Associate Degree Program (363P) - Hospital-Based through Lancaster General College of Nursing and Health Sciences - Lancaster
The program is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation of Allied Health Education Programs (CAAHEP).

Program Admission Criteria - Students entering this major are required to meet with a campus counselor. Contact your home campus to schedule an appointment.
Program Essential Qualifications
Required Courses rev for Fall 2011

Nuclear Med Tech Handout from Lancaster General with contact info.

Selective program. Admission to the college doesn't guarantee admission to the clinical component of the program.

Description of Occupation - Nuclear medicine combines chemistry, physics, mathematics, computer technology, and medicine in using radioactivity to diagnose and treat disease. The Nuclear Medicine Technologist is a highly specialized healthcare professional who works closely with the nuclear medicine physician. Some of the technologist’s primary responsibilities are to prepare and administer radioactive chemical compounds, perform patient imaging procedures using sophisticated radiation-detecting instrumentation, accomplish computer processing and image enhancement, analyze biologic specimens in the laboratory, and provide images, data analysis, and patient information to the physician for diagnostic interpretation.

Physical requirements of the student are to include but are not limited to: sitting, walking, standing, reaching, pulling, lifting, sensing and feeling. Visual requirements-a good sense of vision necessary to distinguish like objects from one another, to scan fields of data or control panels, select a number of characters, and/or detect and visually follow moving objects. Auditory requirements-good sense of hearing necessary to communicate effectively with patients and coworkers.

Length of Program and College Degree Conferred - The nuclear medicine technology program is 75 credits, sequenced in 7 semesters, with the awarding of an associate of arts degree upon successful completion. Completion time can vary depending on a candidate's background and need for identified preparatory skills and coursework and the student's rate of study. The academic component of the program is completed at HACC (any campus or site). The clinical component (12 months) is administered by Lancaster General College of Nursing and Health Sciences.

Upon successful completion of the program, graduates are eligible to become certified by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTC) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

Places of Employment and Outlook - Nuclear med tech is the 17th fastest growing occupation requiring post-secondary or associate's degree training in Pennsylvania 1998-2008. Many opportunities are available locally and nationally. Hospitals and outpatient imaging centers

Salary Range for Geographical Area - $58,800 median salary in Pennsylvania 2000

Educational Advancement - No additional degree is required but continuing education credits are required to keep technologists up to date with the latest developments in the field of nuclear medicine. Franklin University offers a BS in Healthcare Management and Shippensburg University offers a BS in Healthcare Administration. Immaculata University offers an accelerated BA in Health Care Management (classes in accelerated format and held at HACC's Lancaster Campus).

Related Websites For Additional Information About The Profession
Career Infonet with salary and job outlook statistics, career video and licensing requirements
Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology
Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board
Society of Nuclear Medicine
Lancaster General College of Nursing and Health Sciences
University of Nebraska Medical Center - A Day in the Life - Nuclear Medicine Technology

If you have questions, contact Health Careers (717) 780-1988 or (800) 222-4222 x 1988

Questions about the clinical phase or Lancaster General College of Nursing and Health Sciences? Contact Paula Mancini (717) 544-4912 ext. 77395

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