Let’s be real. Radiologic technologists are busy. You’re juggling patient positioning, shielding, and radiation safety protocols while a lead apron digs into your shoulders for eight hours straight. Then, you realize your biennium is closing soon. You need your 24 credits. Most people just pull out their credit card and pay the $150 to $300 for a package deal from one of the big providers like ASRT or Eradiology. But what if you’re broke or just hate paying for stuff that feels like it should be part of professional development? You start searching for 24 ce credits radiology online free and usually end up on some sketchy website from 2004 that looks like it wants to steal your identity.
It’s actually possible to get these credits for zero dollars. No catch. Well, okay, the catch is your time. You’re trading money for the effort of hunting down individual credits across a dozen different vendors. It isn't always easy. Most freebies are "loss leaders." Companies give you one or two credits for free hoping you’ll buy the other twenty-two. To get to the full twenty-four, you have to be a bit of a scavenger.
Why the hunt for free credits is a pain in the neck
The ARRT (American Registry of Radiologic Technologists) doesn't care if you paid for your credits or found them in a digital dumpster. They just want Category A or A+ credits. That’s the gold standard. If you find a "free course" that doesn’t specify it’s Category A, don’t touch it. It’s a waste of your afternoon.
Most free options are webinars. Manufacturers like Siemens, GE HealthCare, and Canon Medical Systems are the biggest goldmines here. They want you to know how to use their machines. If you learn the latest CT dose reduction techniques on a GE scanner, you’re more likely to advocate for that equipment at your hospital. It’s marketing, basically. But it’s high-quality, peer-reviewed marketing that gives you real CEUs. Honestly, the quality of these free vendor courses is often better than the dry, text-only modules you pay for elsewhere.
You have to watch out for the expiration dates. Nothing hurts worse than finishing a 1.5-hour module on pediatric imaging only to realize the "Free Credit" window closed last Tuesday. Always check the approval date and the credit amount before you hit play.
Where to actually find 24 ce credits radiology online free
Let's break down the actual sources. You aren't going to find one single site that hands over 24 credits for free in one go. If a site promises that, they are likely lying or it's a trial period that requires a credit card you'll forget to cancel.
Vendor Portals
Siemens Healthineers has their "PEPconnect" platform. It’s massive. They offer hundreds of learning modules. Not all of them offer ARRT Category A credit, but a significant portion do if you filter for it. You can easily knock out 5-10 credits here over a weekend. Philips Learning Connection is another heavy hitter. They often provide "Free of the Month" courses. If you’re patient and check back every month over your two-year biennium, you can stockpile a lot of your requirements here.
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Journal-Based Credits
Some open-access medical journals offer "CME" which can sometimes be converted or used if they meet ARRT requirements. However, you have to be careful. The ARRT is picky about "CME" vs "CE." If it’s AMA PRA Category 1 Credit, it’s usually accepted for R.T.s, but check the latest ARRT handbook because they change the rules on "directed readings" occasionally.
The "Free Sample" Strategy
Sites like GageCE, eRADIMAGING, and CE Direct often offer a "Free Course" to new users. eRADIMAGING is famous for this. They usually have at least one or two credits available for free just for creating an account. If you hit five different major providers, you’ve got 10 credits right there. It’s a bit of a jigsaw puzzle. You end up with five different logins and five different certificates to download, but your bank account stays level.
The catch with webinars and live events
Sometimes "free" means "show up at a specific time." Many organizations host live webinars that are free to attend but cost money if you want to watch the recording later for credit. This is how they drive live engagement.
If you're serious about getting 24 ce credits radiology online free, you should sign up for the email newsletters of the big imaging companies. Yes, your inbox will get cluttered. But you’ll get invitations to live sessions on things like "Advancements in MRI Guided Biopsy" or "New Trends in Digital Radiography." These are almost always free and usually worth 1 or 2 credits each.
Pro tip: Use a dedicated "junk" email address for this. That way, your main inbox doesn't explode with sales pitches for million-dollar MRI machines you can't afford.
