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Occupation AtlasNuclear Medicine Technologists

O*NET · 29-2033.00

Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Prepare, administer, and measure radioactive isotopes in therapeutic, diagnostic, and tracer studies using a variety of radioisotope equipment. Prepare stock solutions of radioactive materials and calculate doses to be administered by radiologists. Subject patients to radiation. Execute blood volume, red cell survival, and fat absorption studies following standard laboratory techniques.

Also called Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT) · CNMT · Isotope Technician · Isotope Technologist · Medical Radiation Dosimetrist · NMT · Nuclear Cardiology Technologist · Nuclear Medical Technologist
12 more

Nuclear Medicine PET-CT Technologist · Nuclear Medicine PET-CT Technologist (Nuclear Medicine Positron Emission Tomography - Computed Tomography Technologist) · Nuclear Medicine Technician · Nuclear Medicine Technologist (NMT) · Nuclear Technologist · PET Technologist · PET Technologist (Positron Emission Tomography Technologist) · Radiation Safety Officer · Radioisotope Technician · Radioisotope Technologist · Registered Nuclear Medicine Technologist · Staff Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Job Zone 3 — Medium Preparation NeededHolland code RIC35 skills on file

Compare with another occupationCompare with Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians

Job Zone

  1. 1
  2. 2
  3. 3
  4. 4
  5. 5

Zone 3: Medium Preparation Needed

Medium preparation. Vocational training, related on-the-job experience, or an associate degree, with one to two years of training that combines experience and informal instruction.

Job Zone is O*NET's rating of how much education, experience and training an occupation typically needs — a property of the work, not of anyone doing it.

Occupational interest profile

RICRealistic · Investigative · Conventional — the three strongest interests, in order

  • R Realistic5.99
  • I Investigative5.57
  • C Conventional5.20
  • S Social3.08
  • E Enterprising1.31
  • A Artistic1.00

RIASEC (Holland) interests on O*NET's 0–7 scale: what the work draws on, not what any individual prefers. Hover a row for what each dimension means.

Education and experience

The education level respondents say the job requires, and the most common answer for experience and training.

  • Post-Secondary Certificate4%
  • Some College Courses2%
  • Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree63%
  • Bachelor's Degree22%
  • Post-Baccalaureate Certificate6%
  • First Professional Degree4%
Related work experience
Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (35%)
On-site or in-plant training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (20%)
On-the-job training
Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (27%)

Typically associated skills

All 35 O*NET skills, most important first. Importance (1–5) says how much a skill matters here; level (0–7) says how much of it the work calls for, with O*NET's example of a nearby level. Neither is a proficiency rating of a person.

  • Critical Thinkingbasic3.93.6Level 4 looks like: Evaluate customer complaints and determine appropriate responses
  • Active Listeningbasic3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Answer inquiries regarding credit references
  • Speakingbasic3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Interview applicants to obtain personal and work history
  • Reading Comprehensionbasic3.54.0Level 4 looks like: Understand an email from management describing new personnel policies
  • Monitoringbasic3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Monitor a meeting and revise the agenda to ensure important topics are discussed
  • Writingbasic3.53.4Level 4 looks like: Write an email to staff outlining new directives
  • Social Perceptiveness3.43.6Level 4 looks like: Be aware of how a coworker's promotion will affect a work group
  • Sciencebasic3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Conduct product tests to ensure safety standards are met
  • Coordination3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Work with others to put a new roof on a house
  • Service Orientation3.33.3Level 4 looks like: Make flight reservations for customers using an online booking site
  • Judgment and Decision Making3.32.9Level 2 looks like: Decide how scheduling a break will affect work flow
  • Active Learningbasic3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Determine the impact of new menu changes on a restaurant's purchasing requirements
Show the other 23
  • Complex Problem Solving3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Lay out tools to complete a job
  • Mathematicsbasic3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Count the amount of change to be given to a customer
  • Operations Monitoring3.12.9Level 2 looks like: Monitor completion times while running a computer program
  • Time Management3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Keep a monthly calendar of appointments
  • Operation and Control3.02.8Level 2 looks like: Navigate the settings on an office printer to print on both sides of the paper
  • Instructing2.93.4Level 4 looks like: Instruct a coworker in how to operate a software program
  • Quality Control Analysis2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Assess new parts for precision and accuracy to specifications
  • Learning Strategiesbasic2.83.0Level 2 looks like: Learn a different method of completing a task from a coworker
  • Persuasion2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Solicit donations for a charity
  • Management of Personnel Resources2.62.8Level 2 looks like: Encourage a coworker who is having difficulty finishing a project
  • Systems Analysis2.42.5Level 2 looks like: Determine how loss of a team member will affect the completion of a job
  • Negotiation2.42.4Level 2 looks like: Present justification to a manager for altering a work schedule
  • Systems Evaluation2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Determine why estimates for the time to complete a task are overly optimistic
  • Troubleshooting2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Identify the source of a leak by looking under a machine
  • Equipment Maintenance2.42.1Level 2 looks like: Add oil to an engine as indicated by a warning light
  • Equipment Selection2.31.9Level 2 looks like: Select a tool to adjust a loose part on a bicycle
  • Repairing2.12.0Level 2 looks like: Tighten a screw to get a door to close properly
  • Management of Material Resources2.01.4Level 2 looks like: Reserve a room for a management meeting
  • Operations Analysis1.81.1Level 2 looks like: Select a printer for an office
  • Management of Financial Resources1.81.0Level 2 looks like: Use available funds to buy office supplies and record the amount of the purchase
  • Technology Design1.80.8
  • Programming1.60.9
  • Installation1.0—

