Update of the competence-based catalog of learning objectives in nuclear medicine for the study of human medicine in Germany

Abstract

Abstract Aim To update the subject-specific, competence-based catalog of learning objectives for medical studies in Germany published by the German Society of Nuclear Medicine (DGN) in 2018, prioritizing relevant learning objectives. Methods Based on the previous catalog, the writing group compiled nuclear medicine topics and formulated competence-based learning objectives, including medical developments, device innovations and new radiopharmaceutical approvals. These were presented for prioritization to the 180 habilitated DGN members as an expert group in a Delphi process. The first round of voting assessed firstly the topics in terms of necessity or dispensability, and secondly the detailed learning objectives of the topics were assessed for their relevance to academic teaching in nuclear medicine. The results of the first survey were used to draft a catalog of learning objectives with final approval by the expert group in a second survey. The time available for teaching nuclear medicine was also recorded. Results The writing group developed 240 competence-based learning objectives from 41 topics. After a first Delphi round, 73 detailed competence-based learning objectives from 15 topics were compiled. The mean teaching time was 8.4 h for lectures, 3.7 h for seminars and 3.6 h for practical courses. In a second Delphi round, the agreement of the expert group was at least 95% for the selected topics and at least 90% for the detailed learning objectives. Summary The catalog of subject-specific learning objectives, updated by expert consensus, provides basic knowledge, skills and competences related to the most relevant diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in nuclear medicine, taking into account both long-established topics and recently introduced innovations.