What is a nuclear medicine internship and how to become one

Updated January 8, 2025
4 min read

Nuclear medicine is a specialized branch of radiology that makes use of trace amounts of radioactive materials to examine organ function and structure. If you want to become a nuclear medicine technologist, you may have to go through a nuclear medicine internship first.

Since the science of nuclear medicine is inherently risky, a nuclear medicine internship is often required to ensure that aspiring nuclear medicine technologists have enough on-the-job experience before they work with actual patients. That said, as a nuclear medicine intern, your duties will mostly revolve around providing patient care, assisting with nuclear medicine procedures, and analyzing test results.

If you want to pursue a nuclear medicine internship, you must have a degree in nuclear medicine first, which is typically an associate degree that takes two years. After acquiring your degree, diploma, or certificate, you can start applying for internships even without prior experience. Then, you can expect your nuclear medicine internship to last sixteen months or longer.

ScoreNuclear Medicine InternshipUS Average
Salary
4.8

Avg. Salary $61,722

Avg. Salary $59,228

Stability Level
9.6

Growth Rate 2%

Growth Rate 0.3%

Diversity
3.2
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 0.46%

Asian 9.87%

Black or African American 8.01%

Hispanic or Latino 8.54%

Unknown 3.20%

White 69.92%

Gender

female 59.56%

male 40.44%

Age - 47
Race

American Indian and Alaska Native 3.00%

Asian 7.00%

Black or African American 14.00%

Hispanic or Latino 19.00%

White 57.00%

Gender

female 47.00%

male 53.00%

Age - 47
Stress Level
9.6

Stress level is very high

7.1 - high

Complexity Level
8.9

Complexity Level is advanced

7 - challenging

Work Life Balance
7.7

Work Life balance is good

6.4 - fair

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Nuclear Medicine Internship career paths

Key steps to become a nuclear medicine internship

  1. Explore nuclear medicine internship education requirements

    Most common nuclear medicine internship degrees

    Bachelor's

    62.3 %

    Associate

    12.5 %

    Doctorate

    10.3 %
  2. Start to develop specific nuclear medicine internship skills

    Skills
    ascdesc
    Percentages
    ascdesc
    Patients28.32%
    Patient Care8.70%
    Therapeutic Procedures5.06%
    Rehabilitation5.00%
    PET4.20%
  3. Complete relevant nuclear medicine internship training and internships

    Accountants spend an average of 3-6 months on post-employment, on-the-job training. New nuclear medicine interns learn the skills and techniques required for their job and employer during this time. The chart below shows how long it takes to gain competency as a nuclear medicine internship based on U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data and data from real nuclear medicine internship resumes.
  4. Gain additional nuclear medicine internship certifications

    Nuclear medicine internship certifications can show employers you have a baseline of knowledge expected for the position. Certifications can also make you a more competitive candidate. Even if employers don't require a specific nuclear medicine internship certification, having one may help you stand out relative to other applicants.

    The most common certifications for nuclear medicine interns include Certification in Nuclear Medicine and Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT).

    More About Certifications
  5. Research nuclear medicine internship duties and responsibilities

    • Place EKG leads and heart monitors quickly and proficiently.
    • Prepare and administer dosages of radio-pharmaceuticals to patients in preparation for diagnostic and therapeutic procedures in accordance with physician's orders.
    • Experience applying electrodes for EKG (ECG).
    • Perform HIDA, lung, bone, thyroid, parathyroid, renal, cardiac, and PET/CT scans.
  6. Prepare your nuclear medicine internship resume

    When your background is strong enough, you can start writing your nuclear medicine internship resume.

    You can use Zippia's AI resume builder to make the resume writing process easier while also making sure that you include key information that hiring managers expect to see on a nuclear medicine internship resume. You'll find resume tips and examples of skills, responsibilities, and summaries, all provided by Zippi, your career sidekick.

    Choose From 10+ Customizable Nuclear Medicine Internship Resume templates

    Build a professional Nuclear Medicine Internship resume in minutes. Browse through our resume examples to identify the best way to word your resume. Then choose from 10+ resume templates to create your Nuclear Medicine Internship resume.
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    Nuclear Medicine Internship Resume
    Nuclear Medicine Internship Resume
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    Nuclear Medicine Internship Resume
  7. Apply for nuclear medicine internship jobs

    Now it's time to start searching for a nuclear medicine internship job. Consider the tips below for a successful job search:

    1. Browse job boards for relevant postings
    2. Consult your professional network
    3. Reach out to companies you're interested in working for directly
    4. Watch out for job scams

How Did You Land Your First Nuclear Medicine Internship Job

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Average nuclear medicine internship salary

The average Nuclear Medicine Internship salary in the United States is $61,722 per year or $30 per hour. Nuclear medicine internship salaries range between $34,000 and $109,000 per year.

Average Nuclear Medicine Internship Salary
$61,722 Yearly
$29.67 hourly

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Updated January 8, 2025

Zippia Research Team
Zippia Team

Editorial Staff

The Zippia Research Team has spent countless hours reviewing resumes, job postings, and government data to determine what goes into getting a job in each phase of life. Professional writers and data scientists comprise the Zippia Research Team.

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