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Nuclear Medicine Physician

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AVG. SALARY

$173,890

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EDUCATION

First professional degree

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JOB OUTLOOK

Stable

What They Do

Physicians, Pathologists Career Video

About This Career

Diagnoses diseases and conducts lab tests using organs, body tissues, and fluids. Includes medical examiners.

This career is part of the Health Science cluster Therapeutic Services pathway.

A person in this career:

  • Examines microscopic samples to identify diseases or other abnormalities.
  • Diagnoses diseases or studies medical conditions, using techniques such as gross pathology, histology, cytology, cytopathology, clinical chemistry, immunology, flow cytometry, or molecular biology.
  • Writes pathology reports summarizing analyses, results, and conclusions.
  • Communicates pathologic findings to surgeons or other physicians.
  • Identifies the etiology, pathogenesis, morphological change, and clinical significance of diseases.
  • Reads current literature, talks with colleagues, or participates in professional organizations or conferences to keep abreast of developments in pathology.
  • Consults with physicians about ordering and interpreting tests or providing treatments.
  • Analyzes and interprets results from tests, such as microbial or parasite tests, urine analyses, hormonal assays, fine needle aspirations (FNAs), and polymerase chain reactions (PCRs).
  • Reviews cases by analyzing autopsies, laboratory findings, or case investigation reports.
  • Manages medical laboratories.

Working Conditions and Physical Demands

People who do this job report that:

  • You would sit most of the time. There's some walking and standing. You may have to lift and carry things like books, papers or tools weighing 10 lbs. or less.
  • Exposed to disease and infections more than once a month through work such as patient care, laboratory work, and sanitation control
  • Work in this occupation involves using your hands to hold, control, and feel objects more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation requires being inside most of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves making repetitive motions more than one-third of the time
  • Work in this occupation involves sitting more than one-third of the time

Working in this career involves (physical activities):

  • Identifying color and seeing differences in color, including shades and brightness
  • Seeing clearly up close
  • Speaking clearly enough to be able to be understood by others
  • Identifying and understanding the speech of another person

Work Hours and Travel

  • Irregular hours
  • Overtime work
  • Weekend work

Specialty and Similar Careers

Careers that are more detailed or close to this career:

  • Cytopathologist
  • Surgical Pathologist
  • Pathologist
  • Oral Pathologist
  • Neuropathologist
  • Hematopathologist
  • Dermatopathologist — Diagnoses diseases of the skin, hair, and nails by looking at samples under a microscope.
  • Forensic Pathologist
  • Anatomic Pathologist