Nuclear Medicine Physicians

• Check and approve the quality of diagnostic images before patients are discharged.
• Establish and enforce radiation protection standards for patients and staff.
• Interpret imaging data and confer with other medical specialists to formulate diagnoses.
• Prescribe radionuclides and dosages to be administered to individual patients.
• Review procedure requests and patients' medical histories to determine applicability of procedures and radioisotopes to be used.
• Direct nuclear medicine technologists or technicians regarding desired dosages, techniques, positions, and projections.
• Determine appropriate tests or protocols based on patients' needs or conditions.
• Compare nuclear medicine procedures with other types of procedures such as computed tomography, ultrasonography, nuclear magnetic resonance imaging, and angiography.
• Monitor handling of radioactive materials to ensure that established procedures are followed.
• Monitor quality control of radionuclide preparation, administration, or disposition ensuring that activities comply with applicable regulations and standards.
• Advise other physicians of the clinical indications, limitations, assessments, or risks of diagnostic and therapeutic applications of radioactive materials.
• Perform cardiovascular nuclear medicine procedures such as exercise testing and pharmacologic stress testing.
• Administer radioisotopes to clinical patients or research subjects.
• Interview and physically examine patients prior to testing.
• Calculate, measure, or prepare radioisotope dosages.
• Teach nuclear medicine, diagnostic radiology, or other specialties at graduate educational level.
• Consult with patients following radiation treatments to provide information and assess outcomes or to recommend further consultation or treatments as appropriate.
• Test dosage evaluation instruments and survey meters to ensure they are operating properly.
• Monitor cleanup of radioactive spills to ensure that proper procedures are followed and that decontamination activities are conducted.
• Formulate plans and procedures for nuclear medicine departments.
• Direct the safe management and disposal of radioactive substances.
• Provide advice on the selection of nuclear medicine supplies or equipment.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Nuclear Medicine Physicians.

• Reading Comprehension - Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
• Critical Thinking - Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
• Active Listening - Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
• Active Learning - Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
• Judgment and Decision Making - Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
• Writing - Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
• Monitoring - Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
• Science - Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
• Social Perceptiveness - Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Source: O*NET OnLine information for Nuclear Medicine Physicians.