Nuclear Medicine Technology: Undergraduate

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Study in an accredited program that will prepare you for success in this growing field.

If you have an interest in health care and computer technology and are looking for a people-oriented profession in an expanding job market, consider a career in nuclear medicine technology.

The U.S. Department of Labor predicts that employment of nuclear medicine technologists will increase by 18 percent from 2010 to 2020. The Cedar Crest College Nuclear Medicine Technology major, which is offered as a joint program with the Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences (PA College) in Lancaster, PA —will provide you with all the tools you need for a rewarding career.

What Is Nuclear Medicine Technology?

Nuclear medicine technology involves the use of radioactive pharmaceuticals (also called radiopharmaceuticals) to diagnose and treat disease. Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive substances that are attracted to specific organs, bones, or tissues. The radiopharmaceuticals used in nuclear medicine emit energy in the form of gamma rays that are detected by a special camera: Gamma, SPECT, or PET. Computers convert the information collected by the camera into an image of the specific area of the body for analysis of function, structure, and function, or the characterizations of biological processes at the molecular and cellular levels.

The field of nuclear medicine is unique in diagnostic technique because it provides information about both the structure and function of almost every organ in the body. It is this ability to study function that separates nuclear medicine from other imaging modalities, such as X-ray or magnetic resonance imaging. It’s a safe, painless, and cost-effective method of information gathering.

About Our Program

Pennsylvania College of Health SciencesThe Cedar Crest nuclear medicine technology program leading to the B.S. degree is a partnership with PA College and through PA College is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (www.jrcnmt.org), which ensures that you will receive a quality education. By pursuing a bachelor’s degree in nuclear medicine technology at Cedar Crest College, you will work closely with experienced and well-respected professors. In the classroom and in the lab, you will obtain the latest knowledge and conduct relevant research using state-of-the-art technology. As a future healthcare professional, you will enroll in nine credits of healthcare administration coursework with the highly recommended option of pursuing the Health Care Management Certificate. This certificate will provide both insight into the evolving field of healthcare and opportunities for advancement in healthcare administration.

You will also receive a quality liberal arts education, including instruction in the development of strong communication and leadership skills, that will enhance your personal and professional growth while enabling you to work effectively with other members of a healthcare team.

You will spend your first three years studying on the Cedar Crest College campus; the fourth year consists of twelve months of clinical and didactic training. Three days per week are spent in clinical training at one of the affiliated hospitals of PA College and one day a week is spent in coursework at PA College. Due to the strength of these partnerships, you will have the opportunity to be trained in the clinical setting by physicians in combination with seasoned certified technologists and clinical coordinators in an integrated teaching and research environment. You will graduate with both a degree from Cedar Crest College in the Nuclear Medicine Technology major and a certificate in Nuclear Medicine Technology from PA College.

Career Opportunities

Nuclear medicine technologists work in a wide variety of clinical settings including community hospitals, university-affiliated teaching hospitals, out-patient imaging facilities, and government and private research institutes. Some of the other careers you may pursue after earning your degree include:

Chief technologist
Research technologist
Program director or clinical coordinator
Instructor or professor
Hospital administrator
Industry sales representative
Technical Specialist
Research and development specialist

Alumnae Success Stories

More than 98 percent of our program graduates have passed certification examinations by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) on the first try, with nearly one-third passing with honors. PA College has had a 100% Nuclear Medicine Exam Pass Rate since 2004.

These types of credentials have helped our graduates gain employment in such respected organizations as:

Aria Health Systems, Philadelphia
Heart Center, Medical City Hospital, Dallas
Hunterdon Medical Center, Flemington, N.J.
Lehigh Valley Health Network, Allentown, Pa.
O. Fox Memorial Hospital
Pocono Medical center
St. Joseph’s Imaging Associates, Syracuse, N.Y.
St. Luke’s Hospital and Health Network, Allentown, Pa.

Program Mission Statement

The mission of the program is to educate students in preparation for a health career in Nuclear Medicine Technology and provide the health community with intelligent, competent, and compassionate technologists who understand the complexity of imaging systems protocols and modalities, radiopharmaceuticals, and the performance of patient studies.

Dive A Little Deeper

Cedar Crest College major requirements

The following courses must be completed by the end of the spring semester preceding the beginning of the clinical year.

