The reported study indicates that individuals are motivated for personal reasons to obtain advanced education. Tangible benefits of more challenging employment opportunities and greater financial rewards were achieved by some of the respondents. There is apparently a deficiency in financial support of graduate education for this group of health professionals because many of the individuals reported attending graduate school on a part-time basis. However, it is possible that some part-time students elected this route to keep in contact with current laboratory practice. In addition, the external degree program was a welcome and only possible route for one-fifth of the sample. A tendency to be interested in leaving the health field is noted with concern.

Evidence from various sources leads to the conclusion that all current methods for the determination of trace elements in biological materials may, as currently practised, be subject to significant error, even as large as several orders of magnitude. This report, prepared by an Advisory Group convened by the International Atomic Energy Agency, examines possible sources of error arising in the application of neutron activation analysis to biomedical materials, and attempts, in the light of current knowledge, to recommend practical and effective means to avoid them. The topics discussed include sampling and sample preparation, standards, the activation of samples and standards, chemical separations, γ-ray spectrometry, and general methods of internal and external quality assurance.