Nuclear Medicine Technologist
Healthcare
Prepare, administer, and measure radioactive isotopes in therapeutic, diagnostic, and tracer studies using a variety of radioisotope equipment. Prepare stock solutions of radioactive materials and calculate doses to be administered by radiologists. Subject patients to radiation. Execute blood volume, red cell survival, and fat absorption studies following standard laboratory techniques.
You can enter this career straight after SPM. A degree is optional, not required.
What you'd do all day
The tasks that matter most in this job, most important first.
- 1Administer radiopharmaceuticals or radiation intravenously to detect or treat diseases, using radioisotope equipment, under direction of a physician.
- 2Detect and map radiopharmaceuticals in patients' bodies, using a camera to produce photographic or computer images.
- 3Process cardiac function studies, using computer.
- 4Calculate, measure, and record radiation dosage or radiopharmaceuticals received, used, and disposed, using computer and following physician's prescription.
- 5Produce a computer-generated or film image for interpretation by a physician.
- 6Record and process results of procedures.
- 7Explain test procedures and safety precautions to patients and provide them with assistance during test procedures.
- 8Prepare stock radiopharmaceuticals, adhering to safety standards that minimize radiation exposure to workers and patients.
- 9Perform quality control checks on laboratory equipment or cameras.
- 10Dispose of radioactive materials and store radiopharmaceuticals, following radiation safety procedures.
- 11Gather information on patients' illnesses and medical history to guide the choice of diagnostic procedures for therapy.
- 12Maintain and calibrate radioisotope and laboratory equipment.
- 13Position radiation fields, radiation beams, and patient to allow for most effective treatment of patient's disease, using computer.
- 14Add radioactive substances to biological specimens, such as blood, urine, or feces, to determine therapeutic drug or hormone levels.
- 15Measure glandular activity, blood volume, red cell survival, or radioactivity of patient, using scanners, Geiger counters, scintillometers, or other laboratory equipment.
- 16Train or supervise student or subordinate nuclear medicine technologists.
- 17Develop treatment procedures for nuclear medicine treatment programs.
Also known as
What this job is called on JobStreet, LinkedIn and in job ads. Search these too.
- NMT
- CNMT
- PET Technologist
- Isotope Technician
- Isotope Technologist
- Nuclear Technologist
- Radioisotope Technician
- Radiation Safety Officer
- Radioisotope Technologist
- Nuclear Medicine Technician
How far is this from you?
Roughly how much preparation this job usually takes. In Malaysia your UPU route and the programme's syarat still decide entry, so treat this as a guide, not a gate.
1
Entry straight after SPM
2
SPM + sijil / short TVET course
Typical entry
Diploma / TVET (sijil–diploma)
4
Degree (ijazah sarjana muda)
5
Postgrad (sarjana / PhD) or professional route
Subjects that matter here
The SPM subjects worth your effort for this career, with the reason for each.
What you'd need to know
The subject areas this job leans on most, and the SPM subjects that build them.
- Customer and Personal Service93%
- Biology80%
BiologyAdditional Science
- English Language79%
English
- Physics78%
Physics
- Medicine and Dentistry76%
BiologyChemistry
- Chemistry75%
Chemistry
Tools you'd use
Software and equipment that show up in this job, worth learning early.
What the work feels like
Day-to-day working conditions, so you can tell whether the job suits how you like to work.
- Face-to-face discussionsEvery day
- Contact with other peopleConstant contact
- Dealing with customers or the publicVery high
- Leading or coordinating othersVery high
- Handling conflict situationsOften
- Indoors, air-conditionedEvery day
- Outdoors, in all weatherAlmost never
- Noisy environmentAlmost never
Where this job is heading
Newer tasks O*NET has flagged for this occupation, a hint at how the role is changing.
- Schedule patients for nuclear medicine exams and procedures.
AI and demand for this job
A few real, dated data points — not a single score. AI making some tasks faster usually means a job changes, not that it disappears.
Share of everyday tasks today's AI can already help with (2023)
This estimate is from 2023 — already out of date, since AI moves fast. Treat it as a rough, aging starting point, not the current picture.
Pay in Malaysia
We don't have a sourced Malaysian salary range for this job yet, and we'd rather show nothing than a number we can't stand behind.
Where to check:
- JobStreet and Hiredly job ads for this title
- DOSM Salaries & Wages Survey
- SSPA scheme tables, if you're aiming for a government post
Check what you may qualify for
Enter your SPM grades and see which routes and programmes you may qualify for. An estimate to plan with, not an offer.
How to get here
Post-SPM pathways with programmes in this career's fields. Tap one to see real programmes and entry requirements.
Related careers
If this interests you, these are worth a look too.
About this information
This describes what the job involves. Pay, demand and entry routes differ in Malaysia, so check the Pathways and Programmes pages for local requirements.
O*NET occupation: Nuclear Medicine Technologists
Job responsibilities, knowledge areas and work context from O*NET 30.3, US Department of Labor, used under CC BY 4.0. onetcenter.org