Professional/Short course Enhancing Nuclear Medicine Practice

Content

The course syllabus typically covers:

Data acquisition and processing

• The optimal use of imaging parameters and technological advancements within current Nuclear Medicine practice
• Consideration as to the values of various data acquisition and image processing techniques
• Introduction to 3D reconstruction algorithms

Nuclear Medicine strategic developments

• The importance of planned preventative maintenance within the Nuclear Medicine environment
• An introduction to equipment procurement
• Awareness of the optimal running of a modern Nuclear Medicine department with linkage to current professional drivers
• Consideration as to the importance of workforce development and support frameworks
• Critical evaluation of radiopharmacy procedures, working environments, legislation and distribution methods

Awareness of disease processes, diagnosis and treatment

• Understand the role of Nuclear Medicine in the management of a wide range of disease processes
• Consideration as to the level of knowledge needed by the Nuclear Medicine workforce to fully understand a range of common disease processes
• Awareness of the developing nature of Nuclear Medicine and how such development may influence current patient pathways
• Therapeutic Nuclear Medicine and the use of Nuclear Medicine in planning, treatment and monitoring regimes
• Enhancement of understanding associated with radiation dosimetry

Advancing aspects of Nuclear Medicine practice

• Future developments within the field of Nuclear Medicine/molecular imaging
• Future considerations related to developing radioisotope tracers /radiopharmaceutical shortages
• Consideration as to the developing role of the Nuclear Medicine Practitioner
• Consideration as to the use of other imaging modalities within the Nuclear Medicine environment

Research in Nuclear Medicine

• Current research areas associated with Nuclear Medicine/molecular imaging
• Evidence based practice and NICE
• Current themes associated with service improvement in Nuclear Medicine

Learning and Teaching

The learning and teaching strategy for this level 7 (Masters level) module has been developed to provide you with the opportunity to consider the current status of Nuclear Medicine services and to appreciate a range of strategic and technological advancements that have the potential to further enhance the modality.

Study time

Contact hours will be achieved through a variety of learning approaches that will include distance based education supplemented by knowledge exchange events. This distance based education will embrace the University's current vision associated with Technology Enhanced Learning.

Such learning will include but not be limited to, asynchronous delivery of lecture material through narrated presentations, notes and other guided reading, VLE discussion board forums with specific objectives, workplace tasks, and other study tasks deemed appropriate to the development of student knowledge. An approximated breakdown of these contact hours can be seen below:

• Scheduled learning will include up to 80 hours engaged with lectures, video presentation, seminars, tutorials, discussion board entries, project supervision, work based learning.
• Independent learning will include up to 220 hours engaged with essential reading, assignment preparation and completion, directed work-based tasks, consideration of current working protocols and personal reflection on learning.

Assessment

Assessment for this module comprises the production of a 1,500 word equivalent cognitive map and a 3,000 word portfolio of discussion board extracts will demonstrate achievement of the learning outcomes.