Preparation Guide

for the CAMRT

Certification Exam
MAGNETIC RESONANCE, NUCLEAR MEDICINE, RADIATION
THERAPY, RADIOLOGICAL TECHNOLOGY

Questions? Email: certification@camrt.ca

UPDATED: JANUARY 2021
Table of Contents
Purpose of the Exam Preparation Guide ...................................................................................................... 2
About CAMRT................................................................................................................................................ 2
Exam Eligibility .............................................................................................................................................. 2
Number of exam attempts and eligibility timeframe ................................................................................... 3
About the Exam............................................................................................................................................. 3
The competency-based model ...................................................................................................................... 3
Exam Format ................................................................................................................................................. 4
Exam Preparation Resources ........................................................................................................................ 4
Exam Scoring ................................................................................................................................................. 5
Exam Administration..................................................................................................................................... 5
Exam Registration ......................................................................................................................................... 5
Exam Day....................................................................................................................................................... 6
Late Admittance/Cancellation ...................................................................................................................... 7
Transfers and refunds ................................................................................................................................... 7
Exam cancellations........................................................................................................................................ 7
Reporting of results....................................................................................................................................... 7
Appeals.......................................................................................................................................................... 8
CAMRT certification exam confidentiality .................................................................................................... 8
CAMRT Privacy Policy.................................................................................................................................... 9
Purpose of the Exam Preparation Guide

This preparation guide was developed by the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists
(CAMRT) to assist candidates who intend to write the national entry-to-practice certification exam. The
guide provides information on certification exam development, scoring and delivery. The guide also
describes the certification exam process: exam eligibility, how to apply and register for an exam,
resources for exam preparation, release of results, and the appeal process. This guide is designed for use
by all exam candidates: graduates of Canadian accredited programs and internationally educated
medical radiation technologists (IEMRTs).

About CAMRT

Founded in 1942 by a coalition of provincial associations, the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation
Technologists (CAMRT) is Canada’s national professional association and certifying body for medical
radiation technologists and therapists across the country. As a certifying body, the CAMRT develops and
administers national certification exams for the disciplines of magnetic resonance imaging, nuclear
medicine, radiation therapy and radiological technology. The exams test against a pre-determined
standard that is reflective of the competency required to practice in the current Canadian healthcare
environment.

Exam Eligibility

Graduates of accredited Canadian programs

• To be eligible for certification, candidates must complete an accredited medical radiation

technology (MRT) program in one of the four exam disciplines.
• Accredited programs are posted on the CAMRT website.
• Must have graduated from the accredited program within the last 5 years.
• The CAMRT verifies completion of the program for all registered candidates.
• Candidates who registered for an exam but will not complete their program before the exam
date must notify CAMRT.

Internationally educated medical radiation technologists (IEMRTs)

• Candidates who completed a medical radiation technology program outside Canada are
assessed for eligibility to write the exam by the CAMRT or by a provincial regulatory body.
• IEMRTs must first determine in which province they wish to practice, then submit their
application to the appropriate organization, following the assessment requirements.
 • Internationally educated candidates who complete the assessment process successfully are
eligible to apply to write the exam.

Number of exam attempts and eligibility timeframe

• Eligible candidates are permitted a maximum of four (4) attempts* to successfully complete the
certification examination - one initial write and three (3) rewrites, within a five-year time
period. See the CAMRT exam rewrite policy.

* Candidates who access both or either the CAMRT or Quebec (OTIMROEPMQ) certification exam
have a combined total of four (4) attempts.

About the Exam

The CAMRT exams are developed by discipline subject matter experts who are recruited by the CAMRT
to develop exam questions, validate the exam, and set the passing score. The CAMRT exams are
delivered online by Yardstick Assessment Strategies, a leading computer-based testing company with
many test centres throughout Canada and two international test centres.

The competency-based model

CAMRT is responsible for the development and validation of the national competency profiles for entry-
to-practice for the MRT disciplines. The competency profile is a document that describe competencies
graduates of medical radiation technology programs are expected to possess at the end of their MRT
program. Competencies are the behavioural outcomes that integrate knowledge, skills, abilities and
judgement. A competency-based approach to exam development is one that tests these behaviours, as
opposed to testing direct recall of an individual's knowledge from textbook information.

The competency profiles are used by the education programs to develop curriculum that will support
students in the acquisition of the knowledge and clinical skills required to achieve the competencies
listed in the profiles. The competency profiles are formatted into modules that group competencies into
categories. Each competency must be achieved in an education program. It is important that you read
the profiles carefully and are familiar with the content. This, along with the exam blueprint (see
below), will help you focus your preparation for writing the certification exam.

Exam candidates who completed their education in a system where the knowledge-based approach is
used for development of exam questions may have difficulty with a competency-based, multiple choice
exam. The competency-based model focuses on the application of knowledge in a clinical environment.
Questions are asked from the point of view of how you use your knowledge in practice as opposed to
the direct recall of that knowledge. The CAMRT has developed a module on How to Write a
Competency-Based Exam, which provides information on competency-based education and testing,
along with strategies and tips on writing a multiple-choice exam.

Exam Format
• Built from an exam blueprint that is developed from the competency profiles.
• The exam blueprint provides an outline of the certification exam.
• The exam is 4-hours, 185 multiple-choice questions.
• Offered three (3) times a year; see the website for exam dates, fees and registration instructions
• Computer-based exam delivered by Yardstick Testing and Training.
• Exam centres across Canada and 2 international centres - Dubai (UAE) and Doha (Qatar)
• Radiological technology and magnetic resonance exams available in English and French.
Candidates can toggle between the French and English versions of each question as needed.

Exam Accommodations

• If a disability or impairment limits major life activities, a request for exam accommodations must
be submitted in writing to the CAMRT. The request must be submitted before the exam
registration deadline of the sitting that the student wishes to attend. This applies for both first
write and any re-writes of the exam. All requests will be handled on a confidential and individual
basis. Please read the accommodation policy carefully and follow all instructions and deadlines.

Exam Preparation Resources

CAMRT provides a number of resources to help candidates prepare for the exam.

1. Practice Exam
In December 2020 CAMRT released a revised practice exam for each discipline. The new
practice exams align with the current competency profiles and examination blueprints. The
update also includes transitioning the practice exam to the Yardstick exam administration
platform – the exact same platform candidates write their actual certification exam on. This will
provide candidates with a more authentic practice experience and an opportunity to experience
both the types of questions on the certification exam and the exam delivery platform. The
practice exam registration fee is $75 which will give candidates access to 100 sample questions
for their discipline and 3 attempts at the practice exam.
2. Glossary and Abbreviation List
3. Recommended Textbook List – a list of textbooks used to reference exam questions
4. How to Write a Competency-Based Exam interactive online module
5. Canadian Practice in Medical Radiation Technology interactive online module
Exam Scoring
The passing score for the CAMRT certification exam is set by the Exam Validation Committee (EVC).
There is an EVC for each discipline; the EVC is composed of 8-10 members, with representation from
across the country. They must be CAMRT members and be experts in their discipline. The EVC members
review the exam questions, approve the exam and establish the passing score. The method used to set
the passing score for these exams is a modified Angoff method. With this method, each exam question
is rated based on the expected success rate of a minimally competent technologist for safe and effective
practice. For each exam question, the experts answer the question “What percentage of minimally
competent, entry level technologists would be expected to answer this item correctly?”

Exam Administration
Exam Registration
The CAMRT exam is delivered as a computer-based exam at approved Yardstick test centres across
Canada.

Information regarding exam schedules and fees is available on the CAMRT website.

IMPORTANT - Registration for the certification exam is a 2-step process.

Step 1: Registration and exam fee payment with CAMRT

1. Go to the CAMRT website – https://www.camrt.ca/

2. Log in to your CAMRT account (or create a CAMRT account if you don’t have one).
3. Register for the exam and pay exam fee ($840.00)
4. Candidates who require exam accommodations must submit a request for exam
accommodations following the procedure outlined on the website.
5. Once payment is processed, all registered candidates will receive a confirmation email and
instructions for reserving a seat for the examination (either at a Yardstick Testing Centre, or for
a virtually proctored exam).

Step 2: Seat reservation and payment on the Yardstick website

Once registered for an exam on the CAMRT website, candidates are directed to the Yardstick website,
where they create a profile and pay the fee for reserving a seat.

