Components of Training

Core Training
For each year of training, a prospective proposal must be submitted to the JSAC at the commencement of the year and a Supervisor's Report will be submitted at the end of the year. These documents must be completed before any training can be officially accredited.

While a degree of specialisation of training is inevitable, it is expected that the breadth of nuclear medicine will be covered during the training program. This must include exposure to all aspects of diagnostic adult nuclear medicine including SPECT and cardiac nuclear medicine as well as therapeutic nuclear medicine.

Trainees shall spend a period equivalent to one month in a department of paediatric nuclear medicine during the two-year-training program. This is preferably spent as a continuous block but shorter periods of at least one day are acceptable. Trainees in departments that have a paediatric nuclear medicine case load of more than 25 studies per month are exempted from this requirement, although exposure to this caseload is necessary for both years of training.

During the training program, trainees are expected to gain experience in more than one adult nuclear medicine department/institution. In general, this will require one year in each of the two institutions. Periods shorter than this will only be considered under exceptional circumstances.

Trainees are encouraged to spend part of their advanced training in an overseas institution. However, they are advised to consider this option after having completed at least one core year of their advanced training in Australia. There are a number of institutions with which members have close ties and at which it is possible for fellowships and residencies to be arranged.

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Procedural Skills
Trainees are expected to gain proficiency in cardiac stress testing. Proficiency in cardiopulmonary resuscitation and the management of conditions that may arise during cardiac stress testing are required.
Elective Training

For those undertaking advanced training in nuclear medicine following completion of the FRACP Examination, one of the three years of advanced training may be undertaken in an associated medical specialty. Alternatively, this may be undertaken in further clinical nuclear medicine training. Elective training in research is strongly encouraged.

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Projects or Case Reports
During advanced training, trainees are required to take part in the Continuous Assessment Program (CAP). This consists of a series of written questions that are sent to the trainee for completion and, following marking, are returned to the trainee. The results of the CAP are made available to the JSAC at the time of its October/November meeting and will be used if necessary to recommend complementary training.

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Other Specific Requirements
The Australian and New Zealand Association of Physicians in Nuclear Medicine conducts a course each year on the theoretical and practical aspects of basic sciences in nuclear medicine. This course covers the content of the basic sciences module of the syllabus for advanced training in nuclear medicine. Following the course, an assessment of the trainee's understanding of the material in this part of the syllabus is held. Satisfactory completion of the assessment and the practical component of the course is required by the JSAC to indicate completion of training in the basic sciences.

Attendance at an equivalent course is acceptable as long as the course is approved by the JSAC. Regardless of the course attended, all trainees are required to complete the basic sciences assessment module.

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Research
Trainees are expected to participate in a research project during their advanced training. By the end of training, trainees must submit published evidence of their research involvement to the JSAC before 15 September of the year of training. This may consist of an abstract of work presented at a national or international scientific meeting, a published case report , an original article published in a peer-reviewed journal.

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Training Posts
Advanced training in nuclear medicine in Australia can only be undertaken in departments which will:

• provide appropriate supervision for advanced training;
  
• have sufficient work load of patient studies and treatment for advanced training;
  
• provide suitable infrastructure for advanced training;
  
• provide access to the necessary scientific staff and equipment to permit advanced training;
  
• enable registrars to receive formal training in nuclear medicine science during advanced training;
  
• have suitable research facilities for advanced training.

A list of acceptable training sites will be available from the CAT.

Training in departments outside Australia can be undertaken if an application is submitted prospectively and the JSAC is satisfied that the facilities for training are equivalent to those required in Australian departments.

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