Helen Nadel, MD, FRCPC, on Imperatives for Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Nuclear medicine, like many subspecialties, is facing a workforce crisis. The lack of incoming residents, techs, researchers, and other medical staff is hitting at a particularly poor time, as the role of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging is rapidly expanding with newfound applications in oncology, neurodegenerative disorders, and beyond.

The lack of staffing is top of mind for the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging's incoming president Helen Nadel, MD, FRCPC, who began her year-long term at this year's SNMMI Annual Meeting, taking place June 24-27, 2023 in Chicago.

Dr. Nadel, who is director of pediatric nuclear medicine at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital at Stanford and clinical professor of radiology at the Stanford School of Medicine, told Diagnostic Imaging that recruitment efforts are in full effect, with targeted programs being rolled out that focus on early education opportunities. For instance, the society held an information fair for interested high school students during the annual meeting, where children and their parents were welcome to tour exhibits and learn more about the specialty.

Dr. Nadel and other SNMMI leadership are also focused on boosting the profile of nuclear medicine, molecular imaging, and theranostics globally by partnering with other organizations and associations in the space to produce best practice guidelines and appropriate use critieria.

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