Residency training for diagnostic imaging physicists should be expanded to include nuclear medicine physics

Abstract

The American Board of Radiology offers certification in three specialties of medical physics: Therapeutic Medical Physics, Diagnostic Medical Physics, and Nuclear Medical Physics. Of these specialties, medical nuclear physics has the fewest active diplomates, only a few hundred. The diagnostic medical physics specialty certification incudes a variety of modalities (ultrasound, radiography, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging) yet does not address nuclear medicine imaging or therapy. This separation dates to the beginning of the ABR certification process for medical physicists in 1947; originally there were three certificates available: X-ray and Radium Physics, Medical Nuclear Physics and, as combination of these two, Radiological Physics. Over the span of 75 years since the Medical Nuclear Physics certification was created, much has changed in the scope and proliferation of the nuclear medicine endeavor and the question arises as to the need for change in the preparation process for medical physicists in the field. I offer thanks to our contributors and note that they are writing in the classic style of a debate, the opinions that they argue may or may not reflect their personal views.