About the CareerCERTIFICATE IN NUCLEAR MEDICINE
About the CareerNuclear medicine technologists are highly specialized health care professionals who work closely with nuclear medicine physicians and/or radiologists using radioactivity for diagnosing and treating disease.
Nuclear medicine technologists perform such daily duties as preparing and administering radiopharmaceuticals, imaging various organ systems with specialized gamma cameras and performing computer processing of images to provide data analysis to interpreting physicians.
While the occupation is small, employment of nuclear medicine technologists is expected to increase due in part to technical innovation and in part to an increase of middle-aged and older patients. Alternate career paths for registered technologists are numerous, including work in registered laboratories, teaching, training for medical equipment and radiopharmaceutical manufacturing firms, or as radiation safety officers in regulatory agencies or hospitals.
About the ProgramStudents of MTC’s Nuclear Medicine Technology earn a certificate upon successful completion of the one-year program. The program begins in the fall semester each year and enrollment is limited.
Prospective students must have a preliminary interview with the program director, complete two observations in the clinical affiliates and complete any prerequisite courses that may be necessary before a final interview is scheduled. An interview committee determines final acceptance.
Students rotate through five different clinical affiliate hospitals in Columbia, in addition to a separate rotation through a centralized radiopharmacy. Students are also required to assist in call procedures during their final clinical course. The program is also available at other sites across the state.
Graduates will take their national board exams, the NMTCB and ARRT(N) to become a registered nuclear medicine technologist.
