Nuclear Medicine Technology

The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT) program is designed to develop competent entry-level nuclear technologists through a variety of didactic, clinical, and laboratory experiences. Upon successful completion, students are eligible to sit for board certification and may pursue stackable post-primary certifications. The curriculum is structured to provide appropriate didactic and lab instruction, as well as ample supervised clinical exposure, to ensure sufficient opportunity to achieve all didactic and clinical requirements.

This program is designed to meet education requirements for licensure or certification in the State of Arizona. Granting licensure and certification is the sole responsibility of the state board or approval agency. This program is only offered and available to students located in the State of Arizona. The Maricopa County Community College District and colleges define student location within Administrative Regulation 2.2.3(7).

Details

Field of Interest
Health Sciences
Degree Type
Associate in Applied Science (AAS)
Academic Plan
Nuclear Medicine Technology (DEG)
Academic Plan Code
3688
Total credits required
110-123
Catalog Year
2024-2025
Effective Term
Fall 2022
Admissions criteria

1. Formal application and admission to the program.
2. Background Check Requirements: Admission to an Allied Health program requires that students be in compliance with the Maricopa County Community College District Background Check Standards. Upon conditional program enrollment, the student must comply with all requirements of the MCCCD Background Check Policy.
3. Clinical health and safety requirements must be met prior to enrollment in any program of study course. Upon conditional program enrollment, the student must comply with all requirements of the MCCCD Clinical Health and Safety Policy and drug testing protocols.
4. Inability to comply with background check requirements and/or clinical health and safety requirements at the start of classes or during the program may result in cancellation of enrollment.
5. There are limited spaces available in the NMT program. Only students who have completed all the general education and introductory courses noted above may have their name added to the queue of those waiting for an available space in a cohort.
6. As long as all general education and introductory courses have been completed, potential students residing outside of the state of Arizona can seek permission from the Program Director to be placed on the waitlist, granted a position number, and agree to take NUC100 in the semester prior to formal program admission.

Readmission Criteria:
The Program reserves the right to deny acceptance of an admission application if the applicant was dismissed from any program for issues relating to academic integrity and/or unsafe patient care.

Notes

Students must complete the following general education and introductory courses with a 3.0 GPA to be added to the queue of those waiting for an available cohort space to begin the core curriculum: BIO201, BIO202, [(CHM130 and CHM130LL) or CHM130AA or (CHM138 and CHM138LL)], (CRE101 or equivalent as indicated by assessment), (ENG101 or ENG107), (ENG102 or ENG108), (MAT15+ or equivalent course or satisfactory completion of a higher-level algebra mathematics course), NUC100, [PHY101 or (PHY111 and PHY112)].

What You'll Learn

This pathway map will help you gain the expertise needed to:

  1. Apply problem solving, critical thinking and decision making strategies in nuclear medicine.
  2. Demonstrate ability to provide exemplary communication and patient care to a diverse population.
  3. Practice in accordance with published standards of radiation protection and regulatory compliance while maintaining the highest professional ethical standards.
  4. Analyze nuclear medicine images and processes for process quality and take corrective action as appropriate.
  5. Collaborate with other medical professionals on interdisciplinary teams.
  6. Utilize professional literature to enhance clinical practice and professional growth.
  7. Apply relevant knowledge, skills, and habits of mind to seek career opportunities in the field.

Successful completion of this degree may lead to employment in a variety of different occupations and industries. Below are examples of related occupations with associated Arizona-based wages* for this degree. Education requirements vary for the occupations listed below, so you may need further education or degrees in order to qualify for some of these jobs and earn the related salaries. Please visit with an academic advisor and/or program director for additional information. You can click on any occupation to view the detail regarding education level, wages, and employment information.

* Career and wage information provided by Pipeline AZ using data, reports, and forecasts which are generated using government data sources. Sources

Course Sequence by Term

The following is the suggested course sequence by term. Please keep in mind:

  • Students should meet with an academic advisor to develop an individual education plan that meets their academic and career goals. Use the Degree Progress Report Tool in your Student Center to manage your plan.
  • The course sequence is laid out by suggested term and may be affected when students enter the program at different times of the year.
  • Initial course placement is determined by current district placement measures and/or completion of 100-200 level course and/or program requirements.
  • Degree and transfer seeking students may be required to successfully complete a MCCCD First Year Experience Course (FYE) within the first two semesters at a MCCCD College. Courses include FYE101 and FYE103. Course offerings will vary by college. See an academic, program, or faculty advisor for details.
  • Consult with your faculty mentor or academic advisor to determine educational requirements, including possible university transfer options, for your chosen career field.

Full-time Sequence

Full-time status is 12 credits to 18 credits per semester.

