Nuclear Medicine Technologist

What They Do:

Nuclear medicine technologists prepare radioactive drugs and administer them to patients for imaging or treatment. They provide technical support to physicians and others who diagnose, care for, and treat patients and to researchers who investigate uses of radioactive drugs. Conduct PET scans using radioactive drugs and a scanning machine to show how tissues and organs are functioning. Used to help diagnose cancer, heart disease, coronary artery disease, Alzheimer's disease, seizures, epilepsy, and Parkinson’s disease.

Also Known As:

Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT), Nuclear Cardiology Technologist, Nuclear Medicine PET-CT Technologist (Nuclear Medicine Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography Technologist), Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT), Radiation Safety Officer, Registered Nuclear Medicine Technologist, Staff Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Related Careers:

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Nuclear Medicine Technologist, or Ultrasonography.

Minimum Education Requirements:

• High school diploma or the equivalent is required for entry into a nuclear med program
• Completion of the nuclear med program takes one to four years and leads to a certificate, an associate, or a bachelor degree

Career Info Sources Include:

• Career One Stop
• Bureau of Labor Statistics