Section R12-1-711. Authorized Medical Physicist Training

A.      A licensee shall require an authorized medical physicist to be an individual who:

1.        Is certified by a specialty board whose certification pro- cess includes all of the training and experience require- ments in subsection (A)(3)(b) and (A)(3)(c) and whose certification has been recognized by the Agency, NRC or an Agreement State; or

2.        Training requirements.

a.         Hold a master’s or doctor’s degree in physics, medi- cal physics, other physical science, engineering, or applied mathematics from an accredited college or university;

b.        Have two years of full-time practical training and/or supervised experience in medical physics:

i.         Under the supervision of a medical physicist who is certified in medical physics by a spe- cialty board recognized by the NRC or an Agreement State; or

ii.        In clinical radiation facilities providing high- energy, external beam therapy (photons and electrons with energies greater than or equal to 1 million electron volts) and brachytherapy ser- vices under the  direction of physicians who meet the requirements for authorized users in R12-1-710, R12-1-719, R12-1-721, R12-1-723,

R12-1-727, R12-1-728, or R12-1-744; and

c.         Pass an examination, administered by diplomates of the specialty board, that assesses knowledge and competence in clinical radiation therapy, radiation safety, calibration, quality assurance, and treatment planning for external beam therapy, brachytherapy, and stereotactic radiosurgery; or

3.        Training requirements alternative.

a.         Holds a master’s or doctor’s degree in physics, med- ical physics, other physical science, engineering, or applied mathematics from an accredited college or university; and has completed one year of full-time training in medical physics and an additional year of full-time work experience under the supervision of an individual who meets the requirements for an authorized medical physicist for the type(s) of use for which the individual is seeking authorization. This training  and work experience must  be con- ducted in clinical radiation facilities that provide high-energy, external beam therapy (photons and electrons with energies greater than or equal to 1 million electron volts) and brachytherapy services and must include:

i.         Performing sealed source leak tests and inven- tories;

ii.        Performing decay corrections;

iii.      Performing full calibration and periodic spot checks of external beam treatment units, stereo- tactic radiosurgery units, and remote afterload- ing units as applicable; and

iv.       Conducting radiation surveys around external beam treatment units, stereotactic radiosurgery units, and remote afterloading units as applica- ble; and

b.        Has obtained written attestation that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in sub- section (A)(3)(c) and (A)(2)(a) and (A)(2)(b) and (A)(3)(c), or (A)(3)(a) and (A)(3)(c); and has achieved a level of competency sufficient to func- tion independently as an authorized medical physi- cist for each type of therapeutic medical unit for which the individual is requesting authorized medi- cal physicist status. The written attestation must be signed by a preceptor authorized medical physicist who meets the requirements in section, or equivalent Agreement State requirements for an authorized medical physicist for each type of therapeutic medi- cal unit for which the individual is requesting autho- rized medical physicist status; and

c.         Has training for the type(s) of use for which authori- zation is sought that includes hands-on device opera- tion, safety procedures, clinical use, and the operation of a treatment planning system. This train- ing requirement may be satisfied by satisfactorily completing either a training program provided by the vendor or by training supervised by an autho- rized medical physicist authorized for the type(s) of use for which the individual is seeking authoriza- tion.

B.       Exceptions. An individual identified as a teletherapy or medi- cal physicist on an Agency, a NRC, or an Agreement State license or a permit issued by the NRC or an Agreement State broad scope licensee or master material license permit or by a master material license permittee of broad scope before the effective date of these rules need not comply with the training requirements in subsection (A).

C.      The training and experience required in this Section shall be obtained within the seven years preceding the date of applica- tion or the individual shall have had related continuing educa- tion and experience since the required training and experience was completed.

D.      Individuals who, under subsection (B), need not comply with training requirements described in this Section may serve as preceptors for, and supervisors of, applicants seeking authori- zation on Agency licenses for the same uses for which these individuals are authorized.

Historical Note

New Section adopted by final rulemaking at 5 A.A.R. 1817, effective May 12, 1999 (Supp. 99-2). Section repealed; new Section made by final rulemaking at 13

A.A.R. 1217, effective May 5, 2007 (Supp. 07-1). Amended by final rulemaking at 20 A.A.R. 324, effective

March 8, 2014 (Supp. 14-1).