Frequently Asked Questions
- What are the Admission Requirements to the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program?
- How often do you admit students?
- How many students are admitted each year?
- When can I apply?
- What are the career opportunities?
- Does the program accept everyone?
- What does a Nuclear Medicine Technologist do?
- Do I have to be in good physical and mental health?
- Do I have to be licensed and/or registered to become employed after graduation?
- Infectious Disease Information for Health Career Students
- Can I take a course using Pass/No Pass Grading?
- What are the typical costs associated with the program?
What are the Admission Requirements to the Nuclear Medicine Technology Program?
Nuclear Medicine Technology program applicants must have a high school diploma or GED and be at least 18 years of age. Program applicants must successfully complete the following required core courses prior to admission. These core courses require passing with a 2.5 GPA or better and a cumulative GPA in those courses of 2.75 or better.
- BIO-2331 Anatomy and Physiology I
- BIO-2341 Anatomy and Physiology II
- MATH-1530 College Algebra (or higher) or MATH-153H Honors College Algebra
- CHEM-1300 General Chemistry I or CHEM 130H Honors General Chemistry I with Lab
- CHEM-130L General Chemistry Laboratory I
- ENG-1010 College Composition I of ENG -101H Honors College Composition
- PHYS-1050 Everyday Physics *only offered in the Fall Semester. Will accept Physics 1210 with a lab in place of this.
How often do you admit students?
Students are admitted once each year in the Fall term.
How many students are admitted each year?
Enrollment into the program is approximately 16 students per year. The number of students is limited by the number of clinical sites available.
- Complete an APPLICATION FOR ADMISSION and submit to Office of the Registrar, PO Box 5966, Cleveland, OH 44101.
- Submit two (2) official sealed transcripts from high school or GED test and from all colleges attended. One set should be sent to the Office of the Registrar. The other set should be sent along with a Health Careers Application.
- In the semester that you are completing your last program pre-requisite you should officially begin the HEALTH CAREERS APPLICATION process. The Health Careers Application is submitted to the Health Careers Enrollment Center at Metro Campus when all core pre-requisites have been met or you are in the process of completing your last pre-requisite (address listed at the bottom of the Nuclear Medicine Homepage).
- Once all program admission requirements are met, verify with Health Careers Enrollment Center that they have sent your application file to the Nuclear Medicine Program office.
The Nuclear Medicine Program office will send out notifications that your file has been completed.
What are the career opportunities?
See Career Outlook Link for details.
Does the program accept everyone?
Everyone that meets the admission requirements is accepted on a first-come basis. There is no interview process, and students with higher grade point averages do not receive preferential treatment. Since this program involves a one-year clinical rotation, you must also pass a criminal background check.
In its acknowledgment of diversity, the college respects and welcomes differences among people and will carry out its mission mindful of the differences in its community. Through its overall climate, the College will provide opportunities and reinforce understanding, appreciation, and action, intended to maximize the potential of all students. It is a policy of Tri-C that employment and educational benefits will be administered without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin or ancestry, age, sexual orientation, disability, or status as a disabled Vietnam-era veteran.
What does a Nuclear Medicine Technologist do?
See the "Day in the Life" link for more information
Do I have to be in good physical and mental health?
Every student is required to present evidence of good health and the ability to undertake the personal requirements of a Nuclear Medicine student, prior to the first day of clinical rotation. In most cases, this includes but is not limited to a physical examination, up-to-date immunizations, and TB Double Mantoux (PPD). A single PPD is required annually and must be administered within a one-year period. Some clinical sites may impose additional requirements. Failure to provide evidence of good health throughout the Program sequence will prevent the student from attending Nuclear Medicine clinical (Clinical Field Experience) courses.
Evidence of health insurance is required for participation in the clinical courses of the Nuclear Medicine Program. The student is required to maintain comprehensive health insurance coverage throughout the Program sequence. The College is not responsible for costs incurred for an injury or medical problem sustained by a student while affiliated at a clinical rotation site.
Do I have to be licensed and/or registered to become employed after graduation?
Successful results on a National Registry or Certification Examination are mandatory to receive State licensure in Ohio. Tri-C Nuclear Medicine program graduates are eligible for either the Nuclear Medicine Technology Certification Board (NMTCB) or the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists (ARRT). You may upon graduation take either or both of these national registry exams, (the State of Ohio requires only one). These computerized examinations are offered throughout the year at various testing centers in the area.
Note that the examination boards also have ethics and minimum background qualifications that must be met. Although you will be well prepared upon graduation please understand that: Successful completion of the Tri-C program does not guarantee that you will be permitted to take either of the examinations, does not guarantee your success on any exam, and does not guarantee employment availability after graduation.
A student is eligible to apply for the National Registry examination when all the Nuclear Medicine program and College graduation requirements have been successfully completed. Students are required to submit their own applications and pay the application fee for the examination.
The State of Ohio requires all Nuclear Medicine technologists to have a valid license. A student can make an application for the state license at the same time he or she applies for either of the National Registry Exams. When a student applies for a license, it will NOT be validated until the State receives the passing Registry results.
Infectious Disease Information for Health Career Students
Students are always required to follow strict guidelines and use universal precautions when the potential of being contaminated with body fluids is possible. Since nuclear medicine technology students will be utilizing needles during their clinical rotations, the risk of an accidental needle stick is also a possibility. If a student sustains a sharps/needle stick injury or suspects that he/she has been exposed to the HIV (AIDS) virus or any other infectious disease, the student must report the incident to the designated individual at the clinical site and the Program Director. The student is to follow the policy and/or protocol for a sharps/needle stick injury or exposure to an infectious disease established by that particular clinical site. It is the student’s responsibility to obtain any needed follow-up treatment or testing after a sharps/needle stick injury or exposure to an infectious disease.
Can I take a course using Pass/No Pass Grading?
No - The Nuclear Medicine program requires traditional letter grades (A, B, C, D, F) for all of the core course prerequisites and all of the courses that are part of the Nuclear Medicine Technology program curriculum.
What are the typical costs associated with the program?
The following represents the approximate costs expected based upon full-time enrollment in the Fall 2021 class.
Tuition and Fees
- Tuition (Cost/credit hour Cuyahoga County resident) $119.54
- (73 Credit Hours for Associate of Applied Science Degree in Nuclear Medicine) $8,726.42
Other Estimated Expenses
- Textbooks $1,300.00
- Lab Coats/Scrubs/Shoes $150.00
- CPR Instruction Fee $40.00
- Liability (Malpractice) Insurance $12.50
- Travel Expenses and Parking Fees
- Physical Examination, immunizations, and vaccinations at the student's expense
- Immunization Documentation Tracking $10.00
- Background Check (Mandatory) $99.80 *based on in-state resident*
- Drug Screening $27.80
- Trajecsys Clinical Tracking $100.00
- ARRT Certification Exam $200.00
- NMTCB Certification Exam $175.00
- ODH State Licensure $65.00 (post-graduation)