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You're probably thinking....."Although I'm a pharmacist, I wouldn't have the slightest idea what to do in a nuclear pharmacy." You're right, you wouldn't....and that is why nuclear pharmacies will invest a great deal into your Nuclear Pharmacist Certification training and education. You're also probably thinking "I was never really introduced to Nuclear Pharmacy back in pharmacy school".... Neither were most pharmacy students and neither were most of the Certified Nuclear Pharmacists practicing today - and that hasn't stopped any of them!

What are some of the benefits Nuclear Pharmacists enjoy?

• No customers or drive-thrus
• Relaxed working environment
• No dealing with third-party claim problems
• Low pharmacy technician turnover
• Variety of duties & opportunities for pharmacists
• Responsive management
• Excellent benefits
• Excellent pay
• The respect & treatment a pharmacist deserves

What exactly is "Nuclear Pharmacy" or "RadioPharmacy"?
Nuclear pharmacy is a specialty area of pharmacy practice dedicated to the compounding and dispensing of radioactive materials for use in nuclear imaging and nuclear medical procedures. These procedures use small amounts of radioactive material for the safe diagnosis, treatment and monitoring of disease. Diagnostic nuclear imaging is used principally for bone, brain, kidney, liver, gall bladder, heart, lung and infection assessment. Diagnostic nuclear imaging offers a safe, reliable and cost-effective alternative to invasive diagnostic procedures and surgery. In these imaging procedures, an imaging camera scans a patient who has swallowed, inhaled or been injected with one of the prepared radiopharmaceutical compounds. These compounds concentrate in the particular organ or tissues to be examined. The imaging camera makes a computer-generated, full-motion video recording of the area in which the radiotracers have concentrated and this recording allows physicians to detect irregularities in that targeted area. Nuclear imaging is unique in that it documents organ structure and function, in contrast to other diagnostic methods, which only document the organ structure.

Training and certification in Radiopharmaceutics:
To become a Certified Nuclear Pharmacist, you will need to complete the Nuclear Certification Training program. This program consists of 200 class hours and 500 hours of supervised experience in handling unsealed radioactive material under a qualified instructor. Most companies will pay for your training and certification & you will also be earning a paycheck while you are in training. They will either train you "in-house" in their own approved Nuclear Pharmacy training facility located at their corporate HQ, or will send you to one of the accredited universities that offer the Nuclear Pharmacy Program with travel and living expenses during training being paid for. On-site training through the internet has also begun to make its way into the industry. Nuclear pharmacies make a significant investment in the certification of their pharmacists. Nuclear pharmacists receive extensive training on the various radiopharmaceuticals that are used, as well as training on the safe handling of radioactive materials and the procedures that will minimize radiation exposure to themselves and to others. Nuclear Pharmacists hold a radiopharmacist license in addition to their traditional license and additional CE in the field of nuclear medicine is required.

What duties do Nuclear Pharmacists perform?
Quick history: As nuclear medicine procedures became more widely used, the need for someone to prepare the labeled products for administration to the patients became more evident. While many large hospitals were able to use pharmacists with training in the handling of radioactive material, smaller hospitals were unable to utilize nuclear medicine procedures because they did not have the staff to prepare the necessary doses in a cost effective manner. As a result, in the early 1970's, the concept of centralized nuclear pharmacies was born. When developed, the centralized nuclear pharmacy served as the "drugstore" for the nuclear medicine department. When a particular radioactive material was needed, a trained nuclear pharmacist was available to prepare the product and dispense it to the end user.

The basic operations of a Nuclear Pharmacy are not much different than that of a traditional pharmacy - a "prescription" for a particular nuclear product is presented, and the Nuclear Pharmacist must prepare and dispense that "prescription". Where a traditional pharmacist will dispense doses in milligram weight units, a nuclear pharmacist will dispense in millicurie activity units. Where a traditional pharmacist dispenses tablets and capsules, a nuclear pharmacist dispenses the radioactive material in liquid, capsule or injectable form. Where a traditional pharmacist usually dispenses the prescription to the patient, the nuclear pharmacist will dispense the prepared product to the nuclear medicine department of a clinic or hospital where the dose will be administered to the patient.

Typical schedules of a Nuclear Pharmacist:

• Monday - Friday 8AM to 4PM (day shift)
• Monday - Friday 12AM to 8AM (early morning shift)
• Day and early morning shifts often rotate by week
  (This weekly rotation schedule varies from pharmacy to pharmacy)
• An occasional Saturday (varies by company)
• Few if any weekends, evenings or holidays
• Nuclear pharmacists are expected to be on call (on a rotating schedule)

Qualities of Nuclear Pharmacists:

• Past job stability is very important - companies invest heavily into the education & certification of their Radiopharmacists. Chronic "Job Hoppers" are discouraged to enter this field.
• Potential Nuclear Pharmacists must be eager to train and learn in this exciting and exploding field
• Nuclear Pharmacists must desire to grow professionally in many directions
• Successful Nuclear Pharmacists display strong leadership qualities and are well-rounded

Are you interested in Nuclear Pharmacist pay?
The RXsalary Calculator is a FREE tool that enables Nuclear pharmacists to stay up to date with the latest pharmacist salary information. Whether you're researching local Nuclear Pharmacist Salaries or just curious, try the RXSalaryCalculator...it's FREE! This is the most comprehensive pharmacy compensation tool in the world and it's updated daily by a continuous pharmacy salary information feed. What factors does the pharmacist salary calculator take into account to calculate pharmacist pay? Years of experience, degree, position, function, setting, specialty & geographic location. For more information, Click Here for Nuclear pharmacy salaries nationwide.