U.S. Office of Personnel Mgt.

United States Office of Personnel Management

Operating Manual

Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions

Individual Occupational Requirements for

GS-647:    Diagnostic Radiologic Technologist Series


The text below is extracted verbatim from Section IV-B of the Operating Manual for Qualification Standards for General Schedule Positions (p.IV-B-105), but contains minor edits to conform to web-page requirements.

Use these individual occupational requirements in conjunction with the "Group Coverage Qualification Standard for Technical and Medical Support Positions."

NOTE: Public Law 97-35 requires that persons who administer radiologic procedures meet the credentialing standards in 42 CFR Part 75. Essentially, they must (l) have successfully completed an educational program that meets or exceeds the standards described in that regulation, and is accredited by an organization recognized by the Department of Education, and (2) be certified as radiographers in their field. The following meet these requirements:

(l) Persons employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel prior to the effective date of the regulation (January 13, 1986) who show evidence of current or fully satisfactory performance or certification of such from a licensed practitioner such as a doctor of medicine, osteopathy, dentistry, podiatry, or chiropractic who prescribes radiologic procedures to others.
(2) Persons first employed by the Federal Government as radiologic personnel after the effective date of the regulation who (a) received training from institutions in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not accredit training in that particular field at the time of graduation, or (b) practiced in a State or foreign jurisdiction that did not license that particular field or did not allow special eligibility to take a licensure examination for those who did not graduate from an accredited educational program, provided that such persons show evidence of training, experience, and competence as determined by OPM or the employing agency.

All applicants, however, must meet the requirements below.

Specialized Experience (for positions at GS-4 and above): Experience in the operation of diagnostic radiology equipment under the direction of radiologists or other medical officers to produce radiographic studies used in medical diagnosis and treatment.

OR

Education and Training: Qualifying educational programs for radiography and radiation therapy technology are available in accredited colleges, universities, hospitals, medical schools, or postsecondary technical or vocational schools. Education or training from programs based in hospitals must have been from those hospitals that were accredited at the time of the education or training by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Hospitals or by the American Osteopathic Association.
For GS-3: Successful completion of (a) l year of study with at least 6 semester hours in any combination of the following: anatomy, biology, mathematics, chemistry, radiation physics, physiology, pathology, medical terminology, or related courses, or (b) a course for medical technicians, hospital corpsmen, medical service specialists, or hospital training obtained in a training program given by the Armed Forces or the U.S. Maritime Service under close medical and professional supervision.
For GS-4: Successful completion of a full-time training course of at least 12 months' duration in a post-high school radiography program.
For GS-5: Successful completion of a full-time training course of at least 24 months' duration in a post-high school radiography program.

Successful completion of a course for medical radiologic technicians in the Armed Forces is qualifying on a month-for-month basis up to the l year of specialized experience required for GS-5.

Page created 22 March 1999