Nuclear Medicine Technologist Scholarship

For as long as I can remember, I have wanted to help people. When I was 16, I became an ocean lifeguard and got my first taste of the medical field as a first responder. At 18, I became an EMT and started working on more complex medical cases while being a lifeguard. I knew at that point I wanted to continue in the medical field. After obtaining my bachelor's degree from the University of San Francisco, I attended paramedic school. While working in the field, I realized that I wanted to further my education and obtain my nursing prerequisites. I took some time to explore a different career path in the fitness industry, but always knew my heart was in health care.  In the last year and a half, my family was faced with a handful of health complications. While visiting my parents last February,  my father started to have complications from CHF. With my experience, I was able to notice the signs and symptoms of distress and took him to the hospital. In the emergency department, I made contact with past colleagues from when I worked in EMS and realized that I needed to be back in healthcare. He was in the hospital for a week, and I recognized how the nurses could make a positive impact on his recovery. I knew, at this point, that it was time for me to start applying to nursing schools again. I want to give back to those who are going through a challenging part of their lives and support them.  I began working at Scripps Memorial Hospital Encinitas in August of 2023 as a care team assistant in the radiology department. I look forward to coming to work every day and helping patients in their time of need. Since working at the hospital, I have created relationships in many departments, and have continued to improve my patient care. I have become a preceptor, and have trained new employees in the department in the importance of good bedside manners and communication. I am grateful for my time at the hospital as it made me realize that I want to be in direct patient care.  When I was allowed to work in the Nuclear Medicine Department last summer as an assistant, my life was changed. I knew I had found my calling. The field of nuclear medicine offers a unique approach to diagnosing, treating, and monitoring various diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and neurological disorders. These conditions often require precise imaging and targeted therapy, making nuclear medicine intellectually stimulating and profoundly impactful in patient care. This integration of science, technology, and patient interaction is what excites me most about the field.  My biggest motivation for going into the healthcare field is to be a positive role model for my 5-year-old daