Preparing for the Certification Exam

Several articles written over the years tell how various people or groups study for the exam. Some study independently, as they are better at reviewing information alone. Others have given the credit for their success to studying in groups with others who are working toward the same goal. Study groups offer a great way to gain support for your endeavors. Still others seek to be in a more formalized group setting, taking an exam review course prior to taking the test. The exam review course offered at the AAMI Annual Conference is an example of this type of formalized review. Review courses provide an environment where everyone is trying to attain a similar goal, which only enhances the learning experience.

The method you choose should work best for your learning style. After all, you are the one sitting for the exam and you need to be prepared by a method that works for you.

Once you figure out how you will study, the next step is to gather the information you need to study. What you need to study will help dictate your study schedule. As expected, the laboratory and radiology tests will focus on those specialty areas, while the biomedical exam will cover a broader range of knowledge.

Each test is divided into five areas. The ICC application handbook (ICC Application Handbook, Professional Testing Corporation, NY) details each category and outlines specific subcategory areas of study. These subcategories are your template for what study materials you should reference and gather.

Listed below are the five knowledge areas that each test will encompass:

• Anatomy & Physiology (i.e. medical terminology, organ functions, etc…)

• Public Safety in the Healthcare Facility (employee, patient, visitor)

• Fundamentals of Electricity, Electronics and Solid-State Devices

• Medical Equipment Function and Operation

• Medical Equipment Problem Solving

The three tests assign different percentages to each area, so pay special attention to the test you wish to take. Larger percentage areas will require more study, but no one area should be left out of your study routine.

What resources you study is where the three certification exams will differ most. The ICC and the U.S. BMET Board of Examiners do not offer a study guide. AAMI does offer a study guide, but this guide should not be considered sufficient for studying for the exam. It does, however, provide an opportunity for you to gauge yourself as to where you would stand if you sat for a test. It will also give you an idea of those areas you will need to work on.

Additional study resources to consider include the Internet, your course books from college, regulatory guidelines, operation and service manuals, and reference books such as Thomas Floyd's Electrical Devices or Joseph Corr's Introduction to Biomedical Equipment Technology.

At this point you might be asking yourself, where do I begin?

I recommend that you check out the Professional Testing Corporation website (www.ptcny.com) to get your hands on a free certification applicant handbook. This handbook is also available at the AAMI website, www.aami.org. Look over the material, which includes registration deadlines, the testing schedule and locations, and most important, what you need to study.

Just looking at the sub-categories of the exams explains why employers are looking for individuals who have taken and passed the exam. With the baseline of knowledge you acquire by studying for this exam, you have already improved yourself and the profession. Certification is a symbol of your dedication to the field and your personal commitment to providing the best for your customers.