Core--Education and training

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The terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and the Pentagon on September 11, 2001, provided a stark reminder of the potential risk of large-scale involvement of the civilian population in a radiological terrorist event. During the era of the Cold War, the threat of nuclear exposure was limited by the need for sophisticated offensive systems, i.e., intercontinental missiles, to deliver the nuclear warhead. In contrast, the current risk for radiation exposure is a more potent threat. The rise of international terrorism has occurred at the same time, as has the ability to produce easily transportable radioactive dispersal devices, so-called "dirty bombs." At the very time when there is a critical, increased national (and international) need for highly trained biomedical personnel to respond effectively to a radiological terrorist attack or nuclear incident, the number of suitably trained and qualified individuals is deceasing markedly. Government support for education and training in many areas of the radiation sciences has declined over the last 3 decades. In radiation oncology, the number of physician-scientists has decreased by more than 50% in the last decade, and the majority of radiation biologists will be retiring within the coming decade. The population of scientists, physicians and emergency responders with the necessary knowledge and expertise in the biological and/or medical effects of radiation is shrinking and aging. As noted in a recent editorial in Radiation Research, "A crisis is visible on the horizon." Ensuring the successful creation and maintenance of medical countermeasures against radiation will necessitate the creation of specialized research training programs aimed at producing basic scientists, medical physicists and clinicians that possess a common base of knowledge and expertise required to respond to any radiological assault. Support for the reestablishment of comprehensive radiation training programs that produce MDs and PhDs with a common base of knowledge in radiation chemistry, radiation physics, and radiation biology and radiation medicine is paramount. Without such support, the US will be unable to respond adequately to a radiological terrorist event involving large numbers of the civilian population. Core F, the Education/Training component of the RadCCORE proposal, will provide both the "hands-on" training and the vital educational expertise in radiation biology and radiation/health physics using the outstanding expertise available at Wake Forest and Duke Universities. Through series of didactic lectures available on CD/DVD, laboratory training experiences, as well as Annual Seminar Series and Workshops, the faculty and trainees within the RadCCORE consortium will receive the basic foundation of knowledge in. radiation biology and physics to maintain and indeed grow the required expertise in radiation sciences.