Ariz. Admin. Code § 9-7-744

Current through Register Vol. 30, No. 35, August 30, 2024

Section R9-7-744 - Training for Use of Remote Afterloader Units, Teletherapy Units, and Gamma Stereotactic Radiosurgery Units

A. Except as provided in R9-7-712.01, a licensee shall require an authorized user of a sealed source for a use authorized under Group 600 in Exhibit A, Medical Use Groups of this Article to be a physician who:

1. Is certified by a medical specialty board whose certification process has been recognized by the Department, the NRC or another Agreement State and who meets the requirements in subsection (A)(2)(e). The names of board certifications that have been recognized by the Department, the NRC or another Agreement State are specified in the NRC's Medical Uses Licensee Toolkit available through https://www.nrc.gov. To have its certification process recognized, a specialty board shall require all candidates 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 or the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Canada or the Committee on Post-Graduate Training of the American Osteopathic Association; and

b. Pass an examination, administered by diplomates of the specialty board, which tests knowledge and competence in radiation safety, radionuclide handling, treatment planning, quality assurance, and clinical use of stereotactic radiosurgery, remote after-loaders and external beam therapy; or

2. Has 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;

iv. Chemistry of radioactive material for medical use; and

v. Radiation biology;

b. 500 hours of work experience, under the supervision of an authorized user who meets the requirements in subsection (A), R9-7-712.01, or equivalent Agreement State or NRC requirements at a medical institution, 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 material;

iv. Implementing emergency procedures to be followed in the event of the 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;

c. Completing at least three years of supervised clinical experience in radiation therapy, under an authorized user who meets the requirements in subsection (A), R9-7-712.01, or equivalent Agreement State or NRC 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 Committee on Postdoctoral Training of the American Osteopathic Association. This experience may be obtained concurrently with the supervised work experience required by subsection (A)(2)(b); and

d. Obtaining written attestation that the individual has satisfactorily completed the requirements in subsections (A)(2)(a) through (c) and (B), 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:

i. A preceptor authorized user who meets the requirements in subsection (A), R9-7-712.01, NRC requirements, or equivalent Agreement State requirements for the type or types of therapeutic medical unit for which the individual is requesting authorized user status; 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 this Section, NRC requirements, or equivalent Agreement State requirements, for the type or types 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 subsection (A)(2)(a) through (c).

B. A licensee shall require an authorized user of a sealed source for a use authorized under Group 600 in Exhibit A, Medical Use Groups of this Article to receive training in device operation, safety procedures, and clinical use for the type or 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 type or types of use for which the individual is seeking authorization.

C. The training and experience shall have been obtained within the seven years preceding the date of application or the individual shall have had related continuing education and experience since the required training and experience was completed.

Ariz. Admin. Code § R9-7-744

New Section R9-7-744 recodified from R12-1-744at 24 A.A.R. 813, effective March 22, 2018 (Supp. 18-1). Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 25 A.A.R. 3561, effective 12/3/2019. Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 28 A.A.R. 3533, effective 11/2/2022. Amended by final expedited rulemaking at 30 A.A.R. 2681, effective 8/7/2024.