Tasks

14 core · 3 supplemental

What people in this occupation do, as O*NET records it, core tasks first by importance (1–5).

  1. Detect and map radiopharmaceuticals in patients' bodies, using a camera to produce photographic or computer images.4.9
  2. Administer radiopharmaceuticals or radiation intravenously to detect or treat diseases, using radioisotope equipment, under direction of a physician.4.9
  3. Calculate, measure, and record radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received, used, and disposed, using computer and following physician's prescription.4.8
  4. Produce a computer-generated or film image for interpretation by a physician.4.8
  5. Process cardiac function studies, using computer.4.8
  6. Record and process results of procedures.4.8
  7. Explain test procedures and safety precautions to patients and provide them with assistance during test procedures.4.7
  8. Dispose of radioactive materials and store radiopharmaceuticals, following radiation safety procedures.4.7
  9. Prepare stock radiopharmaceuticals, adhering to safety standards that minimize radiation exposure to workers and patients.4.7
  10. Perform quality control checks on laboratory equipment or cameras.4.7
  11. Maintain and calibrate radioisotope and laboratory equipment.4.6
  12. Gather information on patients' illnesses and medical history to guide the choice of diagnostic procedures for therapy.4.6
Show the other 5
  1. Measure glandular activity, blood volume, red cell survival, or radioactivity of patient, using scanners, Geiger counters, scintillometers, or other laboratory equipment.4.4
  2. Train or supervise student or subordinate nuclear medicine technologists.3.8
  3. Position radiation fields, radiation beams, and patient to allow for most effective treatment of patient's disease, using computer.4.5
  4. Add radioactive substances to biological specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, to determine therapeutic drug or hormone levels.4.4
  5. Develop treatment procedures for nuclear medicine treatment programs.3.4

Knowledge

Bodies of knowledge the work draws on.

