About About the Basic Sciences Course

Doctors wanting to become a nuclear medicine specialist in Australia and New Zealand must complete RACP’s Advanced Training in Nuclear Medicine (ATNM) training program.  Learning Goal 9 within the ATNM curriculum requires trainees to gain “an in-depth knowledge of the scientific basis of nuclear medicine, including radiation safety”.  While many of the learning outcomes within this Goal will be gained through on-the-job experience, a mandatory learning activity for trainees has also been set.

RACP has engaged AANMS to create and deliver a course and assessment for this learning goal.  AANMS’s Basic Sciences Course and Exam provides trainees with theoretical and practical training within the basic scientific principles relevant to the clinical applications of nuclear medicine.

Aim of the Basic Sciences Course

By actively participating in the BSC, trainees will:

  • Obtain an understanding of the theoretical principles of the basic sciences in nuclear medicine;
  • Be able to apply these principles in clinical nuclear medicine practice, and
  • Obtain practical skills in instrumentation, computer analysis and radiopharmacy.

Entry into the Course

The BSC is only open to trainees undertaking their Advanced Training in Nuclear Medicine.  Trainees must also be an AANMS Trainee Member – if you are not yet a member, please join (it’s free and gives you access to the AANMS TREC and provides you with lots of great learning opportunities and support).

Important 2026 Dates

  • When: To be completed in Year 1 of the ATNM Training Program
  • Registration: 2 Feb – 23 March
  • Course Week 1: Sat 6 – Tue 9 June
  • Course Week 2: Tue 16 – Fri 19 June
  • Exam Week: Mon 17 – Fri 21 Aug
  • Cost: $1,537 inc GST paid by 23 March

Note: Due to lecturer availability and fitting the course around numerous ASM conferences, for some trainees, the first week of the course falls on the King’s Birthday long weekend – the course is held on Mon 8th June.

Course Structure

  • There are 10 topics delivered over 20+ tutorials, course reading, practical sessions and a final exam.
  • The course is held over 8 days of full day training, delivered across two weeks, with a “brain break” in the middle.
  • The content is delivered predominantly online (on AANMS’s Trainee Resource and Education Centre (TREC), with a mixture of recorded tutorials, live tutorials, reading material and eLearning.
  • There will be two in-person practical days held at one location in each state/zone – sites will be determined in April/May.
  • Trainees are required to attend all course days to go towards course completion.

Exam

  • The exam is held 8-9 weeks after the course and is delivered.
  • There is usually two exams/parts that ask a range of multiple-choice and long answer questions, each exam takes 2.5-3hrs to complete.
  • The trainee completes the exam at their training setting online via AANMS’s Trainee Resource and Education Centre (TREC), with their training supervisor observing them.  The trainee, with and their training supervisor, determines when they will complete the exam during the Exam Week.
  • Exam results are provided 3-4 weeks after the exam.

Participation & Completion

  • Trainees seeking an exemptions in completing the BSC, either through RPL or personal circumstances, must seek approval from RACP Nuclear Medicine Training Program Committee.  Requests must be submitted to the RACP Nuclear Medicine Program Officer by 15th April.
  • Trainees who require learning adjustments in competing the course or exam are to contact the AANMS Education Officer by 15th April.
  • Trainees must attend the full course and receive a pass outcome in the exam to obtain “satisfactory completion” in this RACP Advanced Training in Nuclear Medicine training requirement.
  • AANMS will provide trainees with a letter advising exam results and a “BSC Certificate” on successful completion.  AANMS will provide RACP with trainee’s outcome.

Contact

  • If you are uncertain which training requirement you need to complete (or are seeking an exemption/RPL), please contact the RACP Education Officer or your RACP OTP contact.
  • Any questions about the delivery of the above training requirements, please contact AANMS Education Officer