Nuclear Medicine Technology Howard Cruz’s Preferred Sites

Descriptions Organizations Education Employers Reference

Descriptions of Careers in Nuclear Medicine U.S. Department of Labor A quick description of Nuclear Medicine Technologists from the Department of Labor. SNM Description of duties of a Nuclear Medicine Tech from the Society of Nuclear Medicine Nuclear Medicine Professional Organizations Society of Nuclear Medicine Founded in 1954, this is possibly the most popular professional organization for nuke med techs. Nuclear Medicine Technologist Certification Board Official cerification board for nuke med techs which also has testing and career information. Colleges / Universities with Nuclear Medicine Programs Santa Fe Community College One of the best and most competitive Nuclear Medicine Technology programs in the US, which offers an Associate of Science degree in Nuclear Medicine Technology. It has access to excellent facilities in the Gainesville area including Shands Hospital, North Florida Regional Medical Center, VA hospital and AGH. Medical College of Georgia An excellent program , which offers a Bachelor of Science with concentration in Nuclear Medicine Technology. Located in Augusta Georgia. Employers of Nuclear Medicine Technologists Roswell Park Cancer Institute Roswell Park Cancer Institute offers the most effective means of diagnosis and treatment while addressing both the physical and emotional needs of the cancer patients it serves in the city of Buffalo, New York. North Florida Regional Medical Center A full-service medical and surgical acute care referral center serving 14 counties and offering comprehensive heart care, cancer care, women's health, diabetes care and neuromusculoskeletal services in Gainesville, Florida Peninsula Regional Health Systems The premier Health care provider on the Delmarva peninsula. It provides a huge array of services for its patients. Digirad Manufacturers of solid state nuclear cardiology equipment and associated services. Hires NMT’s for research and development in the San Diego CA area. Recommended Literature / Reference Materials for Nuclear Medicine Students Diagnostic Nuclear Medicine : A Physics Perspective The book provides the comprehensive physics information demanded in the clinical practice of diagnostic nuclear medicine. NeuroPET : Positron Emission Tomography in Neuroscience and Clinical Neurology Reviews PET in neuroscience with particular emphasis on findings that indicate its potential for improving diagnosis and treatment in neurology and psychiatry. Atlas of PET / CT Imaging in Oncology Written by leading experts in the field, Atlas of PET/CT Imaging in Oncology teaches radiologists and nuclear medicine specialists about important aspects of molecular imaging and nuclear medicine specialists about the benefits of anatomic imaging. SUMMARY Through my research for the Career Web Project I was able to find many interesting facts about nuclear medicine technology along with some new information that I was unsure about. I did not realize the variety of jobs in demand for this career. Nuclear medicine Technologists work at research hospitals, General care hospitals, diagnostic imaging centers, research laboratories and even mobile imaging labs. The opportunities for employment are varied throughout all regions of the United States even though there seems to be a higher demand near larger metropolitan areas. This career will fit my lifestyle because it is not a medical career that requires me to work neither night shifts nor long weekends. Most jobs in nuclear medicine follow a regular 8 hour workday during weekdays so I will have plenty of time to spend with my family. The road to becoming a nuke med tech is hard because I will have to spend a large amount of time in school. Once I am accepted into the program at Santa Fe Community College, I will have to spend nearly eight hours a day in class for three days a week and then I will spend two eight hour days a week in clinical work at one of the available facilities for my first year. My second year will include three days of clinical work and two days of classroom studies. Clinical work is basically hands-on work at real functioning sites where it is expected that I will perform the duties of a nuke med tech. It is an opportunity to become comfortable with all the functions of the job and to become proficient at dealing with the patient’s needs. The sites for the clinical studies include North Florida Regional Medical Center, Shands Medical Center, Alachua General Hospital and The Veterans Hospital. Unfortunately I will not be able to fit in a full time job as part of my schedule as I currently do because of the high demand on my time. The salary is definitely something that my family could live on even if my wife was to not have her well paying job. This is an occupation that is growing at a rate that is faster than average and there is a high demand for nuke med techs with all the baby boomers that will require these imaging procedures as they age. Nuclear Medicine in general is a field that is closely linked to medical fields that are on the verge of making breakthroughs in research such as cancer, genetics, and cardiovascular disease. The two year degree I am working towards will lead to immediate employment and it could also lead to more schooling if I am willing to transfer to another school. It is more than likely that I will find a job and continue my schooling on a part time basis. I am definitely planning on continuing my education while I work as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist in order to eventually receive a Bachelors degree (possibly in chemistry) or even possibly a Masters or a PhD. This is however a decision that I will make in the future with my wife’s input since she is a supervisor at her job and we may have to move if she becomes an office manager or a regional manager.