Some certification boards, such as the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) in the United States, require candidates to meet certain ethics requirements. The particular ethics and certification requirements will vary depending on what country you reside in. Candidates residing outside the United States should search online to find out their national or regional certification boards.  The AART requires all prospective candidates to agree to follow the Registry's Rules and Regulations, as well as the Standards of Ethics. These rules and ethics codes can be found on the AART website. As part of the certification process, the ARRT requires all candidates to disclose any and all convictions, criminal procedures, or courts-martial, as well as any previous loss of professional license, registration, or certification. Candidates who have completed the education and ethics requirements must then pass a qualifying examination. The ARRT administers their computer-based exams at over 200 test centers across America, with additional locations in Frankfurt, Istanbul, London, Seoul, Sydney, Tokyo, Toronto, Vancouver, and Winnipeg.  The examination typically takes three and a half hours to complete. There is a $200 application fee required to take the exam, and a $175 fee for candidates re-taking the exam. The specific content of the exams is laid out in the certification and registration handbook, under Appendix B. The appendix will also cover the number of questions posed in each section of the exam. The handbook and additional information can be found on the ARRT website. The results of the exam may take up to three weeks due to processing time. Candidates will be mailed the exam results once they have been processed. Each state within the United States has different requirements for state certification. Candidates unsure of their state's requirements should contact that state's health board. Once a candidate has passed the exam, he must reaffirm his commitment to the ARRT Rules and Regulations and the ARRT Standards of Ethics every year. He must also meet the continuing education requirements (outlined on the ARRT website) every two years. Xray technicians must meet the Continuing Qualifications Requirements (CQR) every 10 years. To meet the CQR, technicians must:  assemble and maintain a professional portfolio, detailing the technician's education, achievements, special skills, and professional development complete the self-assessment process, wherein the technician determines his own professional strengths and weaknesses to arrive at a list of "target" areas for improvement and further education engage in continued education coursework in the areas targeted by the technician's self-assessment

Summary: Meet the ethics requirements. Pass the exam. Maintain certification and continuing education requirements. Meet the Continuing Qualifications Requirements.


This is not to be confused with a power strip. A surge protector will look like a bulky power strip. When your home receives a power spike, the surge protector takes this spike and pushes it away from the outlets and your computer.  Remember that even the best surge protectors will not protect against a direct lightning strike.  For ultimate protection, if you happen to be home, unplug the surge protector in the case of a threatening storm. Look for the following features:  If you regularly connect your computer to the internet, ensure the surge protector has a internet cable surge protector. Look for a surge protector that offers insurance to cover the loss of properly attached equipment.

Summary: Use a surge protector. Make sure you're buying a good surge protector.


Avoid being ambitious when writing out the itinerary. Remember, a group tends to move slower as you add more people to it. Begin sketching a basic outline for the group, leaving gaps of time between traveling sessions, activities, and between rest periods.  An easy way to create and share an itinerary is through Google Docs. Add the group members to the document and give them permission to edit it. A few phone applications are useful for creating and sharing itineraries. Try Travefy or Tripit. The first aspect to add to the itinerary is your arrival and departure. If you need to get tickets to travel, such as when flying, do it once the group agrees on the travel date. Use these dates as a beginning and end, filling in the middle part of the trip with activities.  Travel arrangements are often cheaper to make in advance. If you need to get plane tickets, for instance, get the tickets right away to ensure you lock in the price and number of seats your group needs. If you travel through a company, ask them about group discounts. Next, figure out where the group will stay. Large hotels are always an option, but look into alternatives. Utilize smaller hotels, resorts, villas, and rented homes to keep the group together. Make these arrangements in advance to reserve whatever accommodations the group needs. You can rent homes and condos through services such as Airbnb. Figure out how you will get to the hotel or wherever you decided on staying. You may need to come up with special arrangements, such as taking a taxi from the airport to the hotel. Note how much time it takes to get from place to place. Rent a car, buy bus tickets, or make any other arrangements you need to do in advance. Next, begin outlining the activities your group plans on undertaking. This includes sightseeing, tours, and shopping. Leave some buffer time between each activity. Book any activities that need to be arranged in advance.  Doing 1 big activity a day is a fair way to compromise. Being on the go all the time is difficult, especially when some group members want to relax. Avoid making the schedule too strict. A schedule that is too packed or rigid falls apart when something goes wrong. Call restaurants in advance so they can make arrangements for your group. It is difficult for a restaurant to accommodate a group of 8 people coming through the doors during the dinner rush. Lock in your reservations for the sake of enjoyment and security. You can use applications like Table8 and OpenTable to reserve spots at some restaurants.
Summary: Outline your trip itinerary on paper. Arrange your arrival and departure first. Book your living accommodations. Schedule any transportation you need. Write group activities into the itinerary. Make your restaurant reservations.