The world of medicine is no longer what it used to be. The advancement of technology has redefined medicine completely, starting with the diagnostic methods and ending with treatment solutions. Nuclear medicine is a side of the medical world which combines a lot of sciences such as chemistry, physics, computer technology, mathematics and medicine. These purpose of combining these technologies is to use radioactivity in order to diagnose and treat various diseases. As you can see, a career in medicine doesn’t just require biology and chemistry knowledge but a passion for all sciences. Nuclear medicine is probably one of the major foundations on which the world will develop the future of medicine. If you have a passion for science and a desire to work with people, you may be interested in a career as a nuclear medicine technologist.
- Job description
A technologist plays an important part in radioactive diagnosis procedures. As a professional healthcare provider, he works closely together with the nuclear medical physician. He prepares and administers radio-pharmaceuticals. He uses sophisticated radiation detecting technologies in order to perform patient imaging procedures. After that, he deals with the computer processing technologies and image enhancement. He also analyzes biological specimens in state-of-the-art laboratories. His role in the diagnostic interpretation is accomplished by providing the physician with images, data analysis as well as patient information.
- Working with people
The imaging procedure requires the nuclear medicine technologist to work with the patients. In this situation, he has to earn their trust in order to obtain accurate and important information regarding the patient’s history. He must also describe the procedures and answer any medical related questions that the patients may have. He must also monitor the patient’s condition during the imaging procedure. Last but not least, he must take notes of any of the patient’s comments that could point out to the need of additional images. The patient’s history is also important for the physician who will be interpreting the results of the imaging procedure.
- Income and career paths
The work of a nuclear medicine technologist can be very rewarding. The average income is $68,500 per year. Furthermore, this job can be a launching ramp for other careers. Alternative career paths include senior staff technologist, chief technologist, research technologist, hospital administrator, technology program educator, sales representative, research and development specialist or technical specialist. In order to get a job as a nuclear medicine technologist you need an associate’s degree in nuclear medicine technology and some states even require a license. However, a background in science and mathematics and an interest in patient work can be enough in order to get you a job in this industry. How your career will advance depends solely on your level of implication.
