NCRA Practicum FAQs
A practicum is the final step for all NCRA Accredited Formal Education Programs. It provides students in-person experiences and/or online activities in the technical aspects of cancer registry operations and cancer surveillance methods to complement their coursework. Read the NCRA Practicum Guide.
Below you will find frequently asked questions with answers regarding the online practicum. If you have additional questions, contact Practicum@ncra-usa.org.
Special Note: NCRA has changed the name of its credential. Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) is the new name for the Certified Tumor Registrar (CTR) credential. Please note that any reference to the CTR credential should be understood to be the ODS credential. For more information regarding the name change see the ODS Name Change.
Has NCRA updated its practicum requirements?
Yes. The NCRA Accredited Formal Education Program has updated its practicum requirements. Starting in 2022, the practicum is based on five core competencies derived from the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) exam’s domains of practice. Practicum activities focus on developing skills in the following knowledge areas:
- Casefinding
- Abstracting, Coding, and Staging
- Analysis and Data Usage
- Registry Organization, Follow-Up, and Data Quality Assurance
- Cancer Program Accreditation
IMPORTANT: All students are required to pass the online assessment for each of the five competencies to complete the practicum. (There are six total assessments because Core Competency 2: Abstracting, Coding, and Staging has two assessments – closed and open book.) This is a new requirement and was added to ensure students have mastered the critical skills needed to become a cancer registrar.
Why was the practicum revised?
NCRA assigned a working group of cancer registry professionals, including former NCRA Accredited Formal Education Program Directors, to evaluate the practicum requirement of its formal education programs. The goal was to review the current content of the practicum to address the evolution of the cancer registry profession and the technological advancements impacting education and training. In addition, the working group was charged with addressing the significant challenges programs have in finding facilities where students can complete in-person practicums.
Are there different options to complete the practicum activities?
Yes, there are three ways to complete the practicum activities: in-person, virtual, or hybrid. NCRA believes an in-person practicum is the most valuable way for a student to gain critical experience and encourages accredited programs to continue to place students in facilities when possible. Programs can require an in-person practicum or adopt the virtual option. They may also integrate online activities with an in-person practicum to create a hybrid option. The choice is up to individual accredited programs, but all students must pass the five online assessments through NCRA’s Center for Cancer Registry Education to complete the practicum.
Students enrolled in an NCRA program through a state-accredited college or university system receive support for the practicum as part of the institution’s program. These accredited programs determine the type of practicum (in-person, virtual, and/or hybrid) requirements based on NCRA’s guidance. For example, even though online practicum activities are available, a program may want to continue in-person practicums only. Students are required to follow the practicum protocols and guidance set forth by their institution.
Students enrolled in the self-directed NCRA-American Health Information Management Association (AHIMA) Cancer Registry Management certificate program can choose from any of the three options. These students are solely responsible for managing their practicum, including completing all the practicum activities and passing the five assessments. If they choose the in-person or hybrid option, they are responsible for finding the site. AHIMA students can reach out to NCRA’s Independent Advisor Program to help find advisors, but NCRA cannot guarantee an advisor will be assigned. AHIMA students should access the NCRA-AHIMA Practicum Guidance available on the AHIMA website.
How many hours are in the revised practicum?
The updated practicum is not based on a model that measures competency through hours spent on a task. The revised practicum is based on a model that measures competency through assessments.
When can I start the practicum?
Prerequisites and cancer registry management courses provide the theoretical foundation needed to understand the general concepts and principles of a cancer registry. Therefore, students do not begin the practicum until they have completed all the courses in an NCRA Accredited Formal Education Program.
How do I access the online practicum activities and assessments?
The online practicum activities and assessments are available on NCRA’s Center for Cancer Registry Education (CCRE); the link to the practicum portal is not public. Students enrolled in an NCRA program through a state-accredited college or university system will have access to the online activities and assessments through their program director. Students in the self-directed NCRA-AHIMA program are provided details on how to access the practicum activities and assessments in the NCRA-AHIMA Cancer Registry Management Certificate Program Practicum FAQs available through the AHIMA website.
Can you provide more information on the online practicum activities and assessments?
The online practicum activities are a combination of assignments created by NCRA and others available through the National Cancer Institute’s SEER*Educate. NCRA worked with cancer registry management subject matter experts to develop the practicum activities and assessments that are available on NCRA’s Center for Cancer Registry Education. NCI’s SEER*Educate is a comprehensive training platform tailored specifically for cancer registry professionals. Students will need to register on NCRA’s Center for Cancer Registry Education and NCI’s SEER*Educate.
Is there a charge to complete practicum activities and assessments?
Students are not charged to complete in-person or online practicum activities. The assessments are complimentary as well.
Who supervises my practicum?
Students enrolled in an NCRA program through a state-accredited college or university system are required to have their in-person and/or online practicum activities supervised by a ODS-credentialed advisor. AHIMA students can reach out to NCRA’s Independent Advisor Program to help find advisors, but NCRA cannot guarantee an advisor will be assigned.
Can I complete some of the practicum activities in a cancer registry and some virtually?
Yes, a hybrid option is available. Your NCRA Formal Education Program may allow this option. Check your program’s practicum requirements.
I am ready to take a core competency assessment. How does NCRA know I completed all the practicum activities?
Students enrolled in an NCRA program through a state-accredited college or university system are required to provide documentation of completion of practicum activities (five Practicum Activities Completion Certificates) to their program director. Program directors will then provide each student an enrollment code to access the assessments.
Students enrolled in the self-directed NCRA-AHIMA program will provide documentation of completion of practicum activities (five Practicum Activities Completion Certificates) as outlined in the NCRA-AHIMA Cancer Registry Management Certificate Program Practicum FAQs located on the AHIMA website. Once NCRA has confirmed completion of activities, NCRA will then provide each student an enrollment code to access the assessments.
ALL students will acknowledge they have read and understand NCRA’s Academic Honesty and Integrity Policy on the Center for Cancer Registry Education.
NCRA will conduct random audits to ensure students completed activities before taking assessments.
What if I do not pass a core competency assessment?
Students have two attempts to pass each assessment with a 70% or higher score. The enrollment period for each assessment is five days from the date the assessment is opened. Do not open an assessment until you are ready to start and complete within the five-day period. If you do not complete an assessment during the five-day period, it will expire, and you will have to wait ten days before you can re-enroll. If you do not pass an assessment after two attempts, you will need to request an additional enrollment code for that assessment. You must wait ten days before retaking the assessment.
Students enrolled in an NCRA program through a state-accredited college or university system will request the original enrollment code and any additional codes from their program director. Students enrolled in the self-directed NCRA-AHIMA program will request the original enrollment code and any additional codes via the process outlined NCRA-AHIMA Cancer Registry Management Certificate Program Practicum FAQs located on the AHIMA website.
Do I submit my core competency assessment certificates to my program?
The six Core Competency Assessment Certificates serve as formal documentation that the student has successfully completed the practicum and is eligible to receive academic credit for the degree/certificate program. NCRA Accredited Formal Education Programs require these certificates be submitted to program directors.
What do I do with my core competency assessment certificates?
All students should download the six Core Competency Assessment Certificates and file in a safe location. NCRA’s Council on Certification will require the Core Competency Assessment Certificates be included with the application to take the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) exam.
I have more questions about the practicum?
Please email questions to practicum@ncra-usa.org.