Contract Radiology Tech Onboarding Checklist for Imaging Managers

A good contract radiology tech onboarding checklist covers two things: proving the tech is qualified for your scanners, and getting them productive on day one. Verify credentials against the primary source, confirm state and accreditation rules for the modality, and have logins, protocols and a go-to staff tech ready before the first shift.

Most slow starts with contract techs come from small gaps, not from the tech. Here is a checklist imaging managers can use before, during and after week one.

Why onboarding matters more right now

Contract coverage is how many departments are holding schedules together. The ASRT's 2025 staffing and workplace survey put CT vacancies at 19.4% and MRI at 17.4%, and every imaging discipline was still above its 2020 vacancy level (ASRT). When a seat is that hard to fill, losing the first week of an assignment to missing badges and logins hurts.

Before day one: verify credentials

Do this before the start date is locked, not the morning the tech shows up.

ARRT certification and registration

The ARRT verification page calls its online directory the official source for checking someone's certification and registration status. A few details matter:

• ARRT no longer issues paper credential cards, so don't accept a card as proof.
• The directory updates once a day, and recent exam takers may not show up until their scores are final.
• If someone has asked to be left out of the directory, you can request a verification on ARRT letterhead instead.

Check the specific disciplines too. A tech registered in radiography only is not the same as a tech with CT or MRI credentials.

State license or permit

Many states license radiologic technologists, and some add rules for specific modalities. Michigan is a good example of how specific they get. Its CT operator rule requires the technologist to be registered with ARRT, CAMRT or NMTCB, and to document at least 20 hours of CT training and experience or hold the ARRT CT credential (Michigan rad safety guidance). Confirm the current rules with your state's radiation control or licensing office for every modality the tech will cover.

Accreditation requirements

If your scanners are ACR accredited, the contract tech has to meet the same technologist requirements as your staff. For CT, the ACR lists ARRT registration in radiography and/or CT, NMTCB registration, or an unrestricted state license, plus documented training in operating CT equipment and radiation physics and protection. The ACR also recommends technologists be certified and registered in the modality they perform (ACR accreditation support).

You don't submit those records with the application, but you keep them on file and show them on request. Put the contract tech's documentation in the same place as your staff files so a site survey doesn't turn into a scramble.

The rest of the file

Item	What to confirm
ARRT status	Active, in the right disciplines, checked online
State license	Current for your state and each modality covered
BLS (and ACLS if your contrast policy requires it)	Current card, expiration date
Health records	Immunizations, TB screening, any facility-specific requirements
Background and drug screen	Per your facility policy
Competency documentation	Modalities, vendors and exam types the tech has run recently
MR safety training	For MRI techs, recent MR safety training and which personnel level

Ask your staffing partner who verifies each item and when. You should get the documents before the start date, not after.

The week before: set them up to work

Credentials get a tech in the door. These items get them scanning.

1. PACS, RIS and EMR logins. Request them early. Access approvals are the most common day-one delay.
2. Badge and parking. Small, but a tech who can't get into the department is a tech who isn't scanning.
3. A short protocol sheet. One or two pages covering your most common exams, your contrast policy and your reaction kit location.
4. Scanner details. Vendor, model and software version. Send this before the assignment so the tech can tell you if anything is unfamiliar.
5. A go-to staff tech. One named person for the first few shifts. It saves everyone time.
6. The schedule in writing. Shift times, call expectations, and who to tell if something changes.

MRI: safety comes first

For MRI coverage, safety onboarding is not optional. The ACR's 2024 Manual on MR Safety calls for Level 1 and Level 2 personnel to complete annual training and for facilities to review safety policies at least once a year. Coverage of the manual also notes that no technologist should be working alone, including in emergency and off-hours situations (Applied Radiology).

For a contract MRI tech, that means:

• Walk through your zones, screening forms and implant policy on day one.
• Show them the quench button, emergency procedures and code process for your suite.
• Make sure your staffing plan doesn't leave them alone in the department, especially on nights and weekends.
• Confirm they know who your MR safety officer and MR medical director are.

Contract radiology tech onboarding checklist: day one and week one

• Start with a tour, then scan. A short walkthrough of the department, the crash cart, contrast supplies and the reading room, then get them on the schedule.
• Pair them for a few exams. The go-to tech watches a few studies, answers questions and confirms protocol habits match yours.
• Check in at the end of day one and day three. Ask what's slowing them down. Fix the easy things the same day.
• Give feedback early. If something isn't right in week one, say so. Most issues are small habits that change fast once someone points them out.

Common onboarding mistakes

• Starting credentialing after the start date is set.
• Accepting a credential card or a screenshot instead of checking the ARRT directory.
• Assuming a license in one state covers another.
• Forgetting accreditation files for contract staff.
• Leaving the tech to find logins, protocols and supplies on their own.

FAQ

How do I verify a radiologic technologist's ARRT credentials?

Use the online directory on the ARRT verify credentials page, which ARRT describes as the official source for certification and registration status. If the tech isn't listed, request a verification on ARRT letterhead.

Do contract techs need to meet ACR accreditation requirements?

Yes. Anyone performing exams on an accredited unit should meet the ACR technologist requirements for that modality, and you should keep their documentation on file for site surveys.

What should be ready before a contract tech's first shift?

Verified credentials, system logins, a badge, a short protocol sheet, scanner details and one staff tech assigned as their go-to person.

What MR safety training does a contract MRI tech need?

The ACR's 2024 Manual on MR Safety calls for annual training for Level 1 and Level 2 personnel. Confirm their training is current and walk them through your site's zones and emergency procedures on day one.

How long should onboarding take?

The paperwork should be done before the start date. With logins and a protocol sheet ready, most of the in-department orientation happens in the first shift or two.

Need coverage?

If you have a gap coming up in CT, MRI, X-ray or another modality, send us a staffing request. We'll ask the right questions up front and send techs who fit your department. If you're also building your own pipeline, our guide on how X-ray techs move into CT is a good one to share with your team.