title: Nuclear medicine technologist education and training in Europe: literature and web-based findings.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The education and training of a nuclear medicine technologist (NMT) is not homogeneous among European countries, which leads to different scope of practices and, therefore, different technical skills are assigned. The goal of this research was to characterize the education and training of NMT in Europe.
  
  
  METHODS
  This study was based on a literature research to characterize the education and training of NMT and support the historical evolution of this profession. It was divided into two different phases: the first phase included analysis of scientific articles and the second phase included research of curricula that allow health professionals to work as NMT in Europe.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The majority of the countries [N=31 (89%)] offer the NMT curriculum integrated into the high education system and only in four (11%) countries the education is provided by professional schools. The duration in each education system is not equal, varying in professional schools (2-3 years) and high education level system (2-4 years), which means that different European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, such as 240, 230, 222, 210 or 180 European Credit Transfer and Accumulation System, are attributed to the graduates. The professional title and scope of the practice of NMT are different in different countries in Europe. In most countries of Europe, nuclear medicine training is not specific and curriculum does not demonstrate the Nuclear Medicine competencies performed in clinical practice.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The heterogeneity in education and training for NMT is an issue prevalent among European countries. For NMT professional development, there is a huge need to formalize and unify educational and training programmes in Europe.
authors.affiliation: aDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS TRUST, Brighton bPET Centre, St James's University Hospital, Alliance Medical Limited, Leeds, UK cDepartment of Nuclear Medicine, Lisbon School of Health Technology, Polytechnic Institute of Lisbon, Lisbon, Portugal.
authors.forename: Ana C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Matos
authors.forename: Raquel C
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Massa
authors.forename: Filipa M
authors.initials: FM
authors.lastname: Lucena
authors.forename: Tânia R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: Vaz
mesh_terms: D004501:Education, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005060:Europe; D020407:Internet; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000193:education*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires