Training on Radioisotopes Techniques and Radioprotection Aspects at the School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry (UBA, Argentina).

G MARTIN; M ZUBILLAGA ; G CREMASCHI; G CRICCO; C COCCA; C GOLDMAN; J SALGUEIRO; V MEDINA; A KLECHA; A BIANCHIN; N MOHAMAD; M NUÑEZ; N LEONARDI; N MASSARI; D MARTIEL LAMAS; A GUTIERREZ; C VENTURA; E RIVERA

Glasgow

Congreso; 13th International Congress of the International Radiation Protection Association; 2012

International Radiation Protection Association (IRPA)

The employment of radioisotopes is a widespread practice and must be carried out in the framework of radiological safety and in harmonization with the environment. Since 1960, the School of Pharmacy and Biochemistry of the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, has offered different courses on methodology of radioisotopes with special emphasis on Radioprotection at graduate and postgraduate level. From the beginning the courses were targeted to students of Biochemistry and, at the postgraduate level, to Physicians and Graduates in Biochemistry, Biology, or other disciplines related to the medical sciences. In addition, there was a refreshed course offered for licensed professionals. Through all these years we have been permanently updating the courses and encompassing the international and national guidelines, the continuous growth of nuclear medicine and the development and incorporation of new radiopharmaceutical products and advanced technology equipments. The goal of these Courses is to enable graduates in biomedical sciences to acquire criteria for the correct application of the radioprotection philosophy with especial emphasis in the importance of this practice as well as the potential environmental impact it implies; planning of professional practices with an adequate training of the human resources involved in and optimization of procedures and practices. Graduates attend 220 lecture and laboratory practice hours. These courses allow them to apply for an individual authorization for the use of radioactive material extended by the Argentine Nuclear Regulatory Authority. As from 2005 Radiopharmacy is included in the degree in Pharmacy. In 2012 we made the proposal to the ARN to teach a posgraduate course in Radiopharmacy. In addition, in 1997 we began the training of technicians, and finally in 2009, given the increasing demand for an adequate training of Technicians,we started to teach a 3 year university career for Technicians in Nuclear Medicine. The more than 45 years of experience in research and teaching in our Laboratory at the University of Buenos Aires, contributes to an excellent professional and technical training of the experts. With the addition of Radiopharmacy at the graduate and postgraduate level, the organization of the University Career of Technicians in Nuclear Medicine, our Laboratory is one of the major contributors to the training human resources in the area of Methodology of Radioisotopes and Radioprotection in our country.