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Nuclear Medicine Technology

Assist key health care professionals in the diagnosis of a patient’s condition and help guide a course of treatment.

Cancer, cardiovascular disease or neurological disorders are just some of the diseases you’ll help diagnose and treat. With the help of our expert faculty, learn how you’ll get to assist nuclear physicians to use radioactive isotopes and special sensitive instrumentation.

Get highly-specialized training in procedures and equipment used to perform body function studies, imaging procedures, and laboratory tests in a clinical setting. Whether you are administering radioactive compounds, conducting laboratory testing or ensuring radiation safety, we give you the technical expertise necessary to flourish in this exciting field. 

In the nuclear medicine technology program, you’ll spend three years at York College followed by one year in a clinical program. Upon successful completion of the required courses at the College and clinical program, students are eligible to sit for a national registry examination to become a Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT).

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Nuclear Medicine Technology student participates in clinicals.
Clinicals offer you a chance to get real-world experience working with medical instrumentation.

Clinical Experience

  • Clinical Requirements

    Clinical Requirements

    Admission to York College does not guarantee admission to the clinical instruction facilities clinical year.

    • Complete the core requirements of study at the College with an average of 2.5 in science and mathematics as well as a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in order for the College to recommend the student for the clinical year. 
    • At the end of the fall semester of your junior year, you will apply for clinicals through Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences.
    • The Admissions Committee of the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences decides if you will be accepted into the clinical year and also designates their clinical facility assignment. 
    • You will then be required to complete the required number of shadowing hours at the assigned clinical facility. 
    • The clinical year begins in August and is 12 months in duration. Three days per week are devoted to clinical practice and one day per week is spent in classroom instruction. This will involve commuting one day a week to the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences for classroom instruction and commuting to the clinical facility three days per week. 
    • Upon completion of the Nuclear Medicine Technology program, this qualifies you to take one of the national registry (Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB), or American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT))  examinations to become a Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT).
  • Clinical Locations

    Clinical Locations

    As a Nuclear Medicine Technology student, you will gain practical experience through the year-long clinical rotation. At York College, you will prepare for success in the clinical rotation through a series of high quality, personalized classes.

    Possible locations for clinicals include:

    • Good Samaritan Hospital
    • Lancaster General Hospital
    • Lehigh Valley Hospital
    • UPMC Pinnacle
    • Meritus Medical Center
    • Peninsula Regional Medical Center
    • Reading Hospital
    • St. Luke's Hospital
    • University of Maryland St. Joseph's Medical Center
    • WellSpan York Hospital
  • Frequently Asked Questions

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What does a Nuclear Medicine Technologist do?

    • Ease patient, obtain pertinent history, describe procedures and answer patient's questions
    • Administer radiopharmaceuticals and medications for patient imaging and therapeutic procedures
    • Monitor the patient's physical condition during the course of the procedure
    • Process data and enhance digital images using advanced computer technology
    • Provide images, data analysis and patient information for diagnostic interpretation or therapeutic procedures 
    • Evaluate images to determine the technical quality and calibration of instrumentation
    • Evaluate new protocols

    What is the median salary? The median salary for a nuclear medicine technician is $60,000 - $75,000 per year.

    Is there a job demand in this field? With an aging population and increased diagnostic and evaluative technology, the job growth rate is expected to increase 10-12% through 2026. 

    What careers can I have in Nuclear Medicine Technology?

    What is the difference between Radiography and Nuclear Medicine Technology?

    Radiography is the process of applying ionizing radiation to demonstrate portions of the human body (on an x-ray, fluoroscopic screen or other imaging systems) to assist physicians in the diagnosis of disease and injury. 

    Nuclear Medicine Technologists use radioactive materials in specialized studies (such as PET scans) of body organs to assist physicians in diagnosis and treatment of disease. 

    Radiography Vs. Nuclear Medicine

Quick facts

10
clinical facilities
3
semesters of clinical experience
6
graduates per year
5:1
clinical student faculty ratio
9
semester full-time program

Program Requirements

Required Courses and Degree Requirements for Graduation
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2021-2022 Undergraduate Catalog

Related Programs

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Health Professions Department
Elizabeth Hodgson, Interim Chair
Health Professions Department
Appell Life Sciences, Room 224
Phone: 717.815.1740
healthprofessions@ycp.edu
Hours:
Contact for appt.