Education and Employment of New England Nuclear Medicine Technologists

Abstract

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the recommendations of chief nuclear medicine technologists regarding the educational levels required for employment, as well as the need for multiskilled and multicredentialed technologists.

Methods: A cross-sectional survey was performed using a sampling frame derived from the 1993 Directory of the American Hospital Association. A questionnaire was sent to the chief nuclear medicine technologist in every New England hospital with more than 50 beds listed in this directory.

Results: The majority of chief technologists prefer to hire staff technologists possessing associates (30.4%) or bachelors (38.2%) degrees, in addition to multiskills (75.2%) and/or multicredentials (82.4%).

Conclusion: Chief technologists in New England recommend that prospective technologists graduate from an associates or bachelors degree program and possess additional skills and/or credentials. Nuclear medicine educators should provide their students with the knowledge and skills needed to meet these recommendations.