The Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) credential sets the standard for professional competence in the cancer registry field. It is nationally recognized in the recruitment and retention of registry personnel.

AHIMA and the National Cancer Association Registrar Association (NCRA) collaborated to create online learning to enhance opportunities for burgeoning cancer registrars, and to help students become eligible to sit for NCRA's Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) certification exam.

The 2024 ODS exam is composed of one-hundred eighty (180), multiple-choice test items, based on four domains of practice noted below. Test questions are prepared by Subject Matter Experts (SME) in the cancer registry profession from diverse backgrounds and job descriptions.

Candidates must meet education and experience requirements to be eligible to take the ODS exam. The routes (A1, A2, and B) are detailed below and outlined in the ODS Exam Eligibility Chart. Education: Successful completion of an NCRA-Accredited Associate Degree Program.

Navy Officer Development School (ODS), one of five officer training schools located at Naval Station Newport, Rhode Island, is a rigorous five-week course designed to prepare commissioned...

NCRA offers candidates several online educational tools to prepare for the ODS Exam, including an online practice test (currently being updated for the 2025 exam) and the Online ODS Prep Archived Workshop sessions.

Cancer Registry Program Highlights. UC’s Cancer Registry Certificate (CRM) is one of very few NCRA® accredited programs offered 100% online. UC’s CRM program prepares students for the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) exam (formerly known as CTR)*.

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:

NCRA’s Mentoring Program is designed to assist students seeking to earn the Oncology Data Specialist (ODS) credential and current ODS holders planning to advance their careers. NCRA’s Mentoring Committee seeks to match mentors with the most appropriate mentee based on shared backgrounds, interests, and career goals.

ODS makes accurate and up-to-date scientific information about dietary supplements available to researchers, health care providers, and the public through fact sheets, brochures, and newsletters.