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Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT)  

College of Science and Allied Health
Department of Chemistry
Program Director: Paul Taylor
4024 Cowley Hall, (608)785-8274
e-mail: taylor.paul@uwlax.edu 
www.uwlax.edu/nmt  

Nuclear medicine technology is an allied health specialty employing the use of radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostic and therapeutic purposes. Students majoring in this program are provided a substantial educational foundation in the sciences and clinical applications in a hospital internship so that graduates may function as technologists. The pre-professional and professional programs collectively require six semesters on campus to earn a minimum of 90 credits including certain prescribed courses followed by a 12-month internship at an affiliated hospital’s school of nuclear medicine technology.

The university sponsors up to 30 clinical internships each year. The size of the nuclear medicine technology program is limited by these internships. Students must make formal application to the program during the spring semester of either their sophomore or junior year (see adviser). Refer to the sample schedules on the next page. A Nuclear Medicine Technology Professional Program Selection Committee composed of representatives from the university and the program’s clinical affiliates evaluates each application on the basis of the applicant’s past academic performance (a minimum cumulative GPA of 2.50 is required for admission into the professional program), their references, their past work experience, and the results of a formal interview. Based on these factors, the applicants are ranked and sponsored for entry into the professional program. Those students admitted to the professional curriculum will be eligible for an internship site upon successful completion of the on-campus course requirements and selection by a clinical affiliate. Acceptance into the professional program does not guarantee an internship at a hospital. The hospitals select students for internships. During the senior year, clinical internship students enroll at UW-L for a minimum of 34 semester credits in clinical courses and pay full tuition and fees. Upon successful completion of the internship and all other university requirements, students are awarded a bachelor of science degree with a major in nuclear medicine technology.

Hospital educational programs of nuclear medicine technology are accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRC-NMT). Graduates are eligible to take the examination for certification as a certified nuclear medicine technologist offered by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or as a nuclear medicine technologist offered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT).

Nuclear Medicine Technology — Affiliated Schools

—   Mayo School of Health-Related Sciences Mayo Foundation
       Rochester, Minnesota

—   Froedtert Hospital
       Milwaukee, Wisconsin

—   St. Joseph’s Hospital
       Marshfield, Wisconsin

—   St. Luke’s Hospital
       Milwaukee, Wisconsin

—   Veterans Administration Edward Hines, Jr. Hospital
        Hines, Illinois

— Gundersen/Lutheran Medical Center   
       La Crosse, Wisconsin

Nuclear Medicine Technology Major (Science and Allied Health) Pre-Professional Requirements (65-69 crs)— BIO 105*, 312, 313, 433; CHM 103* and 104, 301, 300 (or 303, 304 and 305), 461; CHE 460; MTH 145* or 250*; 150* (or higher), NMT 201, 395; PHY 103* or 125*; PHY 376; PSY 100*; SOC 110* or 120*; SOC 420 or 422. Internship: Each nuclear medicine technology intern will enroll in clinical courses for a minimum of 34 credits. These pre-professional requirements satisfy college core requirements. 

*This course will also fulfill General Education requirements. May substitute BIO 103 for BIO 105 

Recommended Electives
BIO 432 – Biology of Cancer
CHM 325 — Biochemistry 

It is recommended that students have at least 10 hours of observation in a nuclear medicine department before they apply to the professional program. Students must have completed all their General Education and pre-professional program requirements prior to their clinical internship experience. Pre-professional requirement courses and NMT internship courses must be completed with a grade of “C” or above. A cumulative grade point average of 2.50 on a 4.00 scale is required for both acceptance into the professional program and for graduation with a major in nuclear medicine technology. 

Professional Program: Internship (34 credits) —NMT 401, 402, 403, 405, 407, 409, 411, 412, 413, 415, 416, 417, 418, 419, 420, 421, 423, 427, 484, 495, 499.  All of the above courses are not required but a minimum of 34 credits must be earned from the above list.

Nuclear Medicine Technology Sample Schedule 

First Year Pre-professional
— Semester I (15 total credits)
CHM  103 General Chemistry I 5
MTH  150 College Algebra 4
HIS     101 Global Origins of the  Modern World 3
ENG   110 College Writing I 3 

— Semester II (17 total credits)
CHM  104 General Chemistry II 5
BIO     105 General Biology 4
SOC    110 The Social World
                  or
SOC    120 Social Problems 3
CST    110 Public Oral  Communication 3
Appreciation course 2 

Second Year Pre-professional
— Semester I (17 total credits)
CHM  301 Quantitative Analysis 5
BIO     312 Human Anatomy and  Physiology I 4
PHY    103 Fundamental Physics I 4
                   or
PHY    125 Physics the Life Sciences 4
SAH    105 Health, Wellness  and Disease 3
NMT  201 Introduction to Nuclear   Medicine Technology 1 

— Semester II (16 total credits)
CHM  300 Foundations of Organic  Chemistry 5
BIO     313 Human Anatomy and   Physiology II 4
PSY     100 General Psychology 3
MTH  145 Elementary Statistics 4 

Third Year Professional

— Semester I.(16 total credits)
PHY    376 Intro to Nuclear Science 2
CHM  325 Biochemistry (elective) 4
SOC    420 Health Care and Illness 3
NMT  395 Immunology for Nuclear   MedicineTechnologists 1
CHE 460 Medical Terminology 1
Appreciation course 2
Minority Cultures or Multiracial  Women’s Studies course requirement 3 

— Semester II (16 total credits)
BIO     433 Radiation Biology 3
CHM  461 Nuclear Chemistry 4
International/Multicultural course 3
Humanistic Studies course 3
Elective course 3 

Fourth Year Professional
— Internship: NMT 400 level courses 

NMT   201   Cr. 1
Introduction to Nuclear Medicine Technology
Orientation to the application and professional aspects of nuclear medicine technology; including radiation safety and protection, types of imaging procedures performed, computer applications, related allied health professions and ethics. Lect. 0.5, Lab. 1. 

NMT   395   Cr. 1
Immunology for the Nuclear Medicine Technologist
A highly focused investigation of the practices of immunology for the student of nuclear medicine technology. Offered Sem. I. 

NMT   401 Cr. 0-2
Hospital Orientation
A survey of hospital administrative procedures including medical terms and medical ethics. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   402 Cr. 2-4
Clinical Correlation:  Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology
A lecture series of topics of current interest selected and presented by nuclear medicine physicians. Emphasis on clinical interpretation of organ systems pathophysiology as viewed by the practicing nuclear physician. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. Lect. 1-2. Duration: two semesters. 

NMT   403 Cr. 3-4
Anatomy, Physiology and Pathology
The anatomy, physiology and pathology of the human organ systems treated in the application of nuclear medicine. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   405 Cr. 2-3
Radiation Protection
Properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiations, their effects upon human beings and methods for protecting patients and staff from unnecessary exposure and possible injury. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   407 Cr. 2-5
Clinical Instrumentation and Techniques
Structure, operating characteristics and practice in use of nuclear radiation detection instruments and radioisotope handling devices used in medical diagnosis and therapy. Lect. 1-3, Lab. 3-6. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program.  

NMT   409 Cr. 1-3
Mathematical Evaluation of Clinical Data
A study of the expected variations in results depending on the choice of radionuclide, instrument and patient. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   411 Cr. 1-2
Records and Administrative Procedures
Records and procedures required by federal, state and professional regulatory agencies to insure proper: (1) acquisition, handling, application, storage, and disposal of radioactive materials; (2) awareness of radiation dosages received by patients and staff; and (3) functioning of detection equipment. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   412   Cr. 5-12
Clinical Nuclear Practicum I
The supervised use of radionuclides in imaging and scanning of patients for diagnostic purposes. Lect. 1-4, Lab. 12-24. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program.  

NMT   413 Cr. 3-9
Clinical Nuclear Practicum II
The supervised use of radionuclides in vitro and in vivo in patients for diagnostic purposes. Lect. 1-3, Lab. 6-18. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program.  

NMT   415 Cr. 1-3
Application of Radionuclides to Medicine
Review of radionuclides and the compounds into which they are formed that are useful in medical research, diagnosis and therapy. Lect. 1-3. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program.  

NMT   416 Cr. 1-3
Nuclear Medicine Quality Control Practicum
Elution of Mo/Tc generator, preparation and testing of radiopharmaceutical products. Gamma Camera uniformity, relative sensitivity and spatial linearity and resolution testing. The use of flood field and bar phantoms on in vivo imaging detectors in the nuclear medicine imaging laboratory. Lect. .5-1.5, Lab. 1.5-4.5. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program.  

NMT   417 Cr. 2-5
Nuclear Radiation Physics and Instrumentation
Properties of alpha, beta and gamma radiations; their origins and interactions with matter; their control and shielding; and the statistics of counting. Lect. 1-3, Lab. 3-6. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program.  

NMT   418 Cr. 1-3
Clinical Procedures Review
Classroom technique to establish clinical practices used in nuclear medicine imaging; develop techniques used in planar and SPECT imaging. The fundamental skills of patient care, radiopharmaceutical preparation and administration. Emphasis is also on computer processing techniques used in coordination with imaging procedures. Lect. .5-1.5. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. Duration: two semesters. 

NMT   419 Cr. 1-3
Clinical Radiation Biology
Cellular and organ responses to radiation sources and radionuclides employed in nuclear medicine. Lect. 1-2, Lab. 0-3. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   420 Cr. 1-2
Gamma Cameras
This course consists of lectures and laboratory sessions relating to the gamma camera from a physics point of view. It will convey to the student the principles of gamma camera operation, methods of measuring and maintaining camera performance, and the theory and practice of acquiring tomographic studies. Lect. .5-1, Lab. 1.5-3. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   421   Cr. 0-1
Therapeutic Radionuclides
The chemical, physical and biological properties of the radionuclides used in diagnosis and therapy. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   423 Cr. 1-3
Nuclear Medicine Chemistry
A study of the radiopharmacology and the chemistry of radionuclides used in the clinical laboratory. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   427 Cr. 1-5 
Application of Computers to Nuclear Medicine
A study of data collection, data reduction and data enhancement by computer methods. Lect. 1-2, Lab. 0-9. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program.

NMT   484 Cr. 1-3
Instruction and Testing Skills for Teaching Clinical Nuclear Medicine Procedures
 A study of the skills needed to teach in an accredited NMT program. The following competency areas are discussed: Instructional skills, curriculum design, program planning, student counseling, educational psychology, and evaluation and testing. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   495 Cr. 1-3
Special Topics in Nuclear Medicine
Topics of current interest in nuclear medicine with emphasis on new or experimental methods. Hours arranged. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program. 

NMT   499 Cr. 0-3
Independent Study
Independent projects under the direction and supervision of a member of the clinical staff. Hours arranged. Prerequisite: completion of 90 credits and acceptance into a hospital program.

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