Nuclear medicine technicians administer radioactive medicines to patients and monitor targeted organs and tiisues for signs of disease.
Nuclear medicine technicians prepare and administer radio-pharmaceuticals to patients. The radioactive medication shows up differently between the healthy and unhealthy tissue and organs that are targeted. The technician monitors, or assists a physician in monitoring, the patient with a gamma scintillation camera, also referred to as a scanner, which charts the path of the radioactive material. A physician can then examine a diagnostic image produced on a computer monitor or film to make a diagnosis. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), nuclear medicine technologists earn an average of about $64,000 annually.
One-Year Certificate
One-year certificates are generally reserved for nurses, for individuals with some nuclear medicine background or people who've earned a bachelor's degree.
An individual needs to qualify for a one-year certificate program to become a nuclear medicine technician. A prospective student needs to have had some nuclear medicine technology training, to be a registered nurse or to have already earned a bachelor's degree. The University of North Carolina Hospitals School of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, for example, offers a one-year program that prepares him to be tested by one or both of the national nuclear medicine technology certifying boards.
Community College Degrees
Community colleges are a primary choice for those seeking nuclear medicine technician training.
Community colleges are a primary choice for education and training in nuclear technology. The Community College of Allegheny County offers an Associate of Science degree that requires four semesters and two summer sessions to complete. Those applying need to have passed high school algebra and chemistry with at least a 2.0 grade point average (GPA). A high school physics background is highly recommended as well, so a student without these high school credits should plan to take the courses before applying for the program. In all, completion of the degree requires 75 course credits and 1,400 hours of clinical experience. Bronx Community College's Associate of Applied Science degree requires 63 credit hours, some of it in the liberal arts, and a community college GPA of 2.7 (B-).
Bachelor's Degree
Bachelor degree programs in nuclear medicine technology are highly selective.
A baccalaureate degree in nuclear medicine technology requires dedication and study. Most bachelor degree programs are highly selective, such as the University of Iowa nuclear medicine technology program, which accepts only 10 students annually and requires them to have already completed 94 semester hours with a 2.5 GPA. Among those classes, the university requires at least 10 semester hours of basic laboratories in physics, biology and chemistry along with an intermediary course in advanced science and/or mathematics, including algebra. Additionally, the school expects the student to have completed the general education program and recommends that she take classes in computer science, statistics, anatomy and physiology.
Continuing Education
Continuing education for nuclear medicine technicians is vital.
Nuclear medicine technology is among several medical fields that are undergoing constant revolutions in technologies. Consequently, continuing education is vital and, by and large, a requirement when seeking certification. Continuing education courses are offered in traditional settings such as hospitals and universities, conferences and online.
Licensure and Certification
Half of the states now require that nuclear medicine technicians be licensed and insurance companies are beginning to expect all techs to be licensed.
About half of the states require that the nuclear medicine technician be licensed although insurance companies are increasingly requesting that the technicians be licensed in order for the hospital to receive payment. Certification is generally voluntary; however, employers are increasingly expecting technicians to be accredited by either the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). The NMTCB charges a $175 application fee but does not disclose its renewal fee. ARRT charges $200 for the application fee and a renewal fee of $20. Many technicians seek certification from both organizations.
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