OBJECTIVE: To validate the proposal for development of a virtual collaborative environment for training of nuclear medicine personnel. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Organizational assumptions, constraints and functionalities that should be offered to the professionals in this field were raised early in the development of the environment. The prototype was developed in the Moodle environment, including data storage and interaction functionalities. A pilot interaction study was developed with a sample of specialists in nuclear medicine. Users' opinions collected by means of semi-structured questionnaire were submitted to quantitative and content analysis. RESULTS: The proposal of a collaborative environment was validated by a community of nuclear medicine professionals and considered as an aid in the training in this field. Suggestions for improvements and new functionalities were made. There is a need to establish a program for education of moderators specifically for this environment, considering the different interaction characteristics as the online and conventional teaching methods are compared. CONCLUSION: The collaborative environment will allow the exchange of experiences and case discussions among professionals from institutions located in different regions all over the country, enhancing the collaboration among them. Thus, the environment can contribute in the early and continued education of nuclear medicine professionals.
Collaborative environment; Nuclear medicine; Medical education; Distance education
