Hi my name is Justin Rilkoff. I have been interested in the medical
field for quite some time now, since my cardiac ablation. I used to be
a pilot and with the SVT then cardiac procedure, my dreams of being an
airline pilot dwindled.

I want to become a Nuclear Medical Technologist. I am 26 yrs old,
married and a father of an eight month old boy. I want a stable
career, I was in sales, running a small corporation and used to be a
GPS Surveyor in Oil/Gas Exploration in Canada’s frigid Arctic,
therefore, I am used to high-tech equipment and love using them all
the time. I was raised in British Columbia Canada and just moved to
the USA to be with my wife.

Thank you for enduring this email, but I am desperate and worried
that I can’t remember my high school Physics. Is there a good and
relatively quick/fast-track program that could get me job in the
Nuclear Medicine field? I live in Spokane WA right now and might be
moving to Atlanta or Houston

Role of Nuclear Medicine Technologists in Treatment of Diseases

The main role of a nuclear medicine technologist is to diagnose certain diseases where radiotherapy is required. The role of the nuclear technologist can be understood by the following example. The patient has some problem. He goes to a doctor. The doctor notices that there is a stone in the patient stomach. Now he prescribes some medicines. When they see that medicines are not helping, the doctor refers the patient to one of the nuclear medicine technologists.

What the technologist does is that he administers radiopharmaceuticals (radioactive drugs) to patients and monitors the concentration levels of the drugs in the patient’s body. Technologist works directly with patients under the supervision of a physician. Thus they work in collaboration to take out the stone out of the body. If these radioactive drugs do not help too, under the supervision of the doctor, the nuclear medicine technologists may use laser rays to break the stone so that surgery is avoided.

How the Technologist Work

Under the right for Information, the nuclear medicine technologists have to tell the entire procedure that the patient in a way that the patient can understand. There so many technical terms that if he starts using then while explaining, the patient will straightaway reject the treatment.

The job of nuclear medicine technologists involve use of different devices from big x ray machines to small cameras that they can be ingested by the patient so that they can find the exact location of the problem.

Finally, they have to keep a log of the material used. The most important part is that they should have knowledge regarding the allowed use of radioactive material so that they can adhere to it.

How to Become a Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Many medical universities and some colleges that can afford sample devices for training provide courses that range up to 4 years. Smaller programs such a one year or two year can get you basic Diploma and an Advanced Diploma respectively. If you go for the four year program, you basically are doing a bachelors training so you get a graduation degree.

Not all medical colleges run the course as it involves purchase of equipments for practical training. Some Hospitals themselves run medical courses which can afford to use the existing material to explain their working to the patients. The most difficult part to learn is the exact positioning of the laser and releasing the rays of required strength.

Nuclear Medicine Technologists – The Scope

Wherever you start your career, you start as a trainee. After training, if they feel that you are good enough to handle thing by self, you are made nuclear medicine technologist. A technologist may advance to supervisory positions such as chief technologist or department administrator.

Technologists trained in both nuclear medicines and radiologic procedures have a better chance as only a few openings would be there every year. The branch will develop as per the research and the demand will also go up as the hospitals start using more and more advanced technique of treatment.