BIO 123 Foundations in Biology 4 credits
BIO 124 Principles of Cell and Molecular Biology 4 credits
(Students with Advanced Placement credit for BIO 123 and/or BIO 124 are required to take the BIO 123 and 124 Labs.
BIO 127 Clinical Microbiology 4 credits
BIO 117 Human Anatomy and Physiology I 4 credits
BIO 118 Human Anatomy and Physiology II 4 credits
BIO 304 Pathophysiology 3 credits
BUA 258* Health Care Management 3 credits
OR BUA 341* Health Care Practice Management 3 credits
CHE 111 Chemical Principles 4 credits
and CHE 112 Chemical Equilibrium and Analysis 4 credits
OR CHE 111 Chemical Principles 4 credits
and CHE 203 Survey of Organic Chemistry 4 credits
HLT 205 Women’s Health 3 credits
HLT 207 Health Equity 3 credits
MAT 110 Probability and Statistics 3 credits
MAT 140 Precalculus (recommended) or Algebra 3 credits
PHY 103 Introductory Physics 4 credits OR PHY 104 College Physics I 4 credits
and PHY 105 College Physics II 4 credits
PSY 100 Introduction to Psychology 3 credits
THS 105 Public Speaking 3 credits
*BUA 258 or BUA 341 must be used as a prerequisite for PHI 210 at PA Colleg

Clinical year requirements at PA College and other institutions

No student will be allowed to begin the clinical year unless all of the following requirements have been met:

Completion of all Nuclear Medicine prerequisite courses listed above with a grade of C or above and all additional Cedar Crest College requirements with a grade of C- or above by the end of the spring semester preceding the beginning of the clinical year.
Completion of a minimum of 88 credits of study at Cedar Crest College.
Acceptance to the Nuclear Medicine Technology certificate program at PA College, University of Findlay, Rowan College, or another approved institution; Acceptance into the clinical year is competitive and not guaranteed by satisfaction of the minimum requirements. It is based on strong academic performance and the available number of positions in the clinical program.
Completion of all required health history, physical exam, certifications, clearances, and background checks as required by PA College, University of Findlay, Rowan College, or another institution.
Completion of all other documents required by the affiliated hospitals.
Documentation of health insurance; CCC health insurance is acceptable.

Nuclear Medicine Technology students are responsible for any fees involved in the fulfillment of the above requirements.

The nuclear medicine clinical training typically begins in August and is 12 months in duration. This will involve commuting one day per week to PA College for classroom instruction and commuting to the affiliate hospital three days per week for clinical practice; the schedule at other institutions may vary.

Clinical practice includes the following duties: performing venipuncture and injecting radiopharmaceuticals, preparation and administration of radioactive compounds, radionuclide imaging and external monitoring with computer processing and image enhancement, radiation safety and protection, patient positioning and clinical nursing procedures, sympathetic approach to patient care and nuclear medicine administrative procedures that include maintaining patient confidentiality. Clinical year coursework at PA College and affiliated hospitals or the equivalent coursework through University of Findlay, Rowan College, or other institutions with which Cedar Crest maintains a formal agreement. (At PA College, the minimum acceptable grade to make academic progress is a “C” in the theory courses and a “B” in the clinical courses.)

Fall Semester at PA College

HSC 100 Medical Terminology 1 credit
HSC 101 Methods of Patient Care 1 credit
NMT 201 Nuclear Medicine Theory I 4 credits
NMT 211 Nuclear Medicine Clinical I 5 credits
PHI 210 Ethical and Legal Dimensions in the Health Sciences 1 credit

Spring Semester at PA College

HSC 195 Cross-Sectional Anatomy 1 credit
NMT 202 Nuclear Medicine Theory II 6 credits
NMT 202 Nuclear Medicine Theory II 6 credits
NMT 212 Nuclear Medicine Clinical II 5 credits

Summer Session at PA College

NMT 203 Nuclear Medicine Theory III 2 credits
NMT 213 Nuclear Medicine Internship 6 credits

Nuclear Medicine Technology, as any health profession, has some potential risks/hazards related to the occupation; students may be exposed to ionizing radiation, blood and body fluids including urine, feces, vomitus, etc. on a daily basis. Nuclear Medicine Technology students are required to assess patients and provide general nursing care to patients while in nuclear medicine departments of the affiliated hospitals.

An extensive amount of verbal communication and self-motivation is required in the clinical year which necessitates working with patients in a professional setting. Therefore, it is important that the student has advanced interpersonal skills, mature judgment, and appropriate professional demeanor. The clinical year is accelerated, and students are required to immediately begin interacting with patients and instructors and perform procedures under the supervision of clinical instructors.

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Cooperative Agreements

Cedar Crest College collaborates with several academic institutions to provide our students with innovative pathways that help them succeed in their chosen fields.

Cedar Crest Accounting Students in the Classroom

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Accreditation

The Cedar Crest nuclear medicine technology program leading to the B.S. degree is a partnership with PA College and through PA College is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (www.jrcnmt.org)