Cardiac Nuclear Medicine Jobs
The best career prospects in the field of nuclear medicine technology are for those who are trained in multiple imaging disciplines, or technologists who specialize in nuclear cardiology, according to a May 2009 report from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. The future growth rate for this field is above average, and competition for jobs will be intense. A cardiac nuclear medicine degree or certification will improve your chances of becoming employed. Nuclear cardiology, like other nuclear imaging careers, requires administering radiopharmaceutical drugs to a patient and using a camera to create images.
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Cardiac Nuclear Scientist/Physicist
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According to the Society of Nuclear Medicine, most nuclear cardiology scientists work in a laboratory setting in either a hospital or university, conducting research. They rarely work with patients, but do often work with nuclear cardiology and other physicians to help diagnose or develop treatments for patients. A nuclear scientist will have expertise in computer science, interactions between radiation and matter, nuclear imaging instrumentation and radiation dosage. A cardiac nuclear medicine scientist will need advanced science degrees as well as certification through one of two national boards.
Cardiac Nuclear Medicine Doctor
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Nuclear cardiologists work almost exclusively in a university, a hospital or both. Nuclear cardiology doctors diagnose and treat heart patients with radiation. A cardiac nuclear medicine doctor completes the same higher degrees as any physician, but does a special residency in cardiology and another in nuclear medicine in graduate studies. These physicians complete two to five years of extra training in nuclear medicine after graduating. Nuclear cardiology physicians will have expertise in nuclear facility management, nuclear research, laboratory testing techniques, radiation therapy, cardiology, medical nuclear physics, radiopharmaceutical chemistry, radiation biology, computer sciences and tomographic imaging.
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Cardiac Nuclear Medicine Technologist
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A nuclear cardiology technologist works directly with patients and a nuclear medicine physician, in settings that vary from hospitals to small private clinics or even federal medical facilities. The technologist prepares patients for imaging, works with patients during imaging, creates images, and ensures all proper safety precautions are taken to protect everyone during the process. The technologist also records and interprets important patient data for the physician. Cardiac nuclear technologists will have a four-year degree and usually a higher-level certification and clinical internship in nuclear cardiology.
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- Photo Credit atomic (nuclear) heart, danger! image by Andrey Khritin from Fotolia.com
