RE: 1-week RSO's

["Coleman, Jesse H." <jhcoleman@tva.gov>]

I have not taken a 1-week RSO course, but I know several who have.

Consider the training required for the RSO of a steel mill, coal-fired
power plant or paper mill that has a couple of dozen nuclear gauges.
These places require an RSO, and a 1-week course is right for them.

The NRC or state agency granting the license aproves the qualifications
of the RSOs.  All RSOs should be highly trained, but not all facilities
require PhD CHPs.

Jesse Coleman
205-386-2993
jhcoleman@tva.gov
>----------
>From: 	Scott O. Schwahn[SMTP:schwahn@CEBAF.GOV]
>Sent: 	Tuesday, April 29, 1997 1:19 PM
>To: 	Multiple recipients of list
>Subject: 	1-week RSO's
>
>I really don't know how to put his gently, so I'll make apologies in
>advance.  I do not intend on flaming or by any means insinuating lack of
>abililty to any andividual or group, especially not to the person who posted
>the following.  I do not know the particulars of the person's background who
>posted this, nor am I making assumptions, nor should any be inferred.
>
>>Does anyone out there have any information on routine oral administration
>>of KI. I am considering the possibility of offering this option for
>>researchers performing iodinations  who would like to minimize their uptake
>>of radioiodine. Any ideas or info?
>
>This is the TYPE of thing that make me nervous when I see a 1-week RSO
>course offered in the HPS Newsletter and most of the course flyers I get in
>the mail as a result of being a HPS subscriber.  It must be a real "cash
>cow" to offer such a course, given the number of offerings I've seen.  Are
>there companies out there who routinely hire folks who have taken an RSO
>course, but who have little education and/or experience in Health Physics?
>Do you as a RADSAFER feel that a 1-week RSO course is all that should be
>required for some RSO positions?  I would be especially interested in those
>RSOs who have attained their position solely by taking such a course.  I
>truly plead ignorance as to the efficacy of these courses and whether or not
>there are employers who are satisfied with the RSO title only.
>
>It seems to me that if this is the case, there are too many opportunities
>for ideas such as these to take root.  At least the person posting asked
>other professionals before acting.
>
>Again, the person posting may be a Ph.D. in HP for all I know, so don't slam
>me for asking the question...  I would just like to see some discussion from
>all levels on this subject.
>
>Scott O. Schwahn, CHP
>Thomas Jefferson National Accelerator Facility
>Newport News, VA
>schwahn@jlab.org
>
>