Minnesota Administrative Rules

4731.4479 REMOTE AFTERLOADER UNITS, TELETHERAPY UNITS, AND GAMMA STEREOTACTIC RADIOSURGERY UNITS; TRAINING.

Subpart 1.

Training and education requirements.

Except as provided under part 4731.4414, a licensee must require an authorized user of a sealed source for a use authorized under part 4731.4463 to be a physician who:

A.

is certified by a medical specialty board whose certification process has been recognized by the NRC or an agreement state, and meets the requirements in item B, subitem (4). The names of board certifications that have been recognized by the NRC or an agreement state are posted on the NRC's Medical Use Licensee Toolkit web page; or

B.

has:

(1)

completed a structured educational program in basic radionuclide techniques applicable to the use of a sealed source in a therapeutic medical unit that includes:

(a)

200 hours of classroom and laboratory training in the following areas:

i.

radiation physics and instrumentation;

ii.

radiation protection;

iii.

mathematics pertaining to the use and measurement of radioactivity; and

iv.

radiation biology; and

(b)

500 hours of work experience, under the supervision of an authorized user who meets the requirements of this part, part 4731.4414, or equivalent requirements of the NRC or an agreement state, at a medical institution that is authorized to use radioactive material in part 4731.4463, involving:

i.

reviewing full calibration measurements and periodic spot checks;

ii.

preparing treatment plans and calculating treatment doses and times;

iii.

using administrative controls to prevent a medical event involving the use of radioactive materials;

iv.

implementing emergency procedures to be followed in the event of an abnormal operation of the medical unit or console;

v.

checking and using survey meters; and

vi.

selecting the proper dose and how it is to be administered;

(2)

completed three years of supervised clinical experience in radiation therapy, under an authorized user who meets the requirements of this part, part 4731.4414, or equivalent requirements of the NRC or an agreement state, as part of a formal training program approved by the Residency Review Committee for Radiation Oncology of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the Council on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association. The experience may be obtained concurrently with the supervised work experience required under subitem (1), unit (b);

(3)

obtained written attestation that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in subitems (1), (2), and (4), and is able to independently fulfill the radiation safety-related duties as an authorized user of each type of therapeutic medical unit for which the individual is requesting authorized user status. The written attestation must be obtained from either:

(a)

a preceptor authorized user who meets the requirements of this part, part 4731.4414, or equivalent requirements of the NRC or an agreement state for each type of therapeutic medical unit for which the individual is requesting authorized user status; or

(b)

a residency program director who affirms in writing that the attestation represents the consensus of the residency program faculty where at least one faculty member is an authorized user who meets the requirements of this part, part 4731.4414, or equivalent requirements of the NRC or an agreement state, for the type(s) of therapeutic medical unit for which the individual is requesting authorized user status, and concurs with the attestation provided by the residency program director. The residency training program must be approved by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Council on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association and must include training and experience specified in subitems (1) and (2); and

(4)

received training in device operation, safety procedures, and clinical use for the types of use for which authorization is sought. This training requirement may be satisfied by satisfactory completion of a training program provided by the vendor for new users or by receiving training supervised by an authorized user or authorized medical physicist, as appropriate, who is authorized for the types of use for which the individual is seeking authorization.

Subp. 2.

Certification requirements.

A specialty board under subpart 1, item A, shall require all candidates for certification to:

A.

successfully complete a minimum of three years of residency training in a radiation therapy program approved by the Residency Review Committee of the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education, the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada, or the Council on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association; and

B.

pass an examination, administered by diplomates of the specialty board, that tests knowledge and competence in radiation safety, radionuclide handling, treatment planning, quality assurance, and clinical use of stereotactic radiosurgery, remote afterloaders, and external beam therapy.

Statutory Authority:

MS s 144.1202; 144.1203

History:

29 SR 755; 32 SR 831; 36 SR 74; 46 SR 791

Published Electronically:

May 26, 2022