Career
Path Forecast
Employment of nuclear
medicine technologists is expected to increase by 16 percent from 2008
to 2018, faster than the average for all occupations. Growth will arise
from technological advancement, the development of new nuclear medicine
treatments, and an increase in the number of middle-aged and elderly
persons, who are the primary users of diagnostic and treatment
procedures.
Technological
innovations may increase the diagnostic uses of nuclear medicine. New
nuclear medical imaging technologies, including PET and single photon
emission computed tomography (SPECT), are expected to be used
increasingly. Cost considerations will affect the speed with which these
new applications of nuclear medicine grow. Healthcare facilities
contemplating these procedures will have to consider equipment costs,
reimbursement policies, and the number of potential users. Although
these new imaging technologies will be used more often, they will likely
replace older technologies, not supplement them. Thus, only a small
amount of job growth will stem from the adoption of new technologies.
In spite of growth in
nuclear medicine, the number of openings into the occupation each year
will be relatively low. Job competition will be keen because the supply
of properly trained nuclear medicine technologists is expected to exceed
the number of job openings for technologists. Technologists who have
training in multiple diagnostic methods, such as radiologic technology
and diagnostic medical sonography, or in nuclear cardiology, should have
the best prospects.
Note: Some resources in this section are provided by the US Department
of Labor, Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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