title: An international survey of MRI qualification and certification frameworks with an emphasis on identifying elements of good practice.
abstract: The purpose of the study was to survey MRI qualification and certification frameworks in the major English-speaking countries (Australia, New Zealand, US, Canada, UK, Ireland) with the aim of identifying elements of good practice. The intention is to incorporate these elements in a national framework that could be used in supporting an MRI specialist register. The study was conducted using document analysis of MRI qualification and certification documents from these states with data triangulated through a web-based questionnaire amongst an expert group of MRI radiographers (n = 59) from the same states. Based on the results of the study, recommendations have been put forward for those countries that are in the process of developing such frameworks. The main recommendations include that a professional or regulatory body externally accredits MRI programmes and that learning outcomes be based on an MRI competence profile that addresses current and forecasted needs of the particular country. The MRI competence profile should encompass a novice-to expert continuum and be referenced directly to a national qualification framework. Ideally each level of expertise should be assessed and evidenced by a portfolio of CPD activities, including clinical and management case studies appropriate to that level.
authors.affiliation: Mater Dei Hospital and Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Malta. Electronic address: joseph.castillo@gov.mt.
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Castillo
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics, Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Malta, Malta. Electronic address: carmel.j.caruana@um.edu.mt.
authors.forename: C J
authors.initials: CJ
authors.lastname: Caruana
authors.affiliation: Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, Nottingham University Hospitals, Nottingham, NG7 2UH, UK. Electronic address: paul.morgan@nottingham.ac.uk.
authors.forename: P S
authors.initials: PS
authors.lastname: Morgan
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education, Anglia Ruskin University, Cambridge, UK. Electronic address: Catherine.westbrook@anglia.ac.uk.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Westbrook
authors.affiliation: Medical Imaging Department, Mater Dei Hospital, Malta. Electronic address: Adrian.Mizzi@gov.mt.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Mizzi
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D002170:Canada; D002568:Certification; D002983:Clinical Competence / Q000592:standards*; D006801:Humans; D007494:Ireland; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000592:standards*; D009520:New Zealand; D011871:Radiology / Q000193:education*; D013044:Specialty Boards; D006113:United Kingdom; D014481:United States
keywords: Certification; Competences; Education; Magnetic resonance imaging; Qualification