The Importance of Radiation Protection Education and Training for Medical Professionals of All Specialties

The article is part of the series of articles on radiation protection. You can find further articles in the special section of the CVIR issue. Lately, more advanced techniques have been introduced in medical imaging expanding the diagnostic and therapeutic applications of ionizing radiation. Among the various strategies that have been proposed for the management of radiation exposure, education and training seem to have a strong impact on radiation protection and dose reduction. However, according to several studies, medical professionals appear to lack knowledge on basic radiation protection aspects. Therefore, the establishment of an accreditation and certification system in radiation protection for all medical professionals employing ionizing radiation is considered as high priority. The purpose of this review article is to highlight the importance of education and training in radiation protection, provide recommendations for an effective educational program and propose an educational program structure for the different medical specialties.