Due to the number of investigators and limited staff, neuro CTI offers the option of additional scanner training, which allows the trainee to operate the scanner without technician assistance.
Please keep in mind that this option is only offered to Northwestern users. Scanner training is offered exclusively through the neuro CTI technician Rachael Young. Any unofficial training through non-CTI staff is strictly forbidden and will result in revocation of scan privileges for the ENTIRE GROUP.
To request additional scanner training:
1. Discuss with Rachel first about your need for tech training. Since it’s a significant time burden, we’d like to limit this to people who really need it and have no alternative means for scan coverage.
2. Principle investigator must send an email to neuroimaging@northwestern.edu, specifying the name of the trainee and the study. The training charge is 2 hours of scan time per trainee.
3. Once approved, Rachael will reach out to schedule the first 2-hour session on the neuro calendar under the appropriate study. The 2-hour session is intended to be one-on-one.
4. After the two-hour session is completed, the trainee needs to document at least 20 supervised scans/hours (whichever is longer). Supervision can be done by Rachael or another certified operator. A supervisor needs to sign off on the scan log and is responsible for the trainee’s final performance on the qualifier test. Please confirm with Rachael that the supervisor is certified before proceeding with supervision. If the supervisor is not a certified operator, logged hours will not be accepted.
5. Trainees must pass a qualifier test where Rachael will observe them scan a real subject for their study. If the trainee fails the qualifier, he/she must continue to accrue supervised scan hours and retake the qualifier until they pass.
6. Annual supervised renewal needs to be scheduled with Rachael.
7. Trainees who have not operated the scanner for more than a month should schedule a refresher session with Rachael before scanning again.