Testing centre exams

• During the registration process, candidates select their preferred city for writing the exam;
however, candidates cannot pick a specific exam date, time, or test centre at the time of exam
application and seat reservation. Their testing centre location and exam time will be
communicated via email at a later date.
Please read carefully the following information about your Yardstick registration:

1. Make sure that the name you use to sign up on the Yardstick platform matches your CAMRT
profile name and the name on the government-issued photo ID that you will present on exam
day. CAMRT verifies all registrations by name and discipline. Names must be an exact match for
the exam results to be uploaded to your CAMRT profile and for you to gain access to your exam
on exam day.
2. Make sure to pick a location when you complete your seat reservation; if location is not
selected, you will not be approved for writing the exam. Please pick carefully, you cannot
change your selection online.
3. No later than 4 (four) weeks before the exam date, Yardstick will e-mail a registration
confirmation to inform each candidate on which date and at what time they must appear for
their 4-hour exam. The booking confirmation email will include all the details of your exam:
username for exam login, exam date and time, exact location, instructions on when to arrive at
the test centre, and what items you can bring with you.
4. Print your confirmation email, note down your password on it and bring it with you on exam
day.
5. Make sure you know your password for logging into the Yardstick platform, as this is the
password you will use to log into your designated computer on exam day. If needed, you can
change the password from your Yardstick profile. If you forgot the password, a password reset
link will be emailed to you with the booking confirmation.

Exam Day

Please ensure you arrive at the test centre 30 minutes before the scheduled start time to sign in. You
must bring the following with you into the examination centre:

• Valid piece of government-issued Photo ID with valid expiration date and visible signature. (e.g.
drivers license, passport, or work visa).
• Printed copy of the Yardstick booking confirmation email. Candidates who falsify any
documentation will not be allowed to write the exam. If falsification is discovered after the
exam is taken, the exam results will be null and void.
• Permissible Items: Water/juice/coffee/drink in a clear spill-proof container with no label (Only if
approved by the Test Centre)
• Disposable ear plugs
• Scrap Paper and Pencils (This will be provided to you at the testing centre and MUST be left with
the proctor upon exam completion.)
• A non-programmable scientific calculator
Late Admittance/Cancellation Policy
• Any candidate who arrives more than 15 minutes after the scheduled start time will be denied
access to the exam.
• Candidates who arrive between the scheduled start time and 15 minutes after the scheduled
start time will be allowed to take the exam, but the exam clock will start at the scheduled start
time and they will lose the amount of time they are late.

Transfers and refunds

• Exam candidates can request a transfer to another exam sitting.
• The exam registration fee paid to the CAMRT will be applied to the requested sitting. The
CAMRT exam transfer fee is $50.
• Click here to download the transfer request form. Submit to certification@camrt.ca after
completion.
• Exam transfer requests must be received before the registration deadline for the requested
sitting.
• The seat reservation fee paid to Yardstick cannot be transferred. The seat reservation must be
cancelled and rebooked for the next desired sitting of the exam.
• Yardstick only accepts cancellations for a full refund up to 10 business days before the exam.
After this time, you forfeit the seat reservation fee.

Exam cancellations
• All cancellations will incur a $100 charge, regardless of the date on which the cancellation is
requested.
• Exam candidates who wish to cancel their writing of the exam can request a refund of the
remaining part of the exam fee paid within 2 years from the original exam date.
• The request for refund must be made in writing to certification@camrt.ca.
• The exam cancellation fee will be deducted from the re-imbursement.
• Failure to transfer to a new exam sitting or request a refund after two (2) years from the original
exam date will forfeit the full exam fee.

Reporting of results
• Exam results are released within 20 working days from the date of the exam. This period is
required to analyze results and conduct psychometric assessment. This is the process used to
ensure the exam is fair, valid and reliable.
• Candidates are notified when the results are posted to their CAMRT online profile. Results are
NOT released by telephone or e-mail.
• A candidate who achieves success on the certification exam will be issued a “Pass”, as per policy,
CAMRT does not release numerical marks.
 • Certificates will be mailed to successful exam candidates within 6 (six) weeks of the exam result
date. Please ensure your name and mailing address are correct by updating your contact
information in your CAMRT online profile.
• Unsuccessful candidates will receive an analysis of their performance on the certification exam
approximately 5 business days after the release of exam results. You will be notified by CAMRT
when the performance profiles are posted.
• The Exam Performance Profile includes a breakdown of candidate’s performance on the exam
by Competency Profile module for remedial purposes. Remedial preparation is strongly
recommended to all candidates who have failed an exam attempt.
• The Exam Performance Profile is uploaded to the candidate’s CAMRT online profile and is
available until the next exam attempt is made.

Appeals
Candidates are strongly encouraged to withdraw prior to the exam or transfer to the next exam sitting
if, prior to the exam, they have a personal circumstance that may affect their performance on exam day
(including but not limited to: bereavement, family emergency or chronic health condition).

Exam candidates have the right to appeal their exam result based on extenuating circumstances.

Please see the appeal policy.

CAMRT certification exam confidentiality

The CAMRT national certification exam is a high-stakes, entry-to-practice exam for a healthcare
profession where ethical behaviour, professionalism, integrity and honesty are of essential importance
in the delivery of safe and effective health care services.

These attributes and behaviours must also be applied to the writing of the exam. Any form of cheating is
unethical behaviour shall result in sanctions. If cheating has been determined, the candidate will be
disqualified from the exam and denied future opportunities to access the certification exam.

The exam questions are confidential and are the property of the Canadian Association of Medical
Radiation Technologists (CAMRT).

Exam candidates are prohibited from disclosing the content of the exam or sharing any information the
exam contains with any individual except CAMRT. Reproduction of exam content in any format is
prohibited by copyright laws.

See Appendix A: Candidate Statement of Understanding. Candidates must sign/acknowledge this form
on exam day prior to be given access to the exam.
CAMRT Privacy Policy
It is important for you to know how we treat personal information related to the certification exam
process.

CAMRT handles personal information you provide to us through the certification exam process in
accordance with our Privacy Policy, available here.

CAMRT shares some of your personal information with your Provincial Association (or other Provincial
Member Associations) and regulatory organizations for the purposes of verifying and maintaining
national and provincial membership records. This shared information may include name, address,
CAMRT registration number, dues payment history, and certification exam results.

Exam candidates’ pass/fail results are also shared with their respective educational program in
aggregate form (no personal identifiers shared).

If you have any questions about the use or sharing of personal information related to the CAMRT
certification exam, please contact: certification@camrt.ca.
Appendix A: Candidate Statement of Understanding

Conduct occurring before, during or after testing that violates the principles outlined below may result
in invalidation of examination results and/or other penalties and will be reported to the Canadian
Association of Medical Radiation Technologists (CAMRT).
 
The CAMRT Examination is highly confidential. The examination questions are the property of CAMRT.
Unauthorized disclosure of the examination questions is prohibited under copyright laws. By signing this
statement of understanding, you agree to maintain the confidentiality of the CAMRT Examination
questions. You must therefore:
 
• Keep the exam content confidential, even after the exam. This also includes not discussing the
content with anyone who wrote the exam before you, with you or who has not written the exam
yet.
• Not use or be in possession of any electronic device (such as cell phones, cameras, pagers, I-
Pods, etc) in the exam room. Realize that any recording or memorization of exam questions is
strictly forbidden whether you intend to recreate parts of the exam for financial gain or not.

Candidates are observed at all times while they are taking the CAMRT Examination. This observation will
include direct observation by Proctors and recording of your exam session, including your webcam,
computer screen and programs/applications running. Proctors may not necessarily inform you of their
observations, but they are required to report behaviour that may violate the terms and regulations of
CAMRT or other forms of irregular behaviour.
  
Any cheating and/or breach of confidentiality/security or any attempt to subvert the examination
process by any candidate violates the purpose and principles of the examination. Any candidate who
carries out, takes part in or who witnesses such behaviour must report it to the Proctor and/or CAMRT
as soon as possible.
 
CAMRT strives to report results that accurately reflect the skill and performance of each candidate and
represent a valid measure of their knowledge or competence as sampled by the examination.
Accordingly, our standards and procedures for administering examinations have two related goals:
giving candidates comparable opportunities to demonstrate their abilities and preventing any of them
from gaining an unfair advantage over others. To promote these objectives, CAMRT reserves the right to
cancel or withhold any examination results when, in the sole opinion of CAMRT, a testing irregularity
occurs; cheating has occurred; there is an apparent discrepancy in, or falsification of, a candidate’s
identification; a candidate engages in misconduct or plagiarism; when aberrancies in performance are
detected for which there is no reasonable and satisfactory explanation; or the results are believed to be
invalid for any other reason.
 
A candidate agrees to abide by all regulations, as well as oral and written instructions controlling the
conduct of the examination. These regulations are intended to preserve the integrity of the examination
process by providing standard test administration conditions that yield valid and reliable results.
 
I have read, understand and agree to abide by the above statement.