Nuclear Medicine Technology

• 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?

  • Nuclear Medicine technologist
  • Computed Tomography (CT) technician (with further certification)
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) technician (with further certification)
  • Positron Emission Tomography (PET) technician 
  • NMT Clinical Director/Coordinator
  • Nuclear Physician (with further education)

  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. 

  

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