The State Platform for the Degree in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy adds new support from Scientific and Medical Societies
Higher health technicians demand that their training be university /
They ask for the creation of the University Degree for Superior Technicians in Imaging for Diagnosis and Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy and Dosimetry. Thus, these professionals will be able to have more specific training to carry out these functions that are so delicate and important for health.
The State Platform for the Degree in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy has received new supporting documents for the initiative to create a University Degree for Higher Health Technicians in Imaging for Diagnosis and Nuclear Medicine and Radiotherapy and Dosimetry by different medical and scientific societies related to these specialties, those of the Spanish Society of Medical Physics (SEFM) and the Spanish Society of Radiological Protection (SEPR).
To them must be added the Spanish Ultrasound Society (SEUS); The Spanish Society of Cardiology (SEC); the Spanish Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology (SERME); Radiologists of Catalonia (RC); Formation of the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (FORA); The Latin American Society of Magnetic Resonance (SOLAREM); the Canarian Society of Radiology (SCR) and, recently, the Spanish Society of Pediatric Radiology (SERPE), especially sensitive to child radiological protection.
Notably, both the Spanish Society of Medical Physics (SEFM) and the Spanish Society for Radiological Protection (SEPR),
In addition to showing its support for the creation of the University Degree for these Higher Sanitary Technicians with the aim of increasing their basic training for reasons of quality and safety, have highlighted the need to make changes in the requirements for access, education and training in Hospital Radiophysics.
To date, most of the Medical and Scientific Societies related to these specialties, such as the Spanish Society of Medical Radiology (SERAM), the Spanish Society of Radiation Oncology (SEOR) and the Spanish Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging (SEMNIM) , had already issued different statements supporting the creation of the University Degree.
However, the Platform has requested one more step in the progress towards the process of transformation of the degree: to exercise the maximum institutional influence in the Government, and all this for a motivation that goes beyond professional vindication.
: the public interest that must be guaranteed, in terms of Quality, Safety and Radiological Protection.
In this sense, the platform reminds that
Directive 2013/59/Euratom, of December 5, 2013, establishing basic safety standards for protection against the dangers arising from exposure to ionizing radiation (articles: 14, 17, 18, 59, 61, among others), establishes that the education and training programs of this profession must be adequate and this must be guaranteed by the states, including our country; this includes the recognition of titles, certificates and diplomas between the member states of the EU.
Add that
Without level 6, according to the European Qualifications Framework (EQF6), which corresponds to a minimum of 180 to 240 ECTS, it cannot be guaranteed that professionals who apply ionizing and non-ionizing radiation for medical purposes perform their duties with the guarantees provided by appropriate training programs and qualification levels (established among others in: Radiation Protection 175 of the European Commission, EFRS Benchmark Document for EQF Level 6 - Second Edition 2018, ESTRO European higher education area level 6 - Benchmarking document for Radiation Therapists).
The State Platform for the Degree in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy has insisted that
the Spanish State is the only one in the European Union that fails to comply with said regulations (providing clearly inadequate training programs)with unfortunate consequences, among others, comparative grievances in the level of qualification that limit the free movement of professionals in the EU.
For all these reasons, medical and scientific societies have now taken a step forward
driven by the need for Radiodiagnosis, Radiotherapy and Nuclear Medicine services to have professionals who can exercise, under medical direction, but autonomously and with guarantees, their functions and expand them through continuous professional development; such as the coordination and supervision of teams, advanced practices, teaching and research.
An exemplary step towards the materialization of this change in attitude, more active in scientific societies, has been
with the inclusion in the agenda of the SERAM Strategic Plan Meeting, the subject of the Degree in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy, in Madrid on April 31, 2022. The commitment acquired with SERAM will be essential to generate the appropriate scenario for the change, which must happen as soon as possible.
This current scenario, the result of constant dedication over a long period of time, has given rise to the presentation of legislative initiatives, meetings with the majority of the actors of the legislative power, administrations and institutions, the sincere support of the most relevant organizations, mobilizations and a long list of unprecedented advances.
From Platform they affirm that they will continue promoting the radiological family to increase its synergies, to break down barriers, in favor of the quality of care, safety and radiological protection; putting the patient at the center of our healthcare practice, of our greatest interest and vocation.
On 07/12/2021, the representative entities of the Superior Technicians in Imaging for Diagnosis and Radiotherapy joined synergies and efforts, which gave rise to the State Platform for the University Degree in Medical Imaging and Radiotherapy.
The executive meetings held on a regular basis began to bear fruit very quickly, with the inclusion of a greater number of independent experts, who joined the project, along with professional unions at the national level who are currently making up the Platform map.
