Degreed HP Techs

["Michael J Boyle"<mjboyle@dpcmail.dukepower.com>]

The following is a response to an inquiry from CFCC on the need for degreed
HP techs and distance learning.  E-mail to the individual was returned so
I'm posting to Radsafe for delivery to Rhonda Rawls,CFCC - Radiation
Protection.  I apologize for cluttering the mailboexs of Radsafers.


Dear Ms. Rawls:

There is still a need to keep the pipeline of qualified HPs full.  In many
cases, technician level experience is valuable to the rounding-out of a
professional health physicist.  Technicians often have a difficult time
advancing to the professional or management  ranks without a degree.
Additionally, ABHP certification now requires a degree.  Since most
technicians are working full time jobs and many are transient workers, a
distance degree program in health physics/radiation protection would serve
a large segment of the HP tech work force.  Thomas Edison College has been
fairly successful at delivering a degree program in HP via non-traditional
methods.  Additionally, Registration with the National Registry of
Radiation Protection Technologists (NRRPT) carries an ACE/PONSI credit
recommendation of 30 semester hours in core radiological curriculum.  To
date, over 4000 technologists are eligible to take advantage of the ACE
recommendation  for the NRRPT credential.  If you currently offer a
distance learning program or plan to offer one in the future, the NRRPT
would be pleased to announce it in the NRRPT Newsletter.  Please contact me
directly if you wish to discuss further.

Michael J. Boyle, RRPT, CHP
Chairman, National Registry of Radiation Protection Technologists
mjboyle@dpcmail.dukepower.com       (864) 885-3390