Examinations |
Definition of Specialty Areas
Certificates
A certificate is issued to each candidate who meets the requirements of the Board and passes the examination as outlined below and indicates that the holder of the certificate has adequate training in the Specialty of Nuclear Medicine Science and has demonstrated knowledge adequate to practice Nuclear Medicine Science in one or more of its Specialties:
A certificate granted by this Board does not of itself confer, or purport to confer, any degree of legal qualifications, privileges or license to practice Nuclear Medicine Science.
Meaning of Certification
A certificate from the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine indicates that its holder has successfully completed certain requirements of study and professional experience, which the Board considers necessary to constitute an adequate foundation in Nuclear Medicine Science. It also indicates that the candidate has passed an examination for ability and competence in the field of Nuclear Medicine Science.
Requirements for ABSNM Certification
Please note: All foreign degrees and certifications must be evaluated for U.S Equivalency by the World Education Services (WES). You may apply to WES online at: https://www.wes.org/apply/index.asp
1. Nuclear Physics and Instrumentation Specialty:
Candidates for the Nuclear Physics and Instrumentation Specialty must meet the following minimum requirements for General Education and
Training/Work Experience:
a. General Education:
A master’s or a doctorate degree in physics, medical physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or other physical sciences from an accredited college
or university, and
b. Training/Work Experience:
Two years (doctorate candidates) or three years (master’s candidates) 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 specialty board recognized by NRC or an Agreement State, and
who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate's experience and competency; or
ii. In clinical nuclear medicine facilities providing diagnostic and/or therapeutic services under the direction of physicians who meet the
requirements for authorized users in 10CFR35.290 and 10CFR35.390, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s
experience and competency.
c. In addition, candidates for the Nuclear Physics and Instrumentation Specialty must have attained a minimum of 1 year (doctorate candidates) or 1.5
years (master’s candidates) of full-time-equivalent practical experience devoted to nuclear medicine physics and instrumentation. The entire
amount of this full-time-equivalent practical experience must be attained after meeting the above General Education requirements, may be part-
time while a full-time medical physicist, and may coincide with the above general Training/Work Experience requirements:
i. Under the supervision of a nuclear physicist who is certified in nuclear medicine physics by a specialty board recognized by NRC or an Agreement
State, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate's experience and competency; or
ii. In clinical nuclear medicine facilities providing diagnostic and/or therapeutic services, under the direction of physicians who meet the
requirements for authorized users in 10CFR35.290 and 10CFR35.390, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s
experience and competency; or
iii. In research or development facilities, under the supervision of a nuclear physicist, scientist, or engineer with an established career in nuclear
physics and instrumentation, who meets the above General Education requirements, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the
candidate’s experience and competency.
2. Radiopharmaceutical Science Specialty:
a. General Education:
A master's or a doctorate degree in physics, nuclear pharmacy, biological science, radiopharmaceutical science, chemistry, or other pharmaceutical
science from an accredited college or university, and
b. Training/Work Experience:
Three years of full-time practical training and/or supervised experience in radiopharmaceutical science:
i. Under the supervision of an authorized nuclear pharmacist who is on a licensee’s radioactive material license and has experience in radiation safety,
and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s experience and competency; or
ii. In clinical nuclear medicine facilities providing diagnostic and/or therapeutic services under the direction of physicians who meet the
requirements for authorized users in 10CFR35.290 and 10CFR35.390, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s
experience and competency.
3. Radiation Protection Specialty:
a. General Education:
A master’s or a doctorate degree from an accredited college or university in physical science, engineering, health physics, or biological science with a
minimum of 20 college credits in physical science, and
b. Training/Work Experience:
Five or more years of professional experience in health physics (graduate training may be substituted for no more than 2 years of the experience)
including at least 3 years in applied health physics.
4. Molecular Imaging Specialty:
a. General Education:
A master’s, a professional (e.g., MD, DO, Pharm.D., or the equivalent) or a doctorate (Ph.D., D.Sc. or the equivalent) degree from an accredited college
or university. The master’s or the doctorate degree must be in physics, medical physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, applied
mathematics, or other natural sciences, and
b. Training/Work Experience:
i. Two years (professional and doctorate degree candidates) or three years (master’s candidates) of full-time practical training and/or supervised
experience in molecular imaging science:
ii. Under the supervision of a nuclear medicine scientist who is certified by the ABSNM or a similar board (e.g., ABR, ABMP, or ABHP), and who will
provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s experience and competency; or In clinical nuclear medicine facilities under the direction of
an ABNM or the equivalent (e.g, ABR) certified physician(s) and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s experience and
competency.
