical imaging and radiation therapy disciplines.