Term 1

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 1
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
BIO201 Human Anatomy and Physiology I SG 4
(CHM130 and
CHM130LL)
or
CHM130AA or
(CHM138 and
CHM138LL)
(Fundamental Chemistry and Fundamental Chemistry Laboratory) or Fundamental Chemistry with Lab or (Chemistry for Allied Health and Chemistry for Allied Health Laboratory) SQ in combo w/ CHM130LL and SQ in combo w/ CHM130 or SQ or None 4
ENG101 or
ENG107
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL FYC or FYC 3
NUC100 Introduction to Nuclear Medicine Technology Critical course Gateway course 1
FYE101 or
FYE103
Introduction to College, Career and Personal Success or Exploration of College, Career and Personal Success 1–3

Term 2

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 2
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
BIO202 Human Anatomy and Physiology II SG 4
ENG102 or
ENG108
First-Year Composition or First-Year Composition for ESL Critical course FYC or FYC 3
PHY101 or
(PHY111 and
PHY112)
Introduction to Physics or (General Physics I and General Physics II) SQ or SQ 4–8
CRE101 College Critical Reading and Critical Thinking Or equivalent as indicated by assessment L 0–3

Term 3

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 3
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
COM100 or
COM110
Introduction to Human Communication or Interpersonal Communication SB or SB 3
MAT150 or
MAT151 or
MAT152 or
MAT155 or
MAT156
College Algebra/Functions or College Algebra/Functions or College Algebra/Functions or College Algebra/Functions with Review or College Algebra/Functions with Review OR Equivalent course or satisfactory completion of a higher-level algebra mathematics course 3-6 MA or MA or MA or MA or MA 3–6
HU Humanities, Fine Arts, and Design 3
SB Social-Behavioral Sciences 3

Term 4

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 4
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
NUC101 Essentials of Nuclear Medicine Technology 1
NUC110 Introduction to Radiation Physics and Biology for Nuclear Medicine 3
NUC112 Nuclear Medicine Quality Control Laboratory Critical course Gateway course 1
NUC113 Nuclear Medicine Clinical Applications Laboratory 1
NUC114 Nuclear Medicine Instrumentation 3
NUC116 Nuclear Medicine Procedures I 3
NUC220 Sectional Anatomy for Nuclear Medicine 3

Term 5

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 5
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
NUC103 Nuclear Medicine Image Evaluation I 1
DMI/NUC108 Structured Diagnostic Medical Imaging Skills Enhancement Students interested in more cardiac clinical experience may complete with permission of the Nuclear Medicine Program Director. 0–1
NUC126 Nuclear Medicine Procedures II Critical course 3
NUC130 Professionalism and Patient Care 1
NUC212 Clinical Practicum I Critical course Gateway course 1.5
NUC223 Nuclear Medicine Image Evaluation II 1
NUC276 Nuclear Cardiology Critical course Gateway course 3
NUC280 Nuclear Medicine PET Physics and Instrumentation Critical course Gateway course 3

Summer Semester (Term 6)

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Summer Semester (Term 6)
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
NUC222 Clinical Practicum II 3
NUC233 Nuclear Medicine Image Evaluation III 1
NUC259 Fundamentals of Research in Nuclear Medicine 3

Term 7

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 7
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
NUC232 Clinical Practicum III 3
NUC236 Nuclear Medicine Procedures III 3
NUC243 Nuclear Medicine Image Evaluation IV 1
NUC250 Fundamentals of Computed Tomography and Elements of Magnetic Resonance Imaging Critical course Gateway course 3
NUC260 Research Methods and Design 3
NUC272 or
NUC283
Cardiac Practicum or PET/CT Practicum Students will be assigned to either NUC272 Cardiac Practicum OR NUC283 PET/CT Practicum. In the following semester students will take the other practicum to complete both requirements. 1.5

Term 8

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 8
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
NUC234 Nuclear Medicine Department Administration 3
NUC242 Clinical Practicum IV 3
NUC244 Nuclear Medicine Radiopharmacy 3
NUC246 Nuclear Medicine Procedures IV 3
NUC263 Nuclear Medicine Research Presentation and Publication 3
NUC272 or
NUC283
Cardiac Practicum or PET/CT Practicum 1.5

Term 9

A sequence of suggested courses that should be taken during Term 9
Course Number Course Name Requisites Notes Area Credits
NUC251 Computed Tomography and Hybrid Imaging Case Analysis 3
NUC262 Capstone Practicum 1.5
NUC290 Nuclear Medicine Seminar 3
Course Area Key

Gateway Course = Generally the first major-specific course in a pathway.

Critical Course = A course that is highly predictive of future success in a pathway.

Disclaimer

Students must earn a grade of C or better for all courses required within the program.

Course Sequence total credits may differ from the program information located on the MCCCD curriculum website due to program and system design.

View MCCCD’s official curriculum documentation for additional details regarding the requirements of this award (https://aztransmac2.asu.edu/cgi-bin/WebObjects/MCCCD.woa/wa/freeForm13?id=171336).

At Maricopa, we strive to provide you with accurate and current information about our degree and certificate offerings. Due to the dynamic nature of the curriculum process, course and program information is subject to change. As a result, the course list associated with this degree or certificate on this site does not represent a contract, nor does it guarantee course availability. If you are interested in pursuing this degree or certificate, we encourage you to meet with an advisor to discuss the requirements at your college for the appropriate catalog year.