NMTCB REPORT

Lynnette A. Fulk, CNMT, FSNMTS, CHAIR

The year 2006 could get quite hectic for the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB). In June, after much discussion, the NMTCB is moving to a new address. As our membership has increased, the number of specialty exams offered has increased, and that, along with continuing education policy implementation, has exhausted the resources of our present office. Our new office will be able to accommodate the expanding needs of our membership. As we move into the new office, we will update our computer hardware and software, allowing member information to be stored and accessed more efficiently. As we were discussing the need for more space, the Board of Directors decided to consider office space large enough to accommodate the item (exam question) writers’ weekends and to look into the possibility of creating an area in the office that would function as a testing site for both our entry level exam and for other professional groups’ tests as well. The office will include a new library and an updated boardroom so that the Board can function more efficiently with immediate access to all office resources.

During its fall meeting the Board will be reviewing the applications of candidates for membership on the Board. After that meeting the Board will bid farewell to 2 of our valued and experienced directors. We would like to say thank you to Jennifer Prekeges, CNMT, and Harish Vaidya, CNMT, NCT, for their valued contributions to the NMTCB Board while completing 2 terms (8 years). Harish has served as the treasurer and chair of the Long Term Planning Committee. Jennifer has served not only her 2 terms but, when asked, she agreed to stay on the Board an additional year to complete the term of another director. Jennifer has served as the Board secretary, chair of the Task Analysis Committee and chair of the Bylaws Committee. We wish them both success and happiness in their future endeavors. In the next issue of JNMT we will introduce the 2 new directors. We are always looking for qualified candidates to serve on the NMTCB Board. If you are interested, contact the office at NMTCB, 2970 Clairmont Road, Suite 935, Atlanta, GA 30329, 404-315-1739 for an application.

As part of its desire to foster relationships with other professional organizations, the NMTCB sent a representative to the Health Professions Network meeting in September. We are also sending representatives to the SNMTS Gateway meeting on education next spring. We are anticipating discussion concerning the advanced practice designation for nuclear medicine technologists. The Board realizes there will be a need to develop an advanced practice specialty exam. At the next Board meeting (spring, 2006), which will occur after the Gateway meeting, we will begin a discussion of this specialty exam. The first advanced practice exam will be given in approximately 3 years. This 3-year timeframe will allow the Board to perform a task analysis, develop a content outline, decide on criteria to sit for the exam, and identify qualified item writers to create the exam.

Now is a good time to remind everyone that the NMTCB is always looking for qualified individuals to write questions (items) for the entry-level, cardiac and PET exams. If you would like to write entry-level questions, you need only be an active NMTCB certificant. To be qualified to write questions for the 2 specialty exams, the item writer must have an active membership in the NMTCB or ARRT(N) and have an active NCT or PET certificate. For more information, or if you would like an item-writers packet, please contact the NMTCB office. The packet will contain instructions explaining how to write exam questions.

I have some exciting news concerning the specialty exams. On the first of October, 198 candidates sat for the PET exam. Of the 198 candidates, 7 were radiologic technologists. The following weekend, 253 candidates sat for the nuclear cardiology exam. As an added note, there were 5 technologists who sat for both exams.

Beginning January 1, the new continuing education policy becomes effective. Kathy Thomas, CNMT, MHA, FSNMTS, my immediate predecessor as chair of the NMTCB, has prepared answers to the most frequently asked questions about this new policy. You will find them on the following page. If you would like more information on the policy please see the NMTCB Web site, www.nmtcb.org, for the most current information. You can also contact the NMTCB office at the address mentioned above.

Before signing off, I want to personally thank Kathy for her leadership and help during the last year. Under Kathy’s guidance the NMTCB has continued to move in a forward direction.

Finally, I want to wish everyone a healthy and happy 2006. As the NMTCB moves into the new year there are many new challenges waiting for us: moving into a new office, development of a new specialty exam, continuing our relationships with other professional organizations, implementing the new continuing education policy, and the most important challenge—maintaining the high quality and integrity for which the NMTCB’s examination process is known.

I welcome all your comments and suggestions. I can be reached at lfulk{at}clarian.org. Happy New Year to everyone!