Thomas Wong
Nuclear Medicine Program Head,
British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT)
Treena Cardiff
Associate Dean, Diagnostics and Advanced Practice, School of Health, BCIT
A two year program of study in nuclear medicine technology can be the springboard for a lifelong career in one of health care’s fastest moving disciplines
The origin of nuclear medicine—the use of radioactive materials in diagnostics and therapy—dates back a century, to Hungarian radiochemist George de Hevesy’s pioneering 1920s work using lead isotopes to map metabolic pathways in small animals. Today, the field of nuclear medicine has blossomed into a hugely significant pillar of modern health care, and Canada has emerged as a clear leader in research, development, and training. Even de Hevesy could never have predicted we’d have such an array of nuclear imaging techniques, let alone targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies for a wide variety of conditions in all parts of the body.
“We do a lot of imaging work in cardiology, evaluating heart function,” says Thomas Wong, Nuclear Medicine Program Head at the British Columbia Institute of Technology (BCIT). “We also do a lot of bone imaging, whether that’s looking for fractures, diagnosing infections in the bone, or detecting cancers spreading to bones. There’s a lot of recent growth in brain imaging, where nuclear medicine can help diagnose and monitor conditions such as Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease, and epilepsy. There’s also a big focus on precision medicine and theranostics, where we have the capability to provide targeted therapies for various types of tumours and cancers.”
A Tech-Centric Career with Human-Centric Outcomes
With such clinical breadth and technological depth, Nuclear Medicine is a fast moving landscape that can only be navigated with a high degree of technical and scientific knowledge. Thus, Nuclear Medicine Technologists are the foundation of the field, working alongside doctors and other health care providers to give patients the best diagnostic and therapeutic care possible. The training to become a fully certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist involves an intensive two year program of study at an institution like BCIT, followed by a national certification exam administered by the Canadian Association of Medical Radiation Technologists.
“At BCIT, the students learn theory and practice skills in our high-fidelity lab spaces that simulate the clinical environment with industry-relevant equipment and technology,” says Wong. “In addition to lab simulations, students also develop and apply their skills through clinical practicums at a variety of clinical sites.”
The BCIT Nuclear Medicine Program is one that students can enter directly out of high school, although many students come to the program after pursuing other post-secondary education or work experience. “The ideal applicant is someone with a strong aptitude for the sciences, especially physics, biology, and chemistry,” says Wong. “You also need to like working with people because teamwork and patient care are big components of what a technologist does on a daily basis.”
Training that will Last a Lifetime
Nuclear Medicine Technologists are in high demand across Canada, and the certification obtained through programs like BCIT’s is valid in all provinces. And though the technologist’s career begins in the clinic, it can progress into research and education, and policy and administration. This is a career that is built on a sense of purpose, but it is also a career that comes with great compensation, flexibility, mobility, and job security. “If you come to this program and work hard for two years, you’ll have a career that will last you the rest of your life,” says Treena Cardiff, Associate Dean at BCIT. “Vancouver is a beautiful place to study, between the mountains and the water. But once your studies are complete, this job can take you anywhere.”
To learn more about the Nuclear Medicine program at BCIT, visit bcit.ca/nuclearmedicine.
