Nuclear Medicine Workforce Study

Working Technologists NMT Program Directors

60 of 127 (47.2%)2,209 of 3,958 (55.8%)

http://chws.albany.edu/

Health Personnel in the United States, 2000 to 2015 Allergy and Immunology Physician Workforce

National Public Health Workforce Study Nurse Practitioners in New York State

Emergency Care Workforce in the U.S. Nursing Graduations in New York State since 1996

Long-Term Care Paraprofessional Workforce Health Information Management Workforce

Others Studies in include:

Technologist’s SurveyRelevant “Key Findings”

Working Technologist’s Survey“Recommendations”

Working Technologist’s SurveyRecommendation #1

Working Technologist’s SurveyRecommendation #1 (continued)

Program Director’s SurveyRelevant “Key Findings”

• Most programs requiring 120 hours or greater of classroom/practicum were located in 4-year colleges and universities. More than half (56%) of community colleges required 75 or more hours of classroom/practicum for completion.

• The number of credit hours in the professional component averaged 44.7 hours. Academic Medical Centers required the most (60 hours). Community colleges the least (39.7 hours).

• A majority (59%) of programs required more than 1,200 hours of clinical practicum. Only 10% required fewer than 1,000 hours.

• Nearly half (49%) of PD estimated that between 1% and 25% of student enrolling in their programs over the past 5 years already had a bachelor’s degree. An additional 30% indicated that between 26% and 50% already had Bachelor’s degrees.

• Most PDs reported average to no difficulty for in students finding employment after graduation. Only 8% reported that finding employment after graduation was either difficult or very difficult.

• 92% of PDs indicated that it was either important or imperative that NMTs be licensed in all states. Only 3% ranked it as unimportant.

Program Director’s Survey“Key Issues for NMT Education Programs”

• Lack of a standard in entry-level education for the profession;

• Lack of NMT education programs in many parts of the country;

• Lack of articulation agreements among education program to support advanced education;

• Lack of continuing education opportunities for active NMTs in many academic programs;

• Difficulty recruiting faculty for NMT education programs;

• Non-competive faculty salaries;

• Lack of flexible programming for non-traditional students;

• Gaps in educational curricula, especially related to new and emerging technologies.

Program Director’s Survey“Recommendations”

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #1

66.1%

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #2

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #3

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #4

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #5

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #6

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #7

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #8

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #9

Program Director’s SurveyRecommendation #10

Program Director’s SurveyOther “Key Findings”

• Departures of program directors will create demand for replacements to fill their vacant positions. 16.9% reported plans to retire in the next 5 years.

• Most (92.7%) of programs offered day classes. Only 6% offered evening classes and 2% weekend classes.

• Only 18% of PDs indicated intent to increase the availability of on-line coursework in the programs over the next 2 years.

• Most programs offered both didactic (95%) and clinical (91.7%) instruction in PET. Fewer offered CT instruction (51.7% didactic, 38.3% clinical). MRI was taught even less often (16.7% didactic, 13.3% clinical).

• Most NMT programs (86.7%) had only one graduation class per year. 8.3% had two.

• Enrollment in programs has increased since 2004 with little change between 2005 and 2006.

• 93% of PDs reported that their admissions process was competitive. The remaining 7% indicated that admission was open to any candidate who met minimum requirements.

• Only 67% of program reported that 100% of their students graduating in 2005 had taken a certification exam. 5% reported that NONE of their graduates from 2005 have yet to take one of the exams.