Associate of Applied Science

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Bellevue College’s Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT), Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS), is an eighteen-month full-time program. It is offered through a cooperative effort between Bellevue College and a number of area hospitals and clinics. It is part of a larger career pathway in Nuclear Medicine and prepares you to work as a nuclear medicine technologist. The program is accredited by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT).

JRCNMT Accredited Program (logo)

After completing the degree you’ll be eligible to apply to take the national certification exams required to work in this field. NMTs are certified by the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) and the American Registry of Radiologic Technologist (ARRT). Many states also require a state license to practice Nuclear Medicine Technology.

Program Details

Approximately 30 students apply each year. Eight to ten students are admitted each year to the Nuclear Medicine Technology program with the curriculum beginning in September (fall quarter) to this full-time (40 hours a week) program. The curriculum begins fall quarter each year and continues for 18 consecutive months. In this program, you’ll spend twelve months in clinical sites working alongside certified nuclear medicine technologists to learn all aspects of the field. Classes are held at Bellevue College (BC) and also at clinical sites located in the Puget Sound area and central Washington. Those attending classes in central Washington and south Puget Sound area participate in the classroom portion of the program via two-way videoconferencing from the Columbia Basin College (CBC) health sciences complex in Richland, WA and Tacoma Community College (TCC).

All prospective students are encouraged to review the Nuclear Medicine virtual information session to learn more about prerequisite courses, application process and other program details.

Prerequisites

All prospective students are strongly encouraged to familiarize themselves with the program prerequisites prior to reaching out so that we may assist you in the most efficient way! Visit our course catalog to learn more about the nuclear medicine AAS degree prerequisites.  If you would like our program chair to review your previous coursework to see if it might meet prerequisite requirements, please complete and submit the Nuclear Medicine Technology Prerequisite Review/Approval Form.  Please enter information on all prerequisites you would like reviewed by our program chair and submit your unofficial transcripts for those courses already completed along with your approval form.

Required Hospital Observations

A minimum of two observations are required for the Nuclear Medicine Technology program and should be completed prior to the first interview. Learn more about observations…

Distance Education

The goals of the distance-education offering are to increase the supply of nuclear medicine technologists in Central Washington and the South Sound (Tacoma) area as well as allowing individuals from those regions to participate in the Bellevue College (BC) program without having to relocate. We expect to place two students into each distant cohort, each year. Learn More…

Curriculum

The curriculum covers performance of a wide variety of imaging and therapeutic procedures, preparation and administration of radiopharmaceuticals, explanations of procedures and their risks, and analysis of the results of each study. Students work with a number of radiation detection systems, including gamma cameras and positron emission tomography systems. Students also work with computers that analyze data from imaging studies, in addition to those used for administrative tasks.

Coursework will include principles and procedures in computed tomography, which is frequently done in conjunction with nuclear medicine procedures. Most important, students work directly with patients, helping to ease their anxiety as well as diagnose their ailments.

Nuclear Medicine Degree Worksheet, course requirements and program requirements.

Benefits of completing the nuclear medicine technology program include:

  • An interesting and rewarding career—nuclear medicine technologists do a wide variety of imaging, non-imaging, and therapy procedures and deal with about 5-10 patients each day.
  • Good pay—current starting salaries for staff nuclear medicine technologists in the Seattle area are around $30/hour (Reference: Employment Security Department).
  • Possibilities for advancement—nuclear medicine technologists can move into management, research, or commercial positions

Who Should Apply?

This program is for students looking to enter the Nuclear Medicine profession. You are a great match for this program if you have good communication, analytical and critical thinking skills. A strong aptitude and academic background in science is very important, as is the ability to handle multiple tasks efficiently. Nuclear medicine is an ideal career for people who like working with others and enjoy the technical aspects of advanced medical technology.

Age Restriction

State regulations prohibit Minors from getting occupational radiation exposure. For this reason, you must be 18 years old at the time that you begin the program.

Credit for Previous Courses in Nuclear Medicine Technology?

You are welcome to apply to the Bellevue program, but you will have to complete it in its entirety. Different programs are set up differently, so the only way we can ensure that you have all of the required knowledge and competencies is to have you do the program from beginning to end.

Questions?

Visit our Nuclear Medicine Technology page to request information.

How to Apply

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Bellevue College’s Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT), Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS), is a selective admissions program. All students must apply to Bellevue College prior to completing the online Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT) application. Specific instructions have been provided for this program. Please note, by completing the online Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT) application, you are applying to the Associate of Applied Science degree (AAS) program only. This program is for students looking to enter the Nuclear Medicine field.

Last Updated July 8, 2024