Is the IPEM MRSE certificate of competence only for MR physicists?
No. There are no requirements for an individual to belong to any professional group.
Is the IPEM MRSE certificate of competence only for staff of a certain banding/grade?
No. While employers may choose to assign an MRSE role to staff of a particular band/grade, this is not a specific requirement for the IPEM MRSE certificate of competence.
Is the IPEM MRSE certificate of competence only for members of IPEM?
No. The IPEM MRSE certificate of competence is not limited to IPEM members.
Do I need to have HCPC registration as a Clinical Scientist to apply for the IPEM MRSE certificate of competence?
No. The IPEM MRSE certificate of competence is focused only on assessing whether an individual meets the knowledge and experience requirements of an MRSE. Professional registration is a separate issue. This approach is consistent with schemes administered by RPA2000 (Radiation Protection Advisor, Laser Protection Advisor, Radiation Waste Advisor, Medical Physics Expert). IPEM recommend that individuals who practice as MRSEs should adhere to professional requirements commensurate with the context in which they provide their MRSE advice.
Is there an equivalence route for those who have already been working as MRSEs?
No. This was considered by the working group designing the IPEM MRSE certificate of competency scheme, but a decision was made against having an equivalence route.
How much does it cost to apply?
The current cost to apply for the IPEM MRSE certificate of competence can be found on the IPEM MRSE Page. Please note, this does not include costs associated with sitting the International Board of Magnetic Resonance Safety (IBMRS) MRSE exam. IBMRS was formerly ABMRS. Please refer to IBMRS for further details on costs associated with sitting the IBMRS MRSE exam.
Why was the IBMRS MRSE exam chosen to assess the knowledge component?
This was based on feedback from IPEM members who had either been involved in setting IBMRS MRSE exam questions or who had sat the exam under exam conditions. Using the IBMRS exam was considered to be the most efficient way for IPEM to assess MRSE knowledge. All other options would have required significant additional and ongoing resources.
How will the IBMRS MRSE exam assess individuals against the MR safety framework in the UK?
The IBMRS international version does not include geographically specific questions. As it is based on fundamental principles and international standards, it is relevant to practice in the UK. Competence in UK-specific guidelines and standards is assessed through the portfolio.
Where can I find further information about the IBMRS MRSE exam?
As well as the general information on the IBMRS website. IBMRS have some FAQs of their own.
Do you have a template for my portfolio?
There is no specific template, however we would encourage you to put all evidence in one PDF document. A brief commentary for each piece of evidence can help provide context; however, authorship should be clearly demonstrated within the evidence itself. Your cross-reference table should make it clear to the assessors where each piece of evidence is within the portfolio. Please refer to the website for further details on portfolio requirements.
What's the minimum number of pieces of evidence in each sub-category?
It is possible to satisfy a sub-category with one strong piece of evidence. The assessors would prefer to see one substantive, detailed piece of evidence where your contributions are clear, rather than multiple pieces of evidence with limited contribution from you related to MRI safety.
Please not that category 2 has no sub-categories and requires a minimum of two strong pieces of evidence.
Can evidence cover multiple subcategories?
There are no restrictions on evidence covering multiple subcategories. However, we encourage you to only submit the relevant sections of evidence to each subcategory (with evidence of your authorship clear). This is so the assessors can identify if the piece of evidence satisfies the subcategory.
Where evidence does cover multiple subcategories, you should make it clear which parts of the evidence relate to each subcategory in the commentary of your portfolio.
Is there a process of dialogue/revisions if my initial submission does not meet the requirements?
The assessors will provide one round of feedback, giving you the opportunity for revisions. This feedback will clarify what changes are required. A resubmission at this stage will not incur an additional fee.
If you fail to resubmit within the specified time window (typically 1 month), you will need to submit a full, standard application; this would require a valid IBMRS/ABMRS certificate and the submission fee to be paid.
If your resubmitted portfolio still does not meet the requirements, a full, standard application would also be required.
I disagree with the decision of the assessors. Can I appeal?
For the policy on appeals please refer to the IPEM Website.
The IPEM MRSE certificate expires after 5 years. What is the renewal process?
Applicants will receive reminders 18 and 12 months before the expiry of their certificate.
The renewal will be in the form of an abbreviated portfolio, with no additional knowledge exams required. As with your initial submission you do not currently need to be appointed as an MRSE.
The deadline for renewals is 3 months before the certificate expiry date, with renewal submission window between 6 and 3 months before expiry.
For further details please refer to the full guidance on renewals.
I am unable to meet my renewal deadline due to extenuating circumstances, what should I do?
If you have some extenuating circumstances which may make you unable to meet the deadline, we encourage you to inform us at the earliest possible opportunity.
Extenuating circumstances will be considered on a case-by-case basis. Consideration will be made to extending your certification so you can submit a renewal at a later date.
If my renewal portfolio doesn’t meet the standards and I need to submit a full, standard application, do I need to resit the IBMRS exam?
For any full application a currently valid IBMRS/ABMRS certificate is required. If your certificate has not expired, you do not need to resit the exam.
How can I contact the IPEM MRSE scheme?
For any enquiry, please email profdev@ipem.ac.uk.