Title 10

SECTION 35.490

35.490 Training for use of manual brachytherapy sources.

§ 35.490 Training for use of manual brachytherapy sources.

Except as provided in § 35.57, the licensee shall require an authorized user of a manual brachytherapy source for the uses authorized under § 35.400 to be a physician who -

(a) Is certified by a medical specialty board whose certification process has been recognized by the Commission or an Agreement State. The names of board certifications that have been recognized by the Commission or an Agreement State are posted on the NRC's Medical Uses Licensee Toolkit web page. To have its certification process recognized, a specialty board shall require all candidates for certification to:

(1) Successfully complete a minimum of 3 years of residency training in a radiation oncology program 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

(2) 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 manual brachytherapy; or

(b)(1) Has completed a structured educational program in basic radionuclide handling techniques applicable to the use of manual brachytherapy sources that includes -

(i) 200 hours of classroom and laboratory training in the following areas -

(A) Radiation physics and instrumentation;

(B) Radiation protection;

(D) Radiation biology; and

(ii) 500 hours of work experience, under the supervision of an authorized user who meets the requirements in § 35.57, § 35.490, or equivalent Agreement State requirements, at a medical facility authorized to use byproduct materials under § 35.400, involving -

(A) Ordering, receiving, and unpacking radioactive materials safely and performing the related radiation surveys;

(B) Checking survey meters for proper operation;

(D) Maintaining running inventories of material on hand;

(E) Using administrative controls to prevent a medical event involving the use of byproduct material;

(F) Using emergency procedures to control byproduct material; and

(2) Has completed 3 years of supervised clinical experience in radiation oncology, under an authorized user who meets the requirements in §§ 35.57, 35.490, or equivalent Agreement State requirements, as part of a formal training program approved by the Residency Review Committee for Radiation Oncology 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. This experience may be obtained concurrently with the supervised work experience required by paragraph (b)(1)(ii) of this section; and

(3) Has obtained written attestation that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section and is able to independently fulfill the radiation safety-related duties as an authorized user of manual brachytherapy sources for the medical uses authorized under § 35.400. The attestation must be obtained from either:

(i) A preceptor authorized user who meets the requirements in § 35.57, § 35.490, or equivalent Agreement State requirements; or

(ii) 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 in § 35.57, § 35.490, or equivalent Agreement State requirements, 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 paragraphs (b)(1) and (2) of this section.

[67 FR 20370, Apr. 24, 2002, as amended at 70 FR 16366, Mar. 30, 2005; 71 FR 15010, Mar. 27, 2006; 74 FR 33906, July 14, 2009; 83 FR 33109, July 16, 2018; 85 FR 65662, Oct. 16, 2020]