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.
Most important skills
- Critical Thinking
- Active Listening
- Speaking
- Reading Comprehension
- Writing
- Monitoring
- Social Perceptiveness
- Science
Key knowledge
- Customer and Personal Service
- Biology
- English Language
- Physics
- Medicine and Dentistry
- Chemistry
- Computers and Electronics
- Mathematics
What the work involves
- Calculate, measure, and record radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received, used, and disposed, using computer and following physician's prescription.
- Detect and map radiopharmaceuticals in patients' bodies, using a camera to produce photographic or computer images.
- Explain test procedures and safety precautions to patients and provide them with assistance during test procedures.
- Produce a computer-generated or film image for interpretation by a physician.
- Process cardiac function studies, using computer.
- Dispose of radioactive materials and store radiopharmaceuticals, following radiation safety procedures.
- Record and process results of procedures.
- Prepare stock radiopharmaceuticals, adhering to safety standards that minimize radiation exposure to workers and patients.
Strongest interest areas (O*NET): Realistic, Investigative, Conventional.
Qualifications and licensing
- Most common education
- Associate's Degree or other 2-year degree (62.6% of respondents)
- Related experience
- Over 1 year, up to and including 2 years (34.9%)
- On-the-job training
- Over 3 months, up to and including 6 months (26.7%)
- Preparation level
- O*NET job zone 3: Job Zone Three: Medium Preparation Needed
- Licensing
- Not yet verified. Check your state licensing board.
Check before planning
- Licensing for Nuclear Medicine Technologists is not yet verified for any state: check the state licensing board before planning.
Limits
- Distributions show what current workers or occupational experts report, not legal minimums.
- Requirements vary by employer and state; time to qualify is not estimated.
Source: O*NET 31.0 Database (USDOL/ETA, CC BY 4.0); BLS Employment Projections · dataset 2026.10.8 · method e3-qualification-1.0.0
Work environment
How the typical conditions of this occupation compare with 911 occupations in O*NET (very low = the lowest fifth).
Levels are relative. Most occupations involve a lot of contact with people, for example, so “very low” can still mean regular contact; the last column shows what workers actually reported.
| Condition | Level | Compared with other occupations | Most common answer (O*NET survey) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Contact with others | Very high | Higher on contact with others than 87% of occupations compared | 91% of surveyed respondents chose “Constant contact with others” |
| Dealing with the public | Very high | Higher on dealing with the public than 94% of occupations compared | 80% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Teamwork | Moderate | Higher on teamwork than 58% of occupations compared | 56% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely important” |
| Freedom to make decisions | High | Higher on freedom to make decisions than 77% of occupations compared | 57% of surveyed respondents chose “A lot of freedom” |
| Time pressure | High | Higher on time pressure than 69% of occupations compared | 59% of surveyed respondents chose “Every day” |
| Conflict situations | High | Higher on conflict situations than 75% of occupations compared | 39% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Dealing with unpleasant or angry people | Very high | Higher on dealing with unpleasant or angry people than 88% of occupations compared | 46% of surveyed respondents chose “Once a week or more but not every day” |
| Consequence of error | Very high | Higher on consequence of error than 96% of occupations compared | 62% of surveyed respondents chose “Extremely serious” |
Work-pressure profile
- Time pressure: high
- Conflict situations: high
- Dealing with unpleasant or angry people: very high
- Consequence of error: very high
Each part is shown on its own. There is no combined stress score, and conditions vary by employer and role.
Full answer distributions
Contact with others
- No contact with others: 0%
- Occasional contact with others: 3.89%
- Contact with others about half the time: 0%
- Contact with others most of the time: 5.61%
- Constant contact with others: 90.5%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2013
Dealing with the public
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 5.54%
- Important: 3.89%
- Very important: 11.03%
- Extremely important: 79.54%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2013
Teamwork
- Not important at all: 0%
- Fairly important: 3.89%
- Important: 10.81%
- Very important: 29.3%
- Extremely important: 56%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2013
Freedom to make decisions
- No freedom: 0%
- Very little freedom: 0.91%
- Limited freedom: 9.6%
- Some freedom: 33%
- A lot of freedom: 56.5%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2013
Time pressure
- Never: 10.19%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 1.61%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 15.13%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 13.98%
- Every day: 59.09%
n = 39, Incumbent 07/2013
Conflict situations
- Never: 13.41%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 13.57%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 22.36%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 38.84%
- Every day: 11.82%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2013
Dealing with unpleasant or angry people
- Never: 0%
- Once a year or more but not every month: 17.24%
- Once a month or more but not every week: 16.94%
- Once a week or more but not every day: 46.04%
- Every day: 19.78%
n = 40, Incumbent 07/2013
Consequence of error
- Not serious at all: 0.74%
- Fairly serious: 8.7%
- Serious: 0.99%
- Very serious: 27.71%
- Extremely serious: 61.86%
n = 39, Incumbent 07/2013
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O*NET-SOC 29-2033.00 · SOC 29-2033 (exact, high confidence) · dataset 2026.10.8