Avoiding the "Trial" trap
You’ll see ads for "Get 24 credits for free with our 7-day trial!" Be incredibly careful here. These companies know human psychology. They know you’ll sign up, do your 24 credits in a caffeine-fueled 48-hour binge, and then forget to cancel the $299 annual subscription.
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If you go this route, set a literal alarm on your phone for 24 hours before the trial ends. Or better yet, use a virtual credit card with a $1 limit. That way, when they try to ping your card for the full year's sub, it bounces. It’s a bit cutthroat, but so is charging $300 for a PDF and a 20-question quiz.
Managing your certificates without losing your mind
If you’re getting your credits from six different places, you have a record-keeping nightmare. The ARRT doesn't want to hear that you "lost the email" from a vendor that went out of business.
Every time you finish a free course:
- Download the PDF certificate immediately.
- Rename it something logical (e.g., 2025_CT_Safety_2_Credits.pdf).
- Upload it to a dedicated folder in Google Drive or Dropbox.
- Manually log it in your ARRT "My Learning" portal right then.
Don't wait. If you wait until the end of the biennium to find that one certificate from a random Siemens webinar you took 18 months ago, you’re going to end up just paying for credits out of desperation.
The limits of "Free"
Let's talk about the limitations. Free credits are often about very specific, niche topics. You might find a ton of credits on "Breast Ultrasound" but you’re a CT tech. Does it matter? Not for your general 24-credit requirement, usually. As long as it's Category A, it counts. However, if you have a CQR (Continuing Qualifications Requirements) prescription, you can't just take any old free credit. You have to take credits that match your specific "gap" areas.
Finding free credits that specifically target a CQR gap is like finding a needle in a haystack. In that case, you’re almost certainly going to have to pay. The "free" route is best for those just looking to hit their base 24 in a standard biennium.
Also, be aware of the "Repeat" rule. You cannot take the same course twice in the same biennium. If you found a great free course on Radiation Safety in 2024, you can't use it again in 2025 if it's the same course ID. The ARRT tracks this. They will claw back those credits and you’ll be left scrambling.
Steps to take right now
If you are at zero credits and your deadline is six months away, do this:
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First, go to eRADIMAGING and sign up. They almost always have a free introductory course. That’s an easy 1 or 2 credits.
Second, create a profile on the Siemens PEPconnect site. Filter for "ARRT Category A" and "Free." Spend an hour a week doing one module. If you do this, you’ll be done in about three months without spending a dime.
Third, check the "Applied Radiology" website. They often have sponsored clinical papers that offer CE credits for free. These are usually high-level and actually interesting to read.
Fourth, check with your employer. I know, we're talking about "online free," but many hospitals have a subscription to CE Direct or HealthStream that they pay for. It’s "free" to you. Most techs don't even realize they have access to a library of thousands of credits through their HR portal. Ask your lead tech or your manager. If the hospital is already paying for it, use it.
Fifth, keep an eye on the ASRT. While full membership isn't free, they occasionally release "public" health initiatives or modules for free to all technologists, especially during Radiologic Technology Week in November.
Getting your 24 ce credits radiology online free is a marathon, not a sprint. It requires a spreadsheet and a little bit of stubbornness. If you start early, you can keep your money and still stay compliant. If you wait until the last week of your birth month, just buy a package and consider it a "procrastination tax."
One last thing: stay away from "CE broker" sites that look like government entities. They aren't. They are middle-men. Go directly to the source—the manufacturers, the large accredited CE providers, or the professional societies. Verify everything against the ARRT’s recognized continuing education evaluation period (CEEP) standards. If you do that, you're golden.
Actionable Next Steps
- Audit your current status: Log into your ARRT account and see exactly how many Category A credits you still need.
- Check hospital access: Ask your department manager if the facility provides a HealthStream or CE Direct login.
- Register with Siemens PEPconnect: This is currently the most reliable source for high-volume free Category A credits.
- Create a "CE Credits" folder: Save every certificate as a PDF the second you finish a quiz.
- Set a calendar reminder: Check the Philips Learning Connection "Free Course of the Month" on the 1st of every month.