NMTCB Report

Chad M. Grant, CNMT

The NMTCB met in October for its fall board meeting. As a routine agenda item, the NMTCB board reviewed its strategic initiatives and assessed performance to date. In the past several months, significant progress has been made to continue to adapt to the changes affecting the nuclear medicine community and to ensure that the entry-level and specialty examinations are psychometrically sound and reflective of current scopes of practice and that the NMTCB is appropriately supporting the nuclear medicine education program directors and students.

As a reminder, the NMTCB was formed for the purpose of creating and maintaining examinations for nuclear medicine technologists (NMTs). Since 1978, the NMTCB has offered a high-quality certification examination for NMTs. Over the last year, the NMTCB has maintained its position as the premier examination for nuclear medicine technologists through the development and administration of high-quality and effective examinations. The board reports examination statistics in the NMTCB newsletters and individually to nuclear medicine program directors to use as a benchmark of their program's success. Although the 2010 final statistics for the examinations will be communicated formally next year, a preliminary review shows excellent quality and results for all 3 examinations offered by the NMTCB.

There has been a significant amount of discussion about the development of an examination for a nuclear medicine advanced associate (NMAA) position. Although there had been previous discussion about a collaborative effort developing the NMAA examination, the NMTCB is proud to have assumed sole responsibility for the development and administration of the first NMAA examination in June 2011. Much effort has gone into the creation of this examination as a result of numerous requests, and the NMTCB is proud to present this examination as an expansion of our mission to promote excellence in nuclear medicine and molecular imaging technology.

In line with the decision to develop the NMAA examination, one of the key initiatives in the NMTCB strategic plan was the need to regularly address the changes in the field of nuclear medicine and the scope of technologist practice through the review and update of the technologist task analysis. This detailed analysis was performed in 2009, and as a reminder, the updated task list for the NMTCB entry-level examination will be in effect starting January 2011. Based on a review of the practice of nuclear medicine departments across the country, this task list has changed, and for the first time, CT technology questions will be part of the entry-level examination. The field of nuclear medicine continues to evolve, and all nuclear medicine technologists need to be adequately prepared for the future demands.

At the fall NMTCB board meeting each year, the chair position transitions to a new individual. I have enjoyed my year as chair of the NMTCB board of directors and am deeply honored for the opportunity to serve the profession in this capacity. Although the economic situation remains uncertain, it is up to all nuclear medicine technologists to remain active and committed to the profession, the community, and the patients we serve. Please visit the NMTCB Web site frequently (www.nmtcb.org) to review current news and information. Please also feel free to share your thoughts and ideas on issues vital to the nuclear medicine profession by contacting the NMTCB through the Web site.