ABRET changes the Eligibility Requirement for All Exams?

ABRET has announced a major change in the eligibility requirement for exams like CNIM, Long Term Monitoring, EEG and EP technologists.  These news changes will be effective for some exams from Jan 2009 and for others from 2012. The change will apply to all the exams conducted by ABRET.  

The new requirements for CNIM exam is the candidate should undergo prior EEG credentialing???

There are two major requirements, of which the second one is already known to the folks in this area, but the first requirement:

1.An electroneurodiagnostic credential; R. EEG T. or R. EP T. or Canadian equivalent. A copy of current registration must accompany the Application.

For someone with a graduate degree or PhD or MD, if they wanted to be neuromonitoring specialist, they must undergo EEG or EP credentialing through ABRET?, does this makes any sense to those advanced degree holders?. It simply sounds to be ridiculous that ABRET is bent on making such changes as this would drive the PhDs and other advanced degree holders, there are already lots of shortage in neuromonitoring, it is difficult for companies to hire graduates with specialization in neurophysiology or neuroscience, with this new requirements, it is going to get worst to find someone with a credentialing in EEG or EP. 

As of January 1, 2010 the following eligibility requirements will be in effect for the CNIM Examination

The Certification Examination in Neurophysiologic Intraoperative Monitoring is designed and written for the advanced level electroneurodiagnostic professional who is currently practicing in an intraoperative environment.

All candidates must meet the following requirements by the application deadline. There are no alternative routes.

1. An electroneurodiagnostic credential; R. EEG T. or R. EP T. or Canadian equivalent. A copy of current registration must accompany the Application.