NMTCB REPORT

Kathleen Murphy

The NMTCB is looking forward to a year that promises to be full of new beginnings and challenges. The first administration of the PET examination will take place this year, and we will be announcing the details of our new ethics and continuing education policies which will go into effect in 2005. The Board of Directors will be meeting in mid-March and will make decisions on the details associated with all of these projects. We will post updates on our web site (www.nmtcb.org) as soon as possible.

Kathy Thomas, CNMT, FSNMTS, the chair-elect of the NMTCB and the chair of the PET Exam Subcommittee, has been instrumental in the development of the new PET exam. The committee is in the final stages of the exam development process, and will have the final product ready for administration in 2004. The first exams will only be offered to certified or registered nuclear medicine technologists. In 2005, the PET exams will also be available to registered radiographers and radiation therapists who have met specific prerequisites. The specific eligibility requirements and the Content Outline for the PET exam will be announced after the spring Board meeting. I would like to thank Kathy Thomas and the members of the PET Exam Subcommittee for the time and effort that they have put into the development of this exam. The creation of a high quality credentialing examination is a daunting task, and the committee members have worked diligently to produce a comprehensive exam.

Danny Basso, CNMT, NCT, chair of the Specialty Exam Committee, has recently published a report on the third administration of the Nuclear Cardiology Specialty Exam. This was the first time that the exam was offered simultaneously across the country at computerized testing sites. A total of 181 examinees sat for the exam on September 13. The following table summarizes the data from all 3 administrations of the Nuclear Cardiology Specialty Exam:

The Nuclear Cardiology Specialty Exam Subcommittee reviews and updates the exams and the Content Outline on a regular basis. A survey of the examinees who passed the 2003 exam was conducted, and the results are being assessed as part of the process of continuously improving the exams. The detailed report on the third exam and the survey results can be found on the NMTCB web site. We are also working with a computer testing company, LaserGrade, to improve the conditions at a small number of sites. The fourth administration of the Nuclear Cardiology Specialty Exam will take place on August 14, 2004.

I have received many requests for recommendations of reference materials to assist candidates as they prepare for this exam. Members of the Board of Directors are not allowed to make recommendations for study materials related to any of the exams we offer because it would be a conflict of interest. The Content Outline should be used to guide prospective examinees as they prepare for the test. Check the NMTCB web site (www.nmtcb.org) for the most recent version by clicking on the “Specialty Exams” tab of the Main Menu, then the “Cardiology Exam” link. The outline can then be found by clicking on the hyperlink, “exam content specifications” in the Exam Content section of that page. The NMTCB has requested that the SNMTS Nuclear Cardiology Committee provide a bibliography that will provide guidance and assistance to prospective NCTs who are trying to locate quality references and educational resources as they prepare to sit for the nuclear cardiology exam.

The NMTCB is always in need of item writers for each of our exams. If you are interested in writing questions for the entry-level, nuclear cardiology, or PET exams please contact the office at 404-315-1739 or board{at}nmtcb.org, and we will send you an item writer’s packet. The NMTCB is also in need of hard-working, dedicated technologists to serve on the Board of Directors. Watch for a “Call for Directors” in the June issue of the JNMT. You can also visit the NMTCB booth at the 51^st Annual Meeting of the SNM in Philadelphia in June. Representatives will be available to answer questions and provide information. I am always available to answer your questions regarding our new initiatives. You can reach me at kmurphy{at}gwcc.commnet.edu.