Simulation-Enhanced Learning in Nuclear Medicine: Theory, Modalities, and Applications Across the Training Continuum

Simulation-based education has evolved into a foundational component of nuclear medicine technologist training, driven by increasing procedural complexity, radiation safety imperatives, and growing pressure on clinical placement capacity. Nuclear medicine students must rapidly integrate cognitive, psychomotor, and interpersonal skills while working with radioactive materials and vulnerable patients in a complex regulatory environment. A diverse suite of modalities ranging from human actors through laboratory-based skills to virtual reality supports functional task alignment across the learning continuum. Evidence consistently demonstrates that simulation improves students' procedural accuracy, radiation-safety behaviors, clinical reasoning, emergency responsiveness, communication skills, and self-confidence while reducing placement-related anxiety and error risk. When conceptualized as an integrated ecosystem, simulation enhances learner outcomes, supports workforce resilience, and strengthens the transition to independent practice.