  • Customer and Personal Service4.75.6
  • Biology4.04.2Level 4 looks like: Investigate the effects of pollution on marine plants and animals
  • English Language3.93.8Level 4 looks like: Edit an article for a news website
  • Physics3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Calculate the speed of a falling object
  • Chemistry3.84.2Level 4 looks like: Use the proper concentration of chlorine to purify a water source
  • Medicine and Dentistry3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Fill a tooth cavity
  • Computers and Electronics3.74.2Level 4 looks like: Use a computer to format a document
  • Mathematics3.74.0Level 4 looks like: Analyze data to determine areas with the highest sales
Show all 33
  • Public Safety and Security3.43.2Level 4 looks like: Inspect a building site for safety violations
  • Administrative3.33.5Level 4 looks like: Type 30 words per minute
  • Education and Training3.13.6Level 4 looks like: Lead a quality improvement seminar
  • Psychology3.13.7Level 4 looks like: Understand the impact of alcohol on human responses
  • Administration and Management2.82.6
  • Engineering and Technology2.72.3Level 1 looks like: Install a door lock
  • Law and Government2.42.3Level 1 looks like: Describe the length of a U.S. presidential term
  • Production and Processing2.42.0Level 1 looks like: Put a computer back into its packing materials
  • Mechanical2.31.6Level 1 looks like: Replace the filters in a furnace
  • Sociology and Anthropology2.11.8Level 1 looks like: Identify two cultures in a story as being different
  • Telecommunications2.11.6Level 1 looks like: Send an email
  • Communications and Media2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Write a thank you note
  • Therapy and Counseling1.91.7Level 1 looks like: Put ice on a sprained ankle
  • Economics and Accounting1.81.0Level 1 looks like: Answer billing questions from credit card customers
  • Personnel and Human Resources1.81.3Level 1 looks like: Fill out a medical claim form
  • Foreign Language1.71.5Level 1 looks like: Say "please" and "thank you" in a foreign language
  • Transportation1.71.0Level 1 looks like: Ride a train to work
  • Philosophy and Theology1.61.4Level 1 looks like: Watch a TV show on family values
  • Design1.50.8Level 1 looks like: Draw a straight line 4 3/16 inches long
  • Sales and Marketing1.51.2Level 1 looks like: Sell cakes at a bake sale
  • Building and Construction1.2—
  • Geography1.2—
  • Food Production1.1—
  • History and Archeology1.1—
  • Fine Arts1.0—

Abilities

Enduring capacities the work calls for.

  • Oral Comprehension4.04.3Level 4 looks like: Understand a coach's oral instructions for a sport
  • Oral Expression4.03.9Level 4 looks like: Give instructions to a lost motorist
  • Near Vision3.94.1Level 5 looks like: Read the fine print of a legal document
  • Problem Sensitivity3.93.9Level 4 looks like: Notice from a subtle difference in a client's mood that something is bothering them
  • Information Ordering3.83.8Level 2 looks like: Follow the correct steps to make change
  • Written Comprehension3.83.8Level 4 looks like: Understand an apartment lease
  • Speech Recognition3.63.3Level 4 looks like: Identify a former customer's voice over the phone
  • Deductive Reasoning3.53.5Level 2 looks like: Know that a stalled car can coast downhill
Show all 52
  • Inductive Reasoning3.53.5Level 4 looks like: Determine the prime suspect based on crime scene evidence
  • Speech Clarity3.53.0Level 4 looks like: Make stadium-wide announcements during a sporting event
  • Written Expression3.53.6Level 4 looks like: Write a job recommendation for a subordinate
  • Category Flexibility3.33.4Level 3 looks like: Classify flowers according to size, color, and smell
  • Control Precision3.13.0Level 2 looks like: Adjust a room light with a dimmer switch
  • Mathematical Reasoning3.13.0Level 4 looks like: Decide how to calculate profits to determine the amounts of yearly bonuses
  • Number Facility3.13.0Level 3 looks like: Calculate a discounted price
  • Arm-Hand Steadiness3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Light a candle
  • Flexibility of Closure3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Detect that your phone is ringing while at a concert
  • Perceptual Speed3.03.0Level 2 looks like: Sort mail according to ZIP codes with no time pressure
  • Finger Dexterity2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Put coins in a parking meter
  • Fluency of Ideas2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Name four different uses for a screwdriver
  • Manual Dexterity2.92.9
  • Selective Attention2.92.9Level 2 looks like: Answer a business call with coworkers talking nearby
  • Visual Color Discrimination2.93.0Level 4 looks like: Trace electrical circuits marked by various colored wires
  • Visualization2.93.0Level 2 looks like: Imagine how to place paper in a printer so that the letterhead comes out on top
  • Far Vision2.82.9Level 2 looks like: Read a roadside billboard
  • Memorization2.82.8
  • Originality2.82.8Level 2 looks like: Use a credit card to open a locked door
  • Time Sharing2.82.6Level 3 looks like: Watch street signs while driving at 30 miles an hour
  • Multilimb Coordination2.52.0Level 2 looks like: Row a boat
  • Speed of Closure2.52.4Level 3 looks like: Recognize a song after hearing only the first few notes
  • Trunk Strength2.42.3Level 2 looks like: Sit up in an office chair
  • Rate Control2.12.0Level 1 looks like: Ride a bicycle alongside a jogger
  • Reaction Time2.12.1Level 2 looks like: Start to slow down the car when a traffic light turns yellow
  • Depth Perception2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Merge a car into traffic on a city street
  • Dynamic Strength2.01.9Level 2 looks like: Use pruning shears to trim a bush
  • Gross Body Coordination2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Get in and out of a truck
  • Hearing Sensitivity2.02.0Level 2 looks like: Notice a doorbell ringing
  • Stamina2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Walk 1/4 mile
  • Static Strength2.01.9Level 1 looks like: Push an empty shopping cart
  • Auditory Attention1.91.8Level 2 looks like: Listen to a lecture while people nearby are talking
  • Extent Flexibility1.91.9Level 2 looks like: Reach to adjust the radio in a car
  • Gross Body Equilibrium1.91.3Level 2 looks like: Stand on a ladder
  • Response Orientation1.91.8Level 2 looks like: When a doorbell and phone ring at the same time, quickly select which to answer first
  • Speed of Limb Movement1.90.9
  • Wrist-Finger Speed1.91.0Level 2 looks like: Use a screwdriver to twist in a screw
  • Dynamic Flexibility1.0—
  • Explosive Strength1.0—
  • Glare Sensitivity1.0—
  • Night Vision1.0—
  • Peripheral Vision1.0—
  • Sound Localization1.0—
  • Spatial Orientation1.0—

