EEG Tech Certification

Electroencephalograph (EEG) technicians operate instrumentation that monitors and records electrical activity from the spine, brain and other areas of the nervous system. The data they collect is interpreted by physicians to diagnose neurological and sleep disorders. EEG tech certification provides professional growth and reinforces competency, but it's not required for employment. The American Board of Registration of Encephalographic and Evoked Potential Technologists (ABRET) administers a series of examinations for certification; successful completion results in certification that's valid for five years.

Examination Eligibility Requirements

• To take the examinations, eligibility requirements must be met. Prospects must either be students or graduates of a program accredited by the Commission of Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP), have an associate's degree and one year of experience, or have three years of experience as an EEG tech. In addition, candidates must have current CPR certification.

Examination Content

• EEG tech certification consists of written and oral/practical exams. The written exam must be passed before the oral/practice exam can be taken. The examinations cover four topics (with a large variety of subtopics): pre-study procedures, performing the EEG study, post-study procedures, and ethics and professional issues. The oral/practical exam is a one-hour question/answer session administered by two examiners and a section director.

Examination Fee and Administration Sites

• The written exam costs $320 and the oral/practical is $325. The exams are administered throughout the U.S. and Canada. Refer to the ABRET website for details.

Re-certification

• To retain certification, by the end of the fifth year, EEG professionals have two options: obtain 30 hours of continuing education and submit $75 or retake the written examination.