Authorized Individuals
This website is designed to help individuals who are interested in becoming an Authorized User, Authorized Medical Physicist, Authorized Nuclear Pharmacist, Radiation Safety Officer, or an Associate Radiation Safety Officer. This website can also be used by the schools' residency programs, and organizations that help to train them. Contact Us to submit medical-related inquiries.
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How to Become Authorized
To become an Authorized User, Authorized Medical Physicist, Ophthalmic Physicist, Authorized Pharmacist, Radiation Safety Officer, or an Associate Radiation Safety Officer, qualified individuals need to meet and demonstrate that they have complied with the NRC's training requirements in Title 10 of the Code of Federal Regulations (10 CFR) Part 35, "Medical Use of Byproduct Material." The individuals should provide documentation of their training and experience credentials to their management.
The licensee then submits NRC Form 313A to request an amendment to its license to include the newly-trained or newly-hired employee. The NRC does not issue any authorization to the individual and the individual should not submit training and experience documentation to the NRC. The NRC or the Agreement State reviews the credentials during licensing to verify that the NRC's training and experience requirements were met
Authorized User
Authorized user means a physician, dentist, or podiatrist who—
(1) Meets the requirements in 10 CFR 35.59 and 35.190(a), 35.290(a), 35.390(a), 35.392(a), 35.394(a), 35.490(a), 35.590(a), or 35.690(a); or
(2) Is identified as an authorized user on—
(i) A Commission or Agreement State license that authorizes the medical use of byproduct material;
(ii) A permit issued by a Commission master material licensee that is authorized to permit the medical use of byproduct material;
(iii) A permit issued by a Commission or Agreement State specific licensee of broad scope that is authorized to permit the medical use of byproduct material; or
(iv) A permit issued by a Commission master material license broad scope permittee that is authorized to permit the medical use of byproduct material.
Authorized Medical Physicist
Authorized medical physicist means an individual who—
(1) Meets the requirements in 10 CFR 35.51(a) and 35.59; or
(2) Is identified as an authorized medical physicist or teletherapy physicist on—
(i) A specific medical use license issued by the Commission or Agreement State;
(ii) A medical use permit issued by a Commission master material licensee;
(iii) A permit issued by a Commission or Agreement State broad scope medical use licensee; or
(iv) A permit issued by a Commission master material license broad scope medical use permittee.
Ophthalmic Physicist
Ophthalmic physicist means an individual who—
(1) Meets the requirements in §§ 35.433(a)(2) and 35.59; and
(2) Is identified as an ophthalmic physicist on a—
(i) Specific medical use license issued by the Commission or an Agreement State;
(ii) Permit issued by a Commission or Agreement State broad scope medical use licensee;
(iii) Medical use permit issued by a Commission master material licensee; or
(iv) Permit issued by a Commission master material licensee broad scope medical use permittee.
Authorized Nuclear Pharmacist
Authorized nuclear pharmacist means a pharmacist who—
(1) Meets the requirements in 10 CFR 35.55(a) and 35.59; or
(2) Is identified as an authorized nuclear pharmacist on—
(i) A specific license issued by the Commission or Agreement State that authorizes medical use or the practice of nuclear pharmacy;
(ii) A permit issued by a Commission master material licensee that authorizes medical use or the practice of nuclear pharmacy;
(iii) A permit issued by a Commission or Agreement State broad scope medical use licensee that authorizes medical use or the practice of nuclear pharmacy; or
(iv) A permit issued by a Commission master material license broad scope medical use permittee that authorizes medical use or the practice of nuclear pharmacy; or
(3) Is identified as an authorized nuclear pharmacist by a commercial nuclear pharmacy that has been authorized to identify authorized nuclear pharmacists; or
(4) Is designated as an authorized nuclear pharmacist in accordance with 10 CFR 32.72(b)(4).
Radiation Safety Officer
Radiation Safety Officer means an individual who—
(1) Meets the requirements in 10 CFR 35.50(a) or (c)(1) and 35.59; or
(2) Is identified as a Radiation Safety Officer on—
(i) A specific medical use license issued by the Commission or Agreement State; or
(ii) A medical use permit issued by a Commission master material licensee.
A licensee is required to have a Radiation Safety Officer per 10 CFR 35.24, "Authority and responsibilities for the radiation protection program." Management must appoint a Radiation Safety Officer, who agrees, in writing, to be responsible for implementing the radiation protection program. The licensee, through the Radiation Safety Officer, shall ensure that radiation safety activities are being performed in accordance with licensee-approved procedures and regulatory requirements.
Associate Radiation Safety Officer
Associate Radiation Safety Officer means an individual who—
(1) Meets the requirements in §§ 35.50 and 35.59; and
(2) Is currently identified as an Associate Radiation Safety Officer for the types of use of byproduct material for which the individual has been assigned duties and tasks by the Radiation Safety Officer on—
(i) A specific medical use license issued by the Commission or an Agreement State; or
(ii) A medical use permit issued by a Commission master material licensee.
A licensee's management may appoint, in writing, one or more Associate Radiation Safety Officers to support the Radiation Safety Officer. The Radiation Safety Officer, with written agreement of the licensee's management, must assign the specific duties and tasks to each Associate Radiation Safety Officer. These duties and tasks are restricted to the types of use for which the Associate Radiation Safety Officer is listed on a license. The Radiation Safety Officer may delegate duties and tasks to the Associate Radiation Safety Officer but shall not delegate the authority or responsibilities for implementing the radiation protection program (10 CFR 35.24(b)).
A license amendment is needed to list an individual as an ARSO on a license. The NRC or Agreement State reviews the training and experience of the individual before the license amendment is accepted.
A license amendment is also needed if the ARSO's oversight duties change. If an ARSO leaves or ceases to perform the duties of an ARSO then the licensee needs to notify the regulator. The same licensing processes are followed for the ARSO as the RSO.
NRC-Recognized Specialty Boards
A list of the Specialty Boards Certifications as Recognized by NRC demonstrates which specialty board corresponds to the various regulations that pertain to authorized users (10 CFR Part 35 Subparts B, D, E, F, G, and H).
NRC Recognition of Specialty Board Certifications
The NRC maintains procedures for recognizing, monitoring, and terminating the Certification Process of Specialty Boards.
Foreign-trained Physicians and Physicists
Procedures for Recognition of Foreign Trained Physicians and Physicists Applying for AU and AMP Status provides guidance on making appropriate decisions regarding approval of foreign-trained physicians and physicists applying for authorized user and authorized medical physicist status under the alternate pathway.