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What is Nuclear Pharmacy?
Nuclear pharmacy is a specialty practice of pharmacy involved with the procurement, preparation, dispensing, distribution, and control of radiopharmaceuticals used for diagnosis and therapy in nuclear medicine. It was the first pharmacy specialty established in 1978 by the Board of Pharmaceutical Specialties. Nuclear pharmacies are located throughout the United States staffed by approximately 900 nuclear pharmacists. Approximately half of these pharmacists are board certified in nuclear pharmacy (BCNP).
What Is Required to become a Nuclear Pharmacist?
In addition to having a pharmacist license a practitioner must obtain authorized nuclear pharmacist (ANP) status to practice independently as a nuclear pharmacist. ANP status is obtained from the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) or an NRC Agreement State. It requires 700 hours of training and experience (200 didactic and 500 experiential) in basic radioisotope methodology in the areas of radiation physics and instrumentation, radiation protection, mathematics of radioactivity, radiation biology, radiopharmaceutical chemistry, and the handling of radioactive material.
How Is ANP Status Obtained?
At UNC, a student in the School of Pharmacy may take elective courses in nuclear pharmacy. In the fall semester, Nuclear Pharmacy I covers the basic principles of radiation physics and instrumentation, radiation safety, regulations, and radiobiology. In the spring semester, Nuclear Pharmacy II covers the chemical principles underlying the preparation and control of radioactive drugs and their use in nuclear medicine. A one-month clerkship in nuclear medicine at UNC Hospitals is offered in the PY-4 year. These three educational offerings provide 239 didactic hours of classroom and laboratory instruction, sufficient for a student to become employed by a nuclear pharmacy following graduation. The 500 hours of practical experience required to complete ANP status can be obtained through three months of employment in a nuclear pharmacy following graduation or before graduation by a combination of summer internship hours and an elective clerkship in a nuclear pharmacy.