Nuclear Medicine

[wood]

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Can someone explain how the training for this field works. It seems there are 2-3 year NM programs as well as those incorporated into regular DR residencies. Can someone explain how this should be viewed if someone is interested in the field?

 

[Docxter]

Can someone explain how the training for this field works. It seems there are 2-3 year NM programs as well as those incorporated into regular DR residencies. Can someone explain how this should be viewed if someone is interested in the field?

1. Nuclear medicine residencies are 2 years, done after 1-2 years of clinical medicine (e.g., IM).

2. Nuclear radiology fellowships are 1 year fellowships after radiology residency. Radiology residencies incorporate 6 months of nuclear medicine training + physics training. Radiologists coming out of residency can pretty much do all of nuclear medicine except for administering radioactive material treatments, e.g. MoAb for lymphoma, or I-131 for thyroid ca.

 

[colbgw02]

1. Nuclear medicine residencies are 2 years, done after 1-2 years of clinical medicine (e.g., IM).

2. Nuclear radiology fellowships are 1 year fellowships after radiology residency. Radiology residencies incorporate 6 months of nuclear medicine training + physics training. Radiologists coming out of residency can pretty much do all of nuclear medicine except for administering radioactive material treatments, e.g. MoAb for lymphoma, or I-131 for thyroid ca.

Nuclear medicine docs, I've heard, tend to have limited job availability because they have to work at a hospital large enough to have its own nuclear medicine department. Whereas, a nuclear fellowship-trained radiologist can join any radiology practice and do nucs here and there. If nucs is your ultimate goal, I think you're better off going the radiology route.