CBET

The CBET exam is a three-hour, closed-book exam consisting of 165 multiple choice questions. That works out to roughly 65 seconds per item, so most candidates move quickly through recall items and bank the extra time for calculation and troubleshooting scenarios.

Candidates may bring a simple calculator. Cell phones, iPads, or any other electronic devices with internet capability or cameras are not allowed in the testing room. Plan to leave smart devices and smartwatches behind rather than risk having them confiscated or your session invalidated.

Scoring is criterion-referenced: you are measured against a predetermined cut score, not against other candidates. The ACI Board and its committees set that standard by judging each item's difficulty against entry-level expectations, using the modified Angoff method. No numeric passing score is published, so aim for broad competence rather than a target percentage.

Full status requires one of three routes: an associate degree or higher in an electronics, technology, or science program plus two years of full-time BMET experience; completion of a U.S. military biomedical equipment technology program plus two years of full-time BMET experience; or four years of full-time BMET work experience.

You can apply through candidate status. Candidates must meet one of the reduced minimums by the application deadline: an associate degree or higher in electronics, technology, or science; completion of a U.S. military biomedical equipment technology program; or two years of full-time BMET work experience. Successful candidates get five years to meet full requirements and be awarded certification.

Start with healthcare technology and function and healthcare technology problem solving, which are about 30% each, then healthcare information technology at about 17%. Safety is about 10%, anatomy and physiology about 7%, and electricity and electronics about 6%. Front-loading the two largest domains gives you the best return on study hours.

AAMI does not publish score diagnostics, but the weighting points to predictable gaps: treating healthcare IT as an afterthought despite its roughly 17% share, and skipping physiology because it feels unrelated to repair work. Also practice distinguishing device errors from use errors, and diagnosing whether a fault is one monitor or a system-wide network problem.

AAMI's CBET page does not state a retake policy, waiting period, or attempt limit, so confirm current rules directly with AAMI before you register. Do not rely on secondhand accounts of retake windows, since certification program policies are revised periodically.

The published CBET program information does not list an exam fee, and pricing may differ for AAMI members versus non-members. Check AAMI's certification pages or contact AAMI directly for current application and exam fees, plus any charges for rescheduling or testing-center delivery.

The CBET page does not state a validity period or renewal cycle. AAMI maintains separate resources for maintaining ACI certification and for ACI continuing education and pre-approved programs, so review those pages for the current renewal requirements and accepted continuing education credit before your cycle ends.