Nuclear Medicine Technologists perform or assist in performing diagnostic examinations using radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals and administers radionuclides and radiopharmaceuticals for therapeutic purposes under the direction of specialist Medical Practitioners.

Skill Level

1

Unless you are exempt in very limited circumstances, you are required to have a positive Skills Assessment to apply for the visas listed above.

Skills Assessment authority for Nuclear Medicine Technologist is Australian and New Zealand Society of Nuclear Medicine (ANZSNM). To have a positive skills assessment, you must meet the following criteria:

• There are three components to the ANZSNM skills assessment:
  • English Language Test
  • Qualification Examination
  • Professional Development Programme
• English Language Test
  • Applicants must demonstrate:
    • English is your primary language and you have completed all primary and secondary education in English in a recognised country. In addition, your tertiary qualifications relevant to this occupation were taught and assessed in English; or
    • You have a combination of secondary and tertiary qualifications where at least 2 years of secondary education was in English and the tertiary qualifications were solely taught and assessed in English in a recognised country; or
    • You have completed at least 6 years (full time equivalent) continuous education taught and assessed in English in any recognised country; or
    • You have achieved the minimum required scores in an English Language test:
      • IELTS – minimum overall score of 7
      • OET – minimum overall score of B in each component
      • PTE Academic – minimum overall score of 65
      • TOEFL iBT – minimum total score of 94
• Qualification Examination
  • Applicants must submit the following for ANZSNM to assess their qualifications:
    • Certified copy of qualifications
    • Certified transcripts including subjects, examinations and any practical or clinical education undertaken
    • Certified evidence of current registration or license to practice and a letter of good standing OR evidence of employment in this occupation if your country does not require registration/license to practice
    • Two references from employers
• Supervised Practice Programme
  • Once obtaining a positive skills assessment and arriving in Australia, applicants are required to undertake a professional development program in the first year of employment as a Nuclear Medicine Technologist

Operate X-ray and other radiation producing and imaging equipment for diagnostic, monitoring and treatment purposes under the direction of Radiologists and other Medical Practitioners.

Tasks

• Receiving referrals from Medical Practitioners to perform medical imaging and radiation treatment of patients
• Determining the appropriate equipment to use, such as X-ray equipment, radiation scanners, fluoroscopes, ultrasound equipment, nuclear instrumentation, angiography equipment and computed tomography (CT) equipment, and selecting the appropriate equipment settings to provide the diagnostic information requested by Medical Practitioners
• Calculating details of procedures such as length and intensity of exposure to radiation, size and strength of dosage of isotopes, and settings of recording equipment
• Explaining procedures to patients and answering patients’ inquiries about processes
• Ensuring patients’ welfare during procedures
• Positioning patients, screens and equipment preparatory to procedures
• Viewing the screen and deciding if images are satisfactory for diagnostic purposes, and selecting images to show Medical Practitioners
• Conveying findings of procedures to Medical Practitioners

Skill Level

Most occupations in this unit group have a level of skill commensurate with a bachelor degree or higher qualification (ANZSCO Skill Level 1).

Registration or licensing may be required.

Occupations in this Group

• 251211 Medical Diagnostic Radiographer
• 251212 Medical Radiation Therapist
• 251213 Nuclear Medicine Technologist
• 251214 Sonographer