Nuclear Medicine

[A. Melanoleuca]

Can somebody tell me what the job prospects are for a Nuclear Medicine Physician who is not also radiology trained? I understand that there is a three year nuclear medicine track. I also understand, from talking to people, that the pickings are mighty slim for nuclear medicine physicians who are not also trained radiologists.

Still, it is offered as an independent speicialty and not just as a fellowship so surely there is some benefit to it? I've always been interested in it and I have a pretty good theoretical and applied physics background.

Thanks for your help.

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[fedor]

Can somebody tell me what the job prospects are for a Nuclear Medicine Physician who is not also radiology trained? I understand that there is a three year nuclear medicine track. I also understand, from talking to people, that the pickings are mighty slim for nuclear medicine physicians who are not also trained radiologists.

Still, it is offered as an independent speicialty and not just as a fellowship so surely there is some benefit to it? I've always been interested in it and I have a pretty good theoretical and applied physics background.

Thanks for your help.

There was an excellent post about this very issue a little while back. Unfortunately the search function is still broken.

A summary is that in private practice radiology the pickings are slim because there aren't enough nuc scans to keep a radiologist busy all day. Also, a nuclear medicine physician wouldn't be able to take call. Thus, if you want to go into nucs, you're mostly looking at academics.