For those of you looking to become certified PACS professionals, the best option out there is the Certified Imaging Informatics Professional (CIIP) designation. The American Board of Imaging Informatics (ABII) is a collaboration between two well known organizations. The American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) and the Society of Imaging Informatics in Medicine (SIIM). Current radiologic technologists are familiar with ARRT as the most prevalent certifying board for medical imaging technologists. SIIM is currently the most active organization at the forefront of medical imaging informatics. The prestige of the ARRT and SIIM organizations legitimize the CIIP designation as the preferred choice for hiring managers across the industry.
The American Board of Imaging Informatics (ABII) offers a 160 question exam for those who are qualified. Your experience, education and certifications will determine if you are eligible to take the exam. The ABII provides a point system to determine eligibility.
Generally speaking, the content of the exam is comprised of healthcare, IT and administrative questions. In March of 2020, the ABII updated the specific topics that will be covered on the exam. There will be:
- 6 questions on Procurement
- 7 questions on Project Management
- 13 questions on Operations
- 10 questions on Communications
- 6 questions on Training and Education
- 24 questions on Image Management
- 18 questions on Information Technology
- 15 questions on Systems Management
- 14 questions on Clinical Engineering
- 17 questions on Medical Imaging Informatics
The ABII also details specific sub-topics that will be tested from each of the topics above. The sub-topics can be found below:
The test content outline can be found on this external link to the ABII website.
PACS Boot Camp will release free course modules on each of these topics over time. However, if you cannot wait, PACS Boot Camp also provides a Premium course. The PACS Boot Camp Premium IIP Study Guide is based on the ABII Test Content Outline. The guide builds upon the March 2020 ABII Outline by providing additional context to each sub-topic. Individual topics from the content outline will be summarized into short and concise descriptions. The course is available here:
Available for Purchase Now
In addition to the study guide, individuals should delve deeper into the respective subjects described on the Practical Imaging Informatics book. As this book is endorsed by SIIM, it is a highly recommended read. The latest edition of the book was released in 2021 and available on Amazon.
For a cheaper option, the older 2009 edition is also available on Amazon. Though the contents may be slightly outdated, the main test content outline is still covered on this first edition.
Additional reading recommendations can be found here.
By reviewing the content outline, the prospective test taker should have a better knowledge of what to expect from the ABII board exam. Best of luck!
Resources
ABII test content outline from The American Board of Imaging Informatics website.
https://www.abii.org/Test-Content-Outlines.aspx