Once again, graduating Nuclear Medicine Technology seniors have achieved a 100 percent pass rate on the national board-certifying exam required for accreditation in the field. This nationally recognized exam was established by an independent agency to streamline and unify the requirements and qualifications for practice in the professions. Saint Louis University students have performed very well on the exam for a number of consecutive years. In fact, SLU’s accomplishments exceed the average national pass rate of 75 percent.

These seniors are a part of a program that originally started at John Cochran Veterans Administration in 1969; however, it moved to SLU in 1983 to have access to the resources and opportunities available at a university.

This remains the only program of its type in the St. Louis area. During its time at SLU, the program has continued to exhibit exceptional growth and success.

Nuclear Medicine Technology (NMT) differs from other fields because it uses radioactive materials to locate and treat disease in the body. It examines the functions and processes on a molecular level as opposed to radiation that deals with the anatomy of the body. Using this type of technology, surgery or other costly tests can be avoided.

“Nuclear medicine is truly the new era in medicine. The technology is developing ways to treat such things as tumors by going in and using the properties of a virus to alter the structure of the disease and avoiding surgery or drugs,” explained William Hubble, M.A., CNMT, assistant professor and educator coordinator of the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program: “NMT is a career path for those who have the desire to work in a very people-orientated atmosphere and who are interested in studying on a more physiology based level.

The demand for professionals experienced in NMT has been on the rise in recent time due to developments in radiopharmaceuticals, research and technologies.

“Nuclear Medicine Technology is a field that has experienced a lot of growth over the years. The demand is very high for people qualified in this profession,” Hubble said. “Typically, most people entering the field receive signing bonuses that range anywhere from $4,000 to $20,000 in addition to an average starting salary of $45,000.”

The NMT program at SLU is designed with three years of general science studies and one year focused on nuclear medicine. This three-in-one curriculum allows students to enter the program even if they are a sophomore or above.

“Students find it very easy to switch to NMT from other science majors. The requirements are similar to those of a chemistry, biology or physics curriculum,” Hubble said. “Not many freshmen enter SLU knowing that they want be a part of this program. Instead, they learn about it once they get here and then make the change.”

NMT also offers different types of curriculum that cater to individual interests. These classes include the standard science based, Pre-med, Computer Science and Business Administration. Upon obtaining a Bachelors of Science from SLU, graduates can immediately enter the job market as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist.

“Great opportunities and benefits are not a concern with this program. Our biggest challenge is only educating people on the importance and purposes of NMT. It is such a small, specialized area that many people are unaware of the great need,” Hubble said. “However interest in this program continues to grow.”