Work activities

Kinds of activity the work is made of.

  • Assisting and Caring for Others4.65.4Level 4 looks like: Help a medical patient find in-home assistance or healthcare
  • Working with Computers4.63.9Level 4 looks like: Write software for keeping track of parts in inventory
  • Documenting/Recording Information4.34.0Level 4 looks like: Document the results of a crime scene investigation
  • Getting Information4.23.9Level 4 looks like: Review a budget
  • Updating and Using Relevant Knowledge4.25.2Level 4 looks like: Keep current on changes in maintenance procedures for repairing sports cars
  • Performing for or Working Directly with the Public4.14.6Level 4 looks like: Sell shoes in a crowded shoe store
  • Evaluating Information to Determine Compliance with Standards4.04.3Level 4 looks like: Evaluate a complicated insurance claim for compliance with policy terms
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or Subordinates3.94.2Level 4 looks like: Report the results of a sales meeting to a supervisor
Show all 41
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal Relationships3.94.5Level 4 looks like: Maintain good working relationships with almost all coworkers and clients
  • Controlling Machines and Processes3.84.2Level 4 looks like: Operate a drilling rig
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and Events3.84.5Level 4 looks like: Judge the suitability of food products for an event
  • Inspecting Equipment, Structures, or Materials3.84.2Level 4 looks like: Inspect equipment in a chemical processing plant
  • Monitoring Processes, Materials, or Surroundings3.85.0Level 4 looks like: Test electrical circuits
  • Making Decisions and Solving Problems3.73.9Level 4 looks like: Select the location for a major retail store
  • Organizing, Planning, and Prioritizing Work3.74.3Level 4 looks like: Plan and adjust a personal to-do list according to changing demands
  • Processing Information3.74.1Level 4 looks like: Calculate the adjustments for insurance claims
  • Coordinating the Work and Activities of Others3.63.8Level 4 looks like: Organize the cleanup crew after a major sporting event
  • Handling and Moving Objects3.54.6Level 4 looks like: Arrange books in a library
  • Performing General Physical Activities3.43.3Level 4 looks like: Paint the outside of a house
  • Developing and Building Teams3.32.9
  • Interpreting the Meaning of Information for Others3.33.2Level 4 looks like: Interpret how foreign tax laws apply to U.S. exports
  • Scheduling Work and Activities3.33.4Level 4 looks like: Prepare the work schedule for salesclerks in a large retail store
  • Training and Teaching Others3.33.6Level 4 looks like: Teach a social sciences course to high school students
  • Performing Administrative Activities3.23.0Level 4 looks like: Complete tax forms for a small business
  • Estimating the Quantifiable Characteristics of Products, Events, or Information3.13.1Level 4 looks like: Estimate the time required to evacuate a city in the event of a major disaster
  • Judging the Qualities of Objects, Services, or People3.13.4Level 4 looks like: Determine the value of property lost in a fire
  • Communicating with People Outside the Organization3.02.7
  • Analyzing Data or Information2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Determine the interest cost to finance a new building
  • Coaching and Developing Others2.93.2Level 4 looks like: Provide on-the-job training for administrative workers
  • Repairing and Maintaining Electronic Equipment2.92.5Level 1 looks like: Use display settings to adjust a television picture
  • Resolving Conflicts and Negotiating with Others2.93.1Level 4 looks like: Get two subordinates to agree about vacation schedules
  • Guiding, Directing, and Motivating Subordinates2.82.4Level 1 looks like: Work occasionally as a backup supervisor
  • Monitoring and Controlling Resources2.83.3Level 4 looks like: Work as a chef responsible for ordering food for the menu
  • Thinking Creatively2.83.1Level 4 looks like: Adapt popular music for a high school marching band
  • Developing Objectives and Strategies2.62.5Level 1 looks like: Plan the holiday schedule for an airline workforce
  • Providing Consultation and Advice to Others2.62.9
  • Repairing and Maintaining Mechanical Equipment2.42.4Level 1 looks like: Make simple, external adjustments to a door hinge with ordinary hand tools
  • Operating Vehicles, Mechanized Devices, or Equipment2.21.5Level 1 looks like: Drive a car
  • Staffing Organizational Units2.11.4Level 1 looks like: Work in a position that has minimal staffing requirements
  • Drafting, Laying Out, and Specifying Technical Devices, Parts, and Equipment2.01.8Level 1 looks like: Specify the lighting for a work area
  • Selling or Influencing Others2.01.5Level 1 looks like: Convince a coworker to assist with an assignment

