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NMI Celebrates 40 Years of Excellence
Thursday, March 30, 2006
As the demand for well-qualified nuclear medicine
technologists continues to outpace the supply, The University of
Findlay’s Nuclear Medicine Institute is marking its 40th
anniversary in April.
Founded at Hillcrest Hospital, Cleveland, in April 1966, NMI is one of the
nation’s largest and oldest nuclear medicine programs. NMI moved from
Cleveland to The University of Findlay in 1984, transitioning to become
the first health professions program on campus.
When NMI began, no accreditation program existed, but NMI began the
process virtually as soon as it was announced. It has maintained
accreditation ever since: NMI is one of only approximately 100 programs nationwide
accredited by The Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in
Nuclear Medicine Technology (JRCNMT) to offer quality education to
nuclear medicine technologists.
Even in such a restricted field, NMI has a tough reputation. For August
2006, 175 prospective students applied. Fifty-six were accepted.
And
they face a demanding 52-week program.
“We are extremely challenging — but we’re also good,” said program
director Assistant Professor Rick States. “Our alumni are sought out;
employers want to hire NMI graduates. We’re very proud of that.”
One of NMI’s strengths from its inception has been its hands-on
clinical training. After a semester of theory, students move out into
one or two of 95 clinical affiliates, including hospitals, medical
centers and commercial radiopharmacies in 12 states, for 35 weeks of
one-on-one clinical work.
“We have always used affiliate hospitals for training; we have always
given the students theory up front and then sent them to clinical”
training, Elaine Markon, assistant NMI program director, said. “They
volunteer to accept our students,” States pointed out. “They are the
backbone of our program. Without them, we would not exist.”
Upon completion, NMI graduates are eligible to apply to take the
national certification boards in nuclear medicine technology. In
addition, the one-year certificate program offered by NMI is accepted
by 10 academic affiliates — colleges and universities — toward
completion of a two- or four-year degree in nuclear medicine technology.
Given the limited supply — there are only 17,000 nuclear medicine
technologists nationwide — shortages are felt immediately. Demand is
increasing as new types of imaging such as PET (positron emission
tomography) come on the scene, and the baby boomers, including early
nuclear medicine grads, prepare to retire, increasing employment
opportunities.
For more information about NMI, click here.
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