A certificate is issued to each candidate who meets the requirements of the Board and passes the examination as outlined below and indicates that the holder of the certificate has adequate training in the Specialty of Nuclear Medicine Science and has demonstrated knowledge adequate to practice Nuclear Medicine Science in one or more of its Specialties:
- Nuclear Medicine Physics and Instrumentation
- Radiopharmaceutical Science
- Radiation Protection
- Molecular Imaging
A certificate granted by this Board does not of itself confer, or purport to confer, any degree of legal qualifications, privileges or license to practice Nuclear Medicine Science.
Meaning of Certification
A certificate from the American Board of Science in Nuclear Medicine indicates that its holder has successfully completed certain requirements of study and professional experience, which the Board considers necessary to constitute an adequate foundation in Nuclear Medicine Science. It also indicates that the candidate has passed an examination for ability and competence in the field of Nuclear Medicine Science.
Requirements for ABSNM Certification
Please note: All foreign degrees and certifications must be evaluated for U.S Equivalency by the World Education Services (WES). You may apply to WES online at: https://www.wes.org/apply/index.asp
1. Nuclear Physics and Instrumentation Specialty:
Candidates for the Nuclear Physics and Instrumentation Specialty must meet the following minimum requirements for General Education and
Training/Work Experience:
a. General Education:
A master’s or a doctorate degree in physics, medical physics, engineering, applied mathematics, or other physical sciences from an accredited college
or university, and
b. Training/Work Experience:
Two years (doctorate candidates) or three years (master’s candidates) 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 specialty board recognized by NRC or an Agreement State, and
who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate's experience and competency; or
ii. In clinical nuclear medicine facilities providing diagnostic and/or therapeutic services under the direction of physicians who meet the
requirements for authorized users in 10CFR35.290 and 10CFR35.390, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s
experience and competency.
c. In addition, candidates for the Nuclear Physics and Instrumentation Specialty must have attained a minimum of 1 year (doctorate candidates) or 1.5
years (master’s candidates) of full-time-equivalent practical experience devoted to nuclear medicine physics and instrumentation. The entire
amount of this full-time-equivalent practical experience must be attained after meeting the above General Education requirements, may be part-
time while a full-time medical physicist, and may coincide with the above general Training/Work Experience requirements:
i. Under the supervision of a nuclear physicist who is certified in nuclear medicine physics by a specialty board recognized by NRC or an Agreement
State, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate's experience and competency; or
ii. In clinical nuclear medicine facilities providing diagnostic and/or therapeutic services, under the direction of physicians who meet the
requirements for authorized users in 10CFR35.290 and 10CFR35.390, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s
experience and competency; or
iii. In research or development facilities, under the supervision of a nuclear physicist, scientist, or engineer with an established career in nuclear
physics and instrumentation, who meets the above General Education requirements, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the
candidate’s experience and competency.
2. Radiopharmaceutical Science Specialty:
a. General Education:
A master's or a doctorate degree in physics, nuclear pharmacy, biological science, radiopharmaceutical science, chemistry, or other pharmaceutical
science from an accredited college or university, and
b. Training/Work Experience:
Three years of full-time practical training and/or supervised experience in radiopharmaceutical science:
i. Under the supervision of an authorized nuclear pharmacist who is on a licensee’s radioactive material license and has experience in radiation safety,
and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s experience and competency; or
ii. In clinical nuclear medicine facilities providing diagnostic and/or therapeutic services under the direction of physicians who meet the
requirements for authorized users in 10CFR35.290 and 10CFR35.390, and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s
experience and competency.
3. Radiation Protection Specialty:
a. General Education:
A master’s or a doctorate degree from an accredited college or university in physical science, engineering, health physics, or biological science with a
minimum of 20 college credits in physical science, and
b. Training/Work Experience:
Five or more years of professional experience in health physics (graduate training may be substituted for no more than 2 years of the experience)
including at least 3 years in applied health physics.
4. Molecular Imaging Specialty:
a. General Education:
A master’s, a professional (e.g., MD, DO, Pharm.D., or the equivalent) or a doctorate (Ph.D., D.Sc. or the equivalent) degree from an accredited college
or university. The master’s or the doctorate degree must be in physics, medical physics, chemistry, biological sciences, engineering, applied
mathematics, or other natural sciences, and
b. Training/Work Experience:
i. Two years (professional and doctorate degree candidates) or three years (master’s candidates) of full-time practical training and/or supervised
experience in molecular imaging science:
ii. Under the supervision of a nuclear medicine scientist who is certified by the ABSNM or a similar board (e.g., ABR, ABMP, or ABHP), and who will
provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s experience and competency; or In clinical nuclear medicine facilities under the direction of
an ABNM or the equivalent (e.g, ABR) certified physician(s) and who will provide a letter of reference attesting to the candidate’s experience and
competency.