Work context

The conditions most characteristic of the work, on O*NET's 1–5 context scale.

  • Exposed to Radiation5.0
  • Contact With Others4.8
  • Telephone Conversations4.8
  • Deal With External Customers or the Public in General4.7
  • Exposed to Disease or Infections4.7
  • Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams4.7
  • Importance of Being Exact or Accurate4.7
  • Freedom to Make Decisions4.5
  • Frequency of Decision Making4.5
  • Consequence of Error4.4

Technology

10 tools

Software used in this work. In demand: among the tools job postings for this occupation name most. Hot: often named in job postings across the economy.

Hot (6)

  • MEDITECH software
  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • Microsoft Outlook
  • Microsoft PowerPoint
  • Microsoft Word
Other tools (4)
  • Electronic medical record EMR software
  • Gamma camera software
  • Medovation RadRunner
  • Radiopharmacy inventory databases

Related occupations

O*NET's own list of the occupations most related to this one, closest first.

  1. Cardiovascular Technologists and Technicians
  2. Radiologic Technologists and Technicians
  3. Radiation Therapists
  4. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technologists
  5. Radiologists
  6. Magnetic Resonance Imaging Technologists
  7. Medical and Clinical Laboratory Technicians
  8. Neurodiagnostic Technologists
  9. Diagnostic Medical Sonographers
  10. Medical Dosimetrists

ESCO equivalents

From the official ESCO–O*NET crosswalk, strongest match first. A broader occupation takes in this one; a narrower one is a part of it.

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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA), used under the CC BY 4.0 license; O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA. ESCO occupations and skills are from the European Commission's ESCO classification, and the occupation crosswalk is the official ESCO–O*NET mapping by the ESCO Secretariat with USDOL/ETA. This service uses the ESCO classification of the European Commission. BlissPoint Analytics has modified all or some of this information: skill, task and descriptor ratings are rounded to one decimal, and ESCO occupations show Job Zone and interests copied from a crosswalked O*NET occupation. USDOL/ETA has not approved, endorsed, or tested these modifications.