Nuclear Medicine Workforce

Nuclear Medicine Workforce

A skilled and well-trained workforce is essential for the advancement and sustainability of nuclear medicine. The field requires a multidisciplinary team of professionals, including nuclear medicine physicians, technologists, physicists, radiopharmacists, and nurses. Ensuring that these professionals receive adequate education, training, and support is critical for delivering high-quality patient care and fostering innovation. The EANM is dedicated to advocating for policies and initiatives that support the growth and development of the nuclear medicine workforce across Europe.

Main Advocacy Priorities for the EANM

• Standardised Education and Training: Advocate for the standardisation of education and training programs across the EU to ensure a uniformly high level of competence among nuclear medicine professionals.
• Continuous Professional Development: Promote continuous professional development (CPD) opportunities to help the nuclear medicine workforce stay current with the latest advancements and best practices.
• Workforce Planning and Support: Encourage strategic workforce planning to address current and future demands, ensuring an adequate supply of trained professionals.
• Research and Academic Opportunities: Support policies that enhance research and academic opportunities for nuclear medicine professionals, fostering a culture of innovation and excellence.
• Work Environment and Well-being: Advocate for improved work environments and well-being initiatives to enhance job satisfaction and retention within the nuclear medicine workforce.

Key Policy Initiatives

• European Qualifications Framework: Promote the integration of nuclear medicine-specific competencies within the EQF to standardise qualifications and facilitate mobility across EU member states.
• Horizon Europe Funding: Advocate for funding under Horizon Europe to support educational programs, research initiatives, and professional development opportunities in nuclear medicine.
• European Health Workforce Policies: Engage with EU health workforce policies to ensure they adequately address the needs of the nuclear medicine sector, including recruitment, retention, and training strategies.

The EANM’s Role

In addition to ESMIT and the INSPIRE initiative, the EANM actively engages with policymakers to advocate for initiatives that support the nuclear medicine workforce, including funding for education and research.

Also, the EU REST project provides an analysis of workforce availability, education, and training needs to ensure quality and safety aspects of medical applications involving ionising radiation in the EU