Tackling Urgent Breast Radiologist Shortage

The three-year accreditation programme, launched by the Royal College of Radiologists (RCR) and Association of Breast Clinicians, will provide standardised, national training for physicians who want to become more “holistic breast clinicians." Funding and resources for the programme are provided by the National Breast Imaging Academy (NBIA) and Health Education England.

The credential curriculum covers  imaging, clinical examination, disease management, and the genetic risk factors that give rise to breast cancer. In addition, trainees will gain a better understanding on the use of prognostic and biological factors that influence oncological treatments.

According to RCR, trainees will be employed by the breast screening units which will largely lead the training, but they will also be linked to the local radiology training programme to access relevant training and physics teaching.

Eight hospitals in England are now piloting the accreditation programme, with the first recruits commencing training in late August 2019.

The initiative couldn't have come at a better time as the UK is seeing an increasing number of patients being referred to breast care specialists and, as noted by healthcare leaders, there are serious shortages of specialised radiologists.

“The development of this credential, providing a standardised training pathway for breast clinicians will, over the next few years, have a very significant impact on the breast imaging workforce,” Mary Wilson, MD, a radiologist and programme lead for the NBIA.

Source: Radiology Business

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