MCCCD Program Description

Major: 3688 Catalog Year: 2024-2025 Effective Term: 2016 Fall Last Admit Term: 2018 Spring Award: AAS Total Credits: 108-119 CIP Code: 51.0905	Primary College: Initiating College: Gateway Community College Program Availability: Not Found Program Availability: College-Specific Program Availability: College Specific Field of Interest: Not Found Instructional Council: Allied Health (51) GPA: 2.5
SOC Code: 25-1071, 29-2033?

Description: The Associate in Applied Science (AAS) in Nuclear Medicine Technology program is designed to prepare students to function as competent members of the healthcare team in the role of nuclear medicine technologists. Employment opportunities exist in hospitals, medical offices and ambulatory clinics. Upon completion of the program, the student will be eligible to apply for the certifying board examination administered by the American Registry of Radiologic Technology [ARRT (N)], the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) and Arizona State Licensure. The curriculum is structured to provide appropriate didactic instruction, as well as ample supervised clinical exposure, to assure sufficient opportunity to achieve all didactic and clinical requirements.

Suggested Course Plan Sequenced by Semester

Required Courses

+ DMI/DMS/ICE220 Sectional Anatomy 3
+NUC110 Radiation Safety for Nuclear Medicine 3
+NUC112 Nuclear Medicine Laboratory I 1
+NUC113 Nuclear Medicine Laboratory II 2
+NUC114 Fundamentals of Nuclear Medicine I 3
+NUC116 Nuclear Medicine Imaging I 3
+NUC126 Nuclear Medicine Imaging II 3
+NUC130 Patient Care Lab for the Nuclear Medicine Technologist 2
+NUC212 Clinical Practicum I 2
+NUC213 Nuclear Medicine Image Evaluation I 1
+NUC214 Fundamentals of Nuclear Medicine II 1.5
+NUC222 Clinical Practicum II 3
+NUC223 Nuclear Medicine Image Evaluation II 1
+NUC224 Fundamentals of Nuclear Medicine III 1.5
+NUC232 Clinical Practicum III 3
+NUC233 Nuclear Medicine Image Evaluation III 1
+NUC234 Fundamentals of Nuclear Medicine IV 2
+NUC236 Nuclear Medicine Imaging III 3
+NUC240 Clinical Pathology for Diagnostic Imaging 3
+NUC242 Clinical Practicum IV 3
+NUC243 Nuclear Medicine Image Evaluation IV 1
+NUC244 Fundamentals of Nuclear Medicine V 3
+NUC250 Fundamentals of Computed Tomography for Nuclear Medicine Technologist 2
+NUC252 Clinical Practicum V 3
+NUC260 Imaging Research Methods and Design 3
+NUC261 Emerging Technologies 2
+NUC262 Capstone Practicum 1.5
+NUC276 Nuclear Medicine Cardiac Imaging 3
+NUC280 Nuclear Medicine PET Fusion Imaging 3
+NUC283 PET/CT Practicum 1.5
+NUC290 Nuclear Medicine Certification Preparation Seminar 3

Credits: 71

Restricted Electives
Students interested in more cardiac clinical experience may complete zero (0) to one (1) credit with permission of the Nuclear Medicine Program Director. +NUC272 Cardiac Practicum 1	Credits: 0-1

General Electives
	Credits:

General Education Requirements

General Education Requirement	Credits: 5-6

General Education Core	Credits: 0

First-Year Composition	Credits: 0
Met by ENG101 or ENG107 and ENG102 or ENG108 or ENG111 in Program Prerequisites area.

Oral Communication	Credits: 0
Met by any approved general education course from the Oral Communication area except COM225 Public Speaking in Program Prerequisites area.

Critical Reading	Credits: 0
Met by CRE101 or CRE111 or equivalent as indicated by assessment in Program Prerequisites area.

Mathematics	Credits: 0
Met by MAT150 or MAT151 or MAT152 or satisfactory completion of higher level mathematics course in Program Prerequisites area.

General Education Distribution	Credits: 5-6

Humanities, Arts and Design	Credits: 2-3
Any approved general education course in the Humanities, Arts and Design area 2-3

Social-Behavioral Sciences	Credits: 3
Any approved general education course from the Social-Behavioral Sciences area 3

Natural Sciences	Credits: 0
Met by BIO201 and BIO202; CHM130 and CHM130LL or CHM130AA; PHY101 or PHY111 and PHY112 in Program Prerequisites area.

Program Competencies
1. Explain fundamental principles of Positron Emission Tomography (P.E.T.) and Single Photon Emission Computerized Tomography (S.P.E.C.T.) imaging. (NUC110, NUC112, NUC113, NUC114, NUC116, NUC126, NUC276, NUC212, NUC213, NUC214, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC260, NUC262, NUC280, NUC283, NUC290) 2. Apply knowledge of radiation physics and safety regulations to limit radiation exposure to the patient, general public, fellow workers, and self. (NUC110, NUC112, NUC113, NUC114, NUC116, NUC126, NUC212, NUC214, NUC222, NUC232, NUC234, NUC236, NUC242, NUC244, NUC252, NUC261 NUC262, NUC272, NUC280, NUC283, NUC290) 3. Describe principles of radiation to include terminology, types of radiation, production mechanisms, principles of radioactive decay, units of measurement, and interactions between radiation and matter. (NUC110, NUC112, NUC113, NUC114, NUC250, NUC214, NUC234, NUC244, NUC260, NUC261, NUC280, NUC290) 4. Demonstrate aseptic techniques and patient care skills used in nuclear medicine procedures. (NUC110, NUC112, NUC113, NUC126, NUC130, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283) 5. Describe nuclear medicine therapeutic procedures to include patient preparation, personnel and laboratory preparation, administration of radiopharmaceutical, post-procedure care, special handling considerations, and radiation safety. (NUC110, NUC113, NUC126, NUC130, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC234, NUC236, NUC242, NUC244, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283) 6. Independently evaluate medical imaging procedures to recommend technical modifications. (NUC110, NUC114, NUC126, NUC240, NUC212, NUC213, NUC222, NUC223, NUC232, NUC233, NUC234, NUC236, NUC242, NUC243, NUC244, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC280, NUC283) 7. Describe medical applications and future trends in diagnostic imaging. (NUC110, NUC114, NUC214, NUC234, NUC244, NUC260, NUC261, NUC280, NUC290) 8. Describe ethical and professional standards of the nuclear medicine technologist. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC114, NUC116, NUC126, NUC130, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC260, NUC261, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283, NUC290) 9. Demonstrate proper use and care of equipment used when performing nuclear medicine procedures. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC114, NUC116, NUC126, NUC212, NUC214, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283) 10. Position patients for nuclear medicine studies. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC114, NUC130, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283) 11. Demonstrate effective computer and communication skills in health care settings. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC114, NUC130, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283, NUC290) 12. Evaluate nuclear medicine images for process quality. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC276, NUC212, NUC213, NUC222, NUC232, NUC233, NUC242, NUC243, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283, NUC290) 13. Operate computer systems as they apply to nuclear medicine procedures. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283) 14. Perform quality control procedures as part of a quality assurance program. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283) 15. Evaluate patient preparation and understanding of a procedure prior to commencing a procedure. (NUC112, NUC114, NUC116, NUC126, NUC130, NUC212, NUC213, NUC222, NUC223, NUC232, NUC233, NUC236, NUC242, NUC243, NUC244, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC280, NUC283, NUC290) 16. Utilize radiation detection devices and other laboratory equipment that measure the quantity and distribution of radio nuclides deposited in the patient or a patient specimen. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC114, NUC212, NUC214, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC290) 17. Adhere to specific protocols for the preparation, storage, labeling, and disposal of radiopharmaceuticals. (NUC112, NUC113, NUC214, NUC126, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC234, NUC242, NUC244, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC280, NUC283, NUC290) 18. Evaluate the patient`s medical history and physical signs as it relates to their illness and diagnostic procedures or therapy. (NUC113, NUC116, NUC126, NUC130, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283) 19. Describe the general anatomy and physiology of structures and organ systems examined during nuclear medicine procedures. (DMI/DMS/ICE220, NUC113, NUC116, NUC126, NUC240, NUC250, NUC276, NUC212, NUC213, NUC222, NUC223, NUC232, NUC233, NUC236, NUC242, NUC243, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC280, NUC283, NUC290) 20. Describe pathological conditions of structures and organ systems examined during nuclear medicine procedures. (DMI/DMS/ICE220, NUC113, NUC116, NUC126, NUC240, NUC250, NUC276, NUC212, NUC213, NUC222, NUC223, NUC233, NUC236, NUC242, NUC243, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC280, NUC283, NUC290) 21. Describe normal and abnormal variants of anatomy and pathology as they appear on nuclear medicine studies. (DMI/DMS/ICE220, NUC113, NUC116, NUC126, NUC240, NUC276, NUC212, NUC213, NUC222, NUC223, NUC232, NUC233, NUC236, NUC242, NUC243, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC280, NUC283, NUC290) 22. Perform venous access and specimen collection procedures. (NUC130, NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283,) 23. Describe the components of the x-ray tube, voltage and current in CT. (NUC250) 24. Discuss the function of each CT scanner component. (NUC250) 25. Explain the relationship between Computed Tomography (CT), Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography (SPECT) and Positron Emission Tomography (PET). (NUC250, NUC276, NUC236, NUC280, NUC283, NUC290) 26. Describe computed tomography (CT) quality control. (NUC250, NUC283) 27. Perform in-vivo and in-vitro diagnostic procedures. (NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272) 28. Administer correctly prepared radiopharmaceuticals, and other agents used in conjunction with nuclear medicine procedures, to patients by intravenous, intramuscular, and subcutaneous injections, aerosol and oral methods. (NUC212, NUC222, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272, NUC283) 29. Apply health care and regulatory policy while considering professional medical ethics, legal issues and patient rights.(NUC212, NUC222, NUC224, NUC232, NUC242, NUC252, NUC262, NUC272,NUC283)
+ indicates course has prerequisites and/or corequisites. ++ indicates that any suffixed course may be selected. MCCCD Governing Board Approval Date: December 8, 2015

All information published is subject to change without notice. Every effort has been made to ensure the accuracy of information presented, but based on the dynamic nature of the curricular process, course and program information is subject to change in order to reflect the most current information available.