CBET - Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician

The Certified Biomedical Equipment Technician (CBET) certification validates the knowledge and skills of healthcare technology management professionals who work with computers, software, devices, and networks in healthcare settings. The Association for the Advancement of Medical Instrumentation (AAMI) offers the CBET exam.

Eligibility

To be eligible to take the CBET exam, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• Have an associates degree or higher in biomedical equipment technology and 2 years of full-time experience as a Biomedical Equipment Technician

• Complete a U.S. military biomedical equipment technology program and 2 years of full-time experience as a Biomedical Equipment Technician

• Have an associates degree or higher in electronics technology and 3 years of full-time experience as a Biomedical Equipment Technician

• 4 years of full-time experience as a Biomedical Equipment Technician

Applicants who don’t meet the above requirements can apply as a candidate and have 5 years to meet one of the above requirements. To apply as a candidate, applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• Have an associates degree or higher in biomedical equipment technology

• Complete a U.S. military biomedical equipment technology program

• Have an associates degree or higher in electronics technology and 1 year of full-time experience as a Biomedical Equipment Technician

• 2 years of full-time experience as a Biomedical Equipment Technician

Completion Time: Candidates have 3 hours to complete the CBET exam

Cost:

• AAMI Member: $350 ($100 non-refundable)

• Non-member: $400 ($100 non-refundable)

• Retest AAMI Member: $275 non-refundable

• Retest Non-member: $325 non-refundable

• International Exams: Additional $100

• Late Registration: Additional $50 non-refundable

• Rescheduling At Least 5 Days before exam date: $50

• Rescheduling Less than 5 Days before exam date: Forfeit all exam fees

Exam Format

The CBET exam has 165 questions, and applicants have 3 hours to complete it. The exam is pass or fail, and examinees must correctly answer a minimum of 116 questions to pass. AAMI emails preliminary results immediately after exam completion and mails final results 45 days after the exam window. Exam topics include:

• Anatomy and physiology (12%)

• Public safety in healthcare facilities (14%)

• Fundamentals of electronics and electricity (10%)

• Healthcare technology and function (25%)

• Healthcare technology problem-solving (25%)

• Healthcare information technology (14%)

Test Dates

The CBET exam is administered within 2 testing windows each year: May 1-15 and November 1-15. Applicants can take the exam once anytime within each15-day testing window.

Register for the Exam

Applicants receive an email from AAMI with login information and instructions for registering for the exam. Applicants must register 15 days before the exam window. Applicants must take the CBET through in-person computer-based testing at an approved testing center. Kryterion Global Testing Solutions administers the CBET at testing centers worldwide.

Application Process

• Go to the AAMI website

• Click “Apply for an Exam” under AAMI Credentials Institute (ACI)

• Create an account or log in

• Click “Next Step” under CBET Exam Registration

• Complete registration information

• Check “CBET”

• Complete education information, including diploma or unofficial transcript, and employment information, including phone number for Human Resources

• Sign and date under Applicant Acknowledgement 

• Click “Next”

• Input payment information

Applicants receive an email from AAMI with acceptance and scheduling information. If the application is incomplete, applicants have 30 days to respond and submit the required documents.

The CBET is valid for 3 years. Renewal applicants can renew by completing continuing education requirements.

• Go to the AAMI website

• Log in to AAMI account

• Document 30 CEUs in the Online CEU Journal

• Make the renewal payment under “My Orders” once reviewed and approved

Renewal Fees

• AAMI Member: $100 (non-refundable)

• Non-member: $150 (non-refundable)

• Additional fee for multiple certifications: $50 for AAMI members and $75 for non-members

• Applications submitted after December 31st must pay a reactivation fee: $100 for AAMI members and non-members

To be eligible for renewal, applicants must complete 30 Continuing Education Units (CEUs) in the following categories within the 3-year certification period.

• Category I: Earn an additional HTM-related certification (15 maximum CEUs)

• Category II: Leadership roles (15 maximum CEUs)

• Category III: Development of educational content (15 maximum CEUs)

• Category IV: Professional development (15 minimum CEUs, no maximum)

• Category V: College or university courses (15 maximum CEUs)

• Category VI: Work experience (15 maximum CEUs)

Applicants must enter all CEU documentation in a Continuing Practice Journal. For full information about accepted CEUs, refer to the ACI Exam Handbook.

• ACI Exam Handbook with a full list of references and resources

• ACI Certification Brochure

• AAMI Store hasstudy courses and study guides for purchase, including:

  • CBET Smart Practice, one-year access to 900-plus interactive multiple-choice questions and answers with detailed explanations available online. Cost: $195

  • CBET Study Course eLearning, a self-paced interactive course covering CBET exam content areas with a practice exam. Cost: $250

Other certifications offered by AAMI include:

• Certified Healthcare Technology Manager (CHTM)

• Certified Industrial Sterilization Specialist (CISS)

• Certified Associate in Biomedical Technology (CABT)

• Certified Radiology Equipment Specialist (CRES)

The AAMI partners with healthcare organizations to offer the Biomedical Equipment Technician (BMET) Apprenticeship.