Can the performance of facility and unit surveys count toward the survey training contact hours requirement? Must the surveys be done under the direct supervision of a qualified medical physicist?

Time spent in the actual performance of surveys can be used to meet the survey contact hours requirement. As guidance, however, no more than four hours for each facility survey and two hours for each unit survey should be counted toward the required total hours of training. In order to count toward the survey training contact hours requirement, surveys performed after April 28, 1999, must be under the direction of a qualified instructor. If these surveys are also being used to meet the initial experience requirement, they must be done under the direct supervision of a medical physicist who meets all the requirements of 21 CFR 900.12(a)(3)(i) and (iii). This means that in the typical initial qualifications (Master) situation, surveying one facility and a total of ten units meets both the initial contact hours of specialized training and the initial experience requirements. In the alternative initial qualifications (Bachelor) situation, surveying one facility and a total of 20 units meets both the initial contact hours of specialized training and the initial experience requirements.