Nuclear Medicine Physicians
Diagnose and treat diseases using radioactive materials.
Quick Facts
Wages: |
Median wages for the broader occupation, Physicians and Surgeons, All Other, are
/ hour.
|
Education: |
Graduate degree (any type)
is typically required.
|
On the Job: |
Typical Work Tasks
- Communicate detailed medical information to patients or family members.
- Determine protocols for medical procedures.
- Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.
- Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
Read more about the job
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Job Title Examples: |
Director of Nuclear Medicine
Nuclear Physician
Professor of Radiology
See more job title examples
|
View All Career Information
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
On the Job
Nuclear Medicine Physicians diagnose and treat patients by injecting radioactive substances into the body. These substances can sometimes identify medical problems earlier than standard diagnostic tests (such as x-rays) can. Nuclear Medicine Physicians may prescribe substances called radionuclides to patients. They approve dosages and review test findings. They may also decide on a treatment plan.
Typical Work Tasks
People who work in this career often:
- Communicate detailed medical information to patients or family members.
- Determine protocols for medical procedures.
- Collect medical information from patients, family members, or other medical professionals.
- Prepare reports summarizing patient diagnostic or care activities.
- Analyze laboratory specimens to detect abnormalities or other problems.
- Analyze test data or images to inform diagnosis or treatment.
- Calculate numerical data for medical activities.
- Check quality of diagnostic images.
- Collaborate with healthcare professionals to plan or provide treatment.
- Verify accuracy of patient information.
Typical Working Conditions
- Having face-to-face discussions.
- Exposure to radiation.
- Working indoors in environmentally controlled conditions.
- Meeting strict deadlines.
- The importance of being accurate or exact.
- Freedom to make decisions without supervision.
- Working with a group or team.
- Responsibility for others' health and safety.
- Sitting.
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
Education & Credentials
This is a new or emerging specialty. The information on this page is based on the broader career that this specialty is part of,
Physicians and Surgeons, All Other.
Educational Requirements
Graduate degree (any type)
Education level attained (national data)
Education Level Attained (national data)Education Level Attained | Percentage of workers in this occupation |
Less than high school diploma | 0.2 |
High school diploma or equivalent | 0.2 |
Some college, no degree | 0.1 |
Associate degree | 0 |
Bachelors degree | 1.7 |
Masters degree | 0.9 |
Doctoral (Ph.D) or professional degree | 96.8 |
Work Experience and Training Requirements
Nationally, this career typically requires:
- No related work experience for entry.
- Internship/residency to become competent.
Majors
Click on any of the Majors listed below to find out more about preparing for this
career.
Transfer Options
Enrolling in a community college can be a great place to start your four-year degree. While all 31 Minnesota State community colleges,
technical colleges and universities offer all or part of the Minnesota Transfer Curriculum
(a 40-credit package of general education courses accepted for transfer to other state colleges and universities, the University of Minnesota,
and some private colleges and universities), not all two-year colleges offer degrees intended to transfer to a four-year bachelor's degree.
If you plan to transfer to obtain a four-year bachelor's degree, it is important to know which degree path is right for you:
- Associate of Arts (AA) degrees offered at community colleges are designed to transfer into liberal arts four-year majors.
- Associate of Science (AS) and Associate of Fine Arts (AFA) degrees offered at community and technical colleges transfer into specific four-year majors and will likely require completing additional general education courses at a university.
- Associate of Applied Science (AAS) degrees offered at technical and community colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.
- Diplomas and certificates offered at technical colleges are not designed to transfer. They lead to immediate entry into the workplace.
Talk to a transfer specialist as early as possible to determine the best associate degree for your goals. Be sure to review your Degree Audit Report (DARS) each semester to best prepare for transfer. Get more help understanding transfer using the tools below.
Licenses
Licenses are knowledge and skill credentials that are legally required in some careers.
This occupation requires a license.
Physician (Doctor of Medicine (M.D.) and Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (D.
Helpful High School Courses
Examples of helpful classes that help you prepare for this career:
- Anatomy
- Chemistry
- Community Health
- Computer Applications
- Human Development
- Medical Ethics
- Nutrition
- Research Methods
- Safety and First Aid/CPR
- Sociology
- Statistics
- World Languages
In Minnesota, your school may have developed a Program of Study in this career area.
A Program of Study is an academic and career plan developed by your high school to help move you towards a career
and college path. A Program of Study can help you:
- Select high school classes that prepare you for college and getting a job
- Understand how the classes you're taking in high school lead to a career
- Identify extra-curricular activities that are related to your career interest
- See what classes at your school offer early college credit that will save you time and money towards your college expenses
- Graduate from high school prepared for your next step toward the career you choose
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
Skills & Knowledge
Most Important Skills for Nuclear Medicine Physicians
- Reading—Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
- Thinking Critically—Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
- Learning New Things—Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Teaching—Teaching others how to do something.
- Being Aware of Others—Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Speaking—Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Listening—Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Monitoring Performance—Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Writing—Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Science—Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
Most Important Knowledge Areas for Nuclear Medicine Physicians
- Medicine and Dentistry—Knowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
- Biology—Knowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
- English Language—Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
- Physics—Knowledge and prediction of physical principles, laws, their interrelationships, and applications to understanding fluid, material, and atmospheric dynamics, and mechanical, electrical, atomic and sub- atomic structures and processes.
- Education and Training—Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Customer and Personal Service—Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
- Chemistry—Knowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal m
- Computers and Electronics—Knowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
- Mathematics—Knowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
- Administration and Management—Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
Interests
Different careers may be a good fit for your personality or interests. This career is:
- Investigative—Investigative occupations frequently involve working with ideas, and require an extensive amount of thinking. These occupations can involve searching for facts and figuring out problems mentally.
- Social—Social occupations frequently involve working with, communicating with, and teaching people. These occupations often involve helping or providing service to others.
Learn more about your interests. Take the MnCareers Interest Assessment.
Describe Your Skills
This is a new or emerging career specialty. Skill statements are still under development.
Careers that Use Similar Skills
The following careers use skills, knowledge, and abilities that are similar to those used for Nuclear Medicine Physicians.
View more careers in the Health Science cluster
View more careers in the Therapeutic Services pathway
This page includes information from the O*NET 24.2 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.
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Jobs
Real-time job data provided by Gartner TalentNeuron
Job Title Examples
Director of Nuclear Medicine,
Nuclear Physician,
Professor of Radiology,
Assistant Professor of Radiology,
Physician
Where Do Nuclear Medicine Physicians Work?
Nuclear Medicine Physicians often work in the following industries.
Similar Careers
Below are careers that use skill sets that are similar to Nuclear Medicine Physicians.
Source: You can learn about our data sources in the About Us section.