Cardiac PET Fellowship

Primary Objective

This 12 to 24 month Research Fellowship Program in PET Imaging is aimed to provide research experience, utilizing PET imaging technology.

Secondary Objective

To enhance the candidate’s current knowledge and experience and training in clinical PET and clinical Nuclear Cardiology imaging.

Specific Objectives

The Research Fellow will, under direction of the supervisor and staff of the Cardiac PET Centre, undertake at least one major research protocol per year and other smaller research protocols. The Fellow will also be expected to collaborate on several ongoing projects. This involvement will include:

  • Development of concepts
  • Submission to Ethics
  • Conduct of the study (including recruitment and supervision of PET imaging and follow-up as necessary)
  • Data acquisition
  • Image data analysis
  • Interpretation of results
  • Presentation of results at international meetings
  • Manuscript preparation for publication

With the research projects, the Fellow will gain the following skills:

  • Development of scientific method to address research questions
  • Understand and perform PET image data analysis. This will include experience in performance and interpretation of kinetic data analysis for myocardial blood flow and metabolism imaging with PET and analysis of other new tracer kinetics
  • Understand and perform basic statistical analysis
  • Develop skills for presentation and publication of research
  • Understand ethical issues in human and animal research and perform research studies in accordance with these ethical standards

In addition to the above research, other related skills and clinical skills will be acquired that will also facilitate a future academic career in PET. These include:

  • Radiopharmacy experience for the production of radiopharmaceuticals for PET and Nuclear Cardiology
  • Radiochemistry and cyclotron operation knowledge for PET radioisotopes
  • Knowledge in the development of the new radiopharmaceuticals for PE
  • Technical and theoretical understanding of the operation of PET cameras and computer systems (also standard Nuclear Medicine cameras)
  • Knowledge of radiation production and safety regulatory aspects
  • Ability to interpret stress myocardial perfusion imaging, metabolic imaging, and gated imaging with PET and standard Nuclear Cardiology imaging
  • Experience in performance and interpretation of exercise and pharmacological stress
  • Performance of out-patient clinic and on-call as per the requirements of the Division of Cardiology
  • Demonstration of teaching ability to technicians, resident trainees, and other staff
  • Critical appraisal of current PET and Nuclear Cardiology literature

It should be noted that for this Research Program, the intention is that the research and research training aspects will occupy 75% of the Fellow’s time while the clinical and clinical training aspects will occupy 25% of the Fellow’s time.

Evaluation Process

  • The objectives will be reviewed and refined in discussion with the Fellow at the onset of the Fellowship program.
  • Assessment will be ongoing with thetraining Fellowship supervisor and the laboratory staff physicians and scientists.
  • Weekly research meetings will be held. The Fellow will actively participate in these meetings.
  • Every three months the Fellow will be formally interviewed. Positive feedback and constructive criticism will be noted and discussed.
  • For the clinical aspects of the training, internal examination will take place at 12 months and 24 months. This will be written and oral testing of knowledge in PET (and Nuclear Cardiology as appropriate) including interpretation of images.
  • The research will be the major focus of evaluation. This will be evaluated on the quality of the work performed as well as abstract preparation and presentation and the manuscript submission and publication.

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