The Nuclear Medicine Technolovy degree will prepare you for work as a nuclear medicine technologist in hospitals, medical offices or ambulatory clinics.
The program curriculum includes appropriate didactic content and ample supervised hands-on clinical education to ensure sufficient opportunity to achieve all didactic and clinical requirements. For your clinical education, you'll be assigned to a clinical practicum at one of our partner facilities.
Upon completion of the program, you may apply to take the certifying board examinations administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technology (Nuclear Medicine) and the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB).
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Admissions
This is a selective admissions program. Additional admissions requirements beyond general acceptance to the college are needed.
Curriculum
See learning outcomes and required courses for the Nuclear Medicine Technology degree.
Contact
Tracey Sullivan, BS, CNMT, PET
Program Coordinator
Phone: 203-285-285-2381
Email: tracey.sullivan@ctstate.edu
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Accreditation
The CT State Gateway Nuclear Medicine Technology program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT). Additional accreditation information can be found on the JRCNMT website.
Certification/Licensure Disclosure Statement
Federal Regulation, 34 CFR 668.43-Institutional Information for Disclosure for Licensure Program requires the institution to disclose whether completion of a covered licensure program would be sufficient to meet licensure requirements in a State for that occupation. An institution can make one or more of the following determinations:
The Nuclear Medicine Associate Degree Technology and Certificate Programs are accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Education in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT), 820 W Danforth Rd, #B1 Edmond, OK 73003 and meets the state education requirements for “a recognized course of study in “Nuclear Medicine Technology” in the state of Connecticut. In addition, an applicant for Nuclear Medicine Technology licensure in the state of Connecticut must successfully complete the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT) Nuclear Medicine Technology examination.
The Nuclear Medicine Technology Program at CT State Gateway has not determined if the associate degree program or the certificate in Nuclear Medicine Technology meets the state education requirements in any other state, any U.S. Territory, or the District of Columbia. Program applicants should investigate each state licensure requirements prior to accepting an offer of admission to the Nuclear Medicine Technology program at Gateway Community College.
The licensure boards in each state are responsible for establishing the minimum standards for licensure/certification for their state. Students who intend to seek licensure in any state other than Connecticut need to consult with the state professional licensing board. The state professional licensing boards make the decision on whether an individual is eligible for licensure based on the rules and regulations in place at the time the individual submits their application for licensure.
Information on the State of Connecticut Nuclear Medicine program licensure requirements can be found at this link: Nuclear Medicine Technologist (ct.gov).
Clinical Experience Will Take Place At:
- Yale-New Haven Hospital (New Haven)
- Yale University PET Center (New Haven)
- The Veterans Affairs Connecticut Health Care System (West Haven)
- Middlesex Hospital (Middletown)
- Griffin Hospital (Derby)
- Cardinal Health Nuclear Pharmacy Services (East Hartford)
- Midstate Medical Center (Meriden)
- Bridgeport Hospital (Milford Campus)
- William W. Backus Hospital (Norwich)
- Lawrence & Memorial Hospital (New London)
- Stamford Hospital (Stamford)
- Greenwich Hospital (Greenwich)
- UCONN Medical Center (Farmington)
- Hospital of Central Connecticut (New Britain)
- Waterbury Hospital (Waterbury)
- Simulated labs are held in the Nuclear Medicine lab at the Gateway campus and are scheduled on lecture days.
Note: Students are responsible for their own transportation to and from class and clinical assignments. Due to standards from The Joint Commission, students are advised that the healthcare facilities to which they are assigned for clinical rotations may require that they submit a criminal background check, required immunization records and other documentation needed to meet the standards. CT State Community College cannot be responsible for finding an alternate clinical placement for a student who fails to meet the required hospital requirements. A student who is unable to complete the required clinical experience will be unable to complete the requirements for the associate degree in Nuclear Medcine but may be able to apply some or all the credits completed to an associate degree in General Studies. Students are advised to meet with a Counselor to discuss degree completion requirements.
Clinical Curriculum
The structure of the curriculum is such that courses are offered in sequence and progress in complexity. It offers appropriate didactic content and ample supervised clinical education to ensure sufficient opportunity to achieve all didactic and clinical requirements established by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT.)
Program Information
Graduate outcomes are indicators of program effectiveness, demonstrating the extent to which a program achieves its goals. Programmatic graduate outcomes data reported on the JRCNMT website include: 5-year time period of current report; graduation rate; ARRT credentialing success; NMTCB credentialing success and job placement rate.
Graduation Requirements
All program students must complete the following to receive an associate degree from the program. See the student handbook for complete details.
- Complete all didactic curricula with a final grade of C or better.
- Complete all clinical curricula with a final grade of C or better.
- Complete all competency exams with a final grade of 100%.
- Maintain all hospital and program standards as outlined in the program handbook.
Graduates of the program are eligible to take the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) American Registry of Radiologic Technologists, Nuclear Medicine Examination ARRT(N).
The major categories of the nuclear medicine technologist’s scope of practice include, but are not limited to, the following areas (as defined in the “Scope of Practice for the Nuclear Medicine Technologist 2020”, SNMMI Technologist Section):
Patient Care: Requires the exercise of judgment to assess and respond to the patient’s needs before, during and following diagnostic imaging and treatment procedures and in-patient medication reconciliation. This includes record keeping in accordance with the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA).
Instrumentation/Quality Control: This involves operating nuclear medicine and PET imaging systems, with or without sealed sources of radioactive materials, X-ray tubes, or MR systems for attenuation correction, transmission imaging, or diagnostic CT or MR (when appropriately trained and/or credentialed).
Quality Control: The evaluation and maintenance of a quality control program for all instrumentation to ensure optimal performance and stability.
Diagnostic Procedures: Requires the utilization of appropriate techniques, radiopharmaceuticals, imaging medications and adjunctive medications as part of a standard protocol to ensure quality diagnostic images and/or laboratory results. Obtains biological samples to perform testing as required for the optimization of patient care and quality of diagnostic procedures.
Therapeutic Procedures: Requires the utilization of appropriate techniques, radiopharmaceuticals, and adjunctive medications as part of a standard protocol to ensure proper treatment of the disease process. Obtains biological samples to perform testing as required for the optimization of patient care.
Adjunctive Medications: Involves the identification, preparation, calculation, documentation, administration, and monitoring of adjunctive medication(s) used during diagnostic imaging, or therapeutic procedures. Imaging Medications: Involves the identification, preparation, calculation, documentation, administration, and monitoring of imaging medication(s) used during diagnostic imaging studies.
Imaging Medications: Involves the identification, preparation, calculation, documentation, administration, and monitoring of imaging medication(s) used during diagnostic imaging studies.
Radiopharmaceuticals: Involves the safe handling and storage of radiopharmaceuticals. This includes, but is not limited to, the procurement, identification, preparation, dose calculation, and administration of radiopharmaceuticals. It involves the safe handling and storage of radiopharmaceuticals. This includes, but is not limited to, the procurement, identification, preparation, dose calculation, and administration of radiopharmaceuticals. It also includes all associated documentation and disposal as appropriate.
Radiation Safety: This involves practicing techniques that will minimize radiation exposure to the patient, health care personnel, and the general public. These include using protective devices, shields, dose reduction, and monitors consistent with ALARA principles. Establishing protocols for managing spills and unplanned releases of radiation.