To prepare its student members for the radiography certification exam, the American Society of Radiologic Technologists has developed the Radiography Student Exam Assessment Library (Radiography SEAL).

ASRT’s online review tool includes 15 practice tests, which cover the exam’s four major content areas: patient care, safety, image production, and procedures. Each practice test includes 100 questions and provides detailed feedback on answers, to help students better understand the material.

As the professional association for people working in medical imaging and radiation therapy, ASRT’s student and educator members have been asking for this type of exam prep for years, said Associate Executive Director Myke Kudlas. “It’s a high-stakes test that requires a minimum of two years of preparation, and it’s the capstone to their educational career,” he said.

The exam prep tool is part of an effort by ASRT to extend part of its brand promise—“trusted partner”—to student members, Kudlas said. While students may recognize that the association can serve in this role after they receive their certification, ASRT also wants them to see that same value while they are still in their education program.

Doing so will hopefully help to attract more student members, Kudlas said, noting that ASRT has about 5,000 student members, while more than 25,000 students are eligible for membership. The Radiography SEAL can help position ASRT as “an indispensable part of their career,” he said. “If we can get students in and help them be successful, they are more likely to stick with us for the long term.”

Radiography SEAL is the first time ASRT has offered this type of prep, but it has supported student members in other ways. Past efforts included educational modules on topics such as physics and anatomy, as well as a leadership development program that allows 100 students to come to its annual meeting for free.

ASRT was careful to keep intact the integrity of the exam—which is run by a different organization)—by making sure it did not use any actual exam questions, for example. While students can find other question-and-answer exam prep programs elsewhere, those do not provide as much information on why the correct answer is the correct one, Kudlas said.

Radiography SEAL also allows users to take notes and save questions for later. The tool includes analytics that ASRT intends to use in the future to help students gauge their readiness and direct them to resources for further study based on their results.

Student members can take five Radiography SEAL exams at no charge, and nonmembers can take them for $15 each.

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