Admission Requirements for the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program

The Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program has the following requirements for consideration for admission to the program:

• Meets all admission requirements general to the UAMS College of Health Professions
• A cumulative undergraduate GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• A cumulative undergraduate math and science GPA of at least 2.5 on a 4.0 scale
• Successful completion of specific coursework
• Completion of the required amount of professional observation
• Meets specific technical standards
• Submission of a personal statement

Criteria

Admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program is a highly selective and competitive process. Selection is based on a combination of the following criteria:

• Academic performance
• Life experiences
• Performance during the interview

Competitive Attributes

A competitive applicant will possess the following attributes:

• Strong written and oral communication skills
• High level of professionalism
• Ability to work on a team and collaborate with others

Special Considerations

During admission reviews for the Little Rock-based program, first consideration may be given to Arkansas residents. Highly qualified applicants from out-of-state are strongly encouraged to apply and may successfully compete for admission.

Non-Discrimination Policy

Applicants are considered without regard to race, color, gender, age, sexual orientation, religion, national origin or disability status as a criterion in deciding against any individual in matters of admission, placement, transfer, hiring, dismissal, compensation, fringe benefits, training, tuition assistance and other personnel or educationally-related actions.

The following 80 semester credits¹ are required for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program. All listed courses are required from an institutionally accredited post-secondary academic institution and must fulfill all college requirements regarding acceptance of transfer credit.

Fulfillment of the prerequisite courses for the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program does not guarantee admission.

A final grade of C or better is required in each of the prerequisite courses.

Actual course titles may vary among institutions. If in doubt about the suitability of the following prerequisite courses, please contact the College of Health Professions Admissions Office.

General Education Coursework Requirements

Typical Course Title	Area	Required Semester Credit Hours
Two-semester Sequence of English Composition	English and Communication	6
Fundamentals of Speech or Speech Communication2	English and Communication	3
College Algebra (or Higher-level Mathematics)	Mathematics	3
Fine Arts (Art, Music or Theatre)	Fine Arts and Humanities	3
Humanities (History, Humanities, Literature, Philosophy or Political Science)	Fine Arts and Humanities	3
History of the United States or National Government	Social Sciences	3
Social Sciences (Anthropology, Economics, Geography, Psychology or Sociology)	Social Sciences	6
Total General Education Hours		27

Program-Specific Coursework Requirements

Typical Course Title	Area	Required Semester Credit Hours
Two-semester Sequence of Human Anatomy and Physiology with Lab3	Science	8
Biological Sciences or Microbiology with Lab4	Science	4
General Chemistry I with Lab5	Science	4
General Physics I with Lab6	Science	4
Electives7	General	33
Total Program-Specific Hours		53

Summary of Coursework Requirements

Courses	Hours
General Education Prerequisites	27
Program-Specific Prerequisites	53
Total Prerequisite Hours	80

Credit by Examination

The Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program will not accept Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate, or College Level Examination Program credits to fulfill the required math and science coursework.

The program will accept AP, IB or CLEP credits awarded by other institutionally accredited post-secondary academic institutions to fulfill the general education coursework. To be considered for credit transfer, the official transcript from the awarding institution must reflect the AP, IB or CLEP credits.

Refer to the UAMS College of Health Professions Future Students website for details about credit by examination.

Notes

¹ Up to three semester credit hours of coursework indicated may be taken as co-requisites during the fall semester only, and will be at the program’s discretion. No math or science courses may be taken as co-requisites. Those applicants who have completed 80 semester credit hours or more of the prerequisite curriculum prior to enrollment will have priority in admission decisions.

² Due to rules set forth by the Joint Review Committee on Educational Programs in Nuclear Medicine Technology, speech communication is a required prerequisite and cannot be substituted by an additional fine arts or humanities course.

³ Coursework must cover all body systems and include laboratory credit.

⁴ Biology courses taken as prerequisites to the human anatomy and physiology courses will satisfy this requirement.

⁵ Coursework must include laboratory credit. Chemistry courses designed specifically for nursing and other allied health technology students may meet this requirement; however, overview or preparatory chemistry courses will not.

⁶ Coursework must be algebra-based, at a minimum, and include a laboratory section for credit. Physics courses completed in an accredited radiography program may be considered as a substitute on a case-by-case basis. Must have at least four semester credit hour equivalent of radiography physics to be considered.

⁷ Eighty credit hours are required for admission to the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program, 47 credit hours of which are required general education and math and science courses. With the assistance of the student’s academic advisor, it is recommended to ensure that the 33 elective hours are part of the student’s 35 lower division core or state-required electives and meet the requirements for graduation with a specific degree at the college or university. General education elective courses can come from the following subjects: English, social science, humanities, fine arts, liberal arts, business, communication, foreign language, health and behavioral science. Math and science electives should include advanced coursework in biology, chemistry, physics and mathematics and may include introductory coursework in statistics and computer sciences. Only one activity course (physical education, applied music, applied art, religion, etc.) will be accepted for transfer.

Applicants to the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program must complete a minimum of four hours of observation of a registered nuclear medicine technologist in a hospital department where nuclear medicine imaging is practiced.

All observations should be completed at a facility affiliated with the UAMS nuclear medicine program. If this is not possible, please be aware that the facility chosen may have additional requirements to be completed prior to performing the observation.

During the observation, applicants should gain an understanding of the responsibilities and duties of a nuclear medicine technologist and become acquainted with routine nuclear medicine procedures. This includes experiencing as many of the procedures listed below as possible.

• Bone
• Liver-spleen
• Hepatobiliary
• Cardiac
• Brain
• PET CT
• Thyroid
• Lung
• Gastrointestinal
• Renal
• Abscess/Infection
• Dose Administration

Additionally, applicants are encouraged to discuss the profession with current nuclear medicine technologists in the field.

This observation time must be recorded on the Professional Observation Form. Once completed, the form should be submitted using our online Professional Observation Submission Form.

For more details about this requirement, please contact the program.

In order to be admitted to the Bachelor of Science in Nuclear Medicine Imaging Sciences Program, applicants must possess certain physical, cognitive and behavioral abilities necessary to complete the curriculum. These requirements exist to ensure that students are able to effectively acquire the knowledge and skills needed to become competent and successful nuclear medicine technologists. Please visit the Technical Standards page for details.

The submission of a confidential biographical statement is required. More information will be sent via email upon receipt of the online application.