In its latest blog post on the Advocacy Action Center website, the ASRT Government Relations Department reflects on state advocacy wins and federal actions taken in 2024 and new advocacy tools for 2025.

Meredith Check, ASRT director of government relations and public policy, describes how collaborative efforts helped protect medical imaging and radiation therapy licensure laws in New Hampshire, maintained equipment regulations in Michigan and improved state licensure in Washington state.

Additionally, the Government Relations Department will roll out its Advocacy Toolkit by the end of 2024. The toolkit will be available in advocacy resources and includes a guidebook for advocates to learn about relevant policy proposals and identify and communicate with their elected officials at the state and federal levels.

The Advocacy Action Center is a resource for the medical imaging and radiation therapy community to learn about the legislative and regulatory efforts in their states and provides technologists and the public with tools to contact state and federal officials.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists has published a new webpage to support and promote the advanced practice radiation therapy career pathway. The website includes information about the career pathway, examples of advanced practice radiation therapists in clinical practice, current research on the role, continuing education resources and much more.

APRTs are experienced radiation therapists who perform clinical and patient care responsibilities, while also receiving training and specialization in additional areas of practice under the guidance of a radiation oncologist as part of the radiation oncology team.

"Evidence suggests the APRT service model enhances patient experience and treatment outcomes," said ASRT Vice President Marissa Mangrum, M.S.R.S., R.T.(T). "ASRT is leading the way in supporting this new APRT role with its radiation therapy members and collaborating organizations."

As the role of the APRT grows, ASRT will add materials to the page to ensure it includes up-to-date information.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists is seeking qualified members interested in volunteer positions on the House of Delegates Minutes Approval Committee, Sergeant-at-Arms Committee and the Registered Radiologist Assistant Curriculum Revision Workgroup.

The duties, qualifications and time commitments required for these openings are available through the links below:

Please contact ASRT Volunteer Services at [email protected] with any questions or concerns.

To see all current positions available, visit the Open Volunteer Opportunities page.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists launched the Magnetic Resonance Student Exam Assessment Library® comprehensive practice tests for members preparing for the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists MR imaging certification exam. The MR SEAL® practice tests can also be used as a tool for MR technologists studying for the Structured Self-Assessment as part of the ARRT Continuing Qualifications Requirement process.

Five MR SEAL exams are included with ASRT membership, with eight exams available for members with the Premium membership option. Each online practice test contains 100 questions, covers all major content areas of the certification exam and provides detailed feedback explaining each answer.

More exams are available for purchase in the ASRT Store at the member price of $10. Nonmembers may purchase all SEAL exams for $15 each.

The MR SEAL launch is the fourth SEAL offering in ASRT’s lineup of online practice tests, which includes radiography, radiation therapy and computed tomography exams.

The American Society of Radiologic Technologists would like to personally thank Sens. John Boozman, R-Ark., and Ben Ray Luján, D-N.M., for their work in introducing the Medicare Access to Radiology Care Act of 2024.

The MARCA bill will ensure that all services provided by a radiologist assistant, supervised by a radiologist as part of a radiologist-led team, receive Medicare reimbursement, regardless of the setting in which the radiology service is provided.

The United States is currently experiencing a major shortage of medical imaging professionals. As such, it is vital for the nation to promote the value of medical imaging professionals and their role in providing patients with high-quality, safe care.

“The RA role is a career pathway for medical imaging professionals. It is critical that obstacles are removed to provide this essential health care professional with career advancement opportunities,” said ASRT CEO and Executive Director Melissa B. Pergola, Ed.D., R.T.(R)(M), FASRT, CAE.

Radiologic technology education program directors report the number of new students enrolled increased compared to 2023, according to the American Society of Radiologic Technologists Enrollment Enrollment Snapshot 2024.

Conducted annually, the survey highlights entering class enrollments, student capacity and program data that measures past trends, attrition and viability rates.

The 2024 survey results show that the number of enrolled radiography students increased, with an estimated 19,815 students entering American Registry of Radiologic Technologists-approved radiography programs, up from 17,679 in 2023.

Student enrollment in ARRT-approved radiation therapy programs is estimated at 1,663 students in 2024, up from 1,302 in 2023.

Nuclear medicine technology program enrollments also increased, with an estimated 1,403 students enrolling in 2024, up from 903 in 2023.

For the third consecutive year, the survey tracked enrollments in sonography and magnetic resonance imaging programs. In 2024, an estimated 5,511 students enrolled in ARRT-recognized sonography programs, up from 3,144 in 2023. And MR imaging programs enrolled an average of 1,004 students, an increase from 555 in 2023.

“The increases in enrollment are consistent with the high vacancy rates that we've seen in our recent staffing surveys. Through the presidential initiatives of Heather Moore, Ph.D., R.T.(R), ASRT is continuing to take action that raises visibility and increases the pipeline into the medical imaging and radiation therapy profession,” said Melissa Culp, M.Ed., R.T.(R)(MR), ASRT executive vice president of member engagement.

ASRT sent the survey to 1,263 directors of radiography, radiation therapy, nuclear medicine technology, sonography and MR imaging programs currently approved by the ARRT. By the close of the survey in early November, ASRT received 412 responses, yielding an overall response rate of 32.6%. This sample size yields a ±4.0% margin of error at its widest for overall percentages at the 95% confidence level. The ASRT began conducting the survey in 2001.

Enrollment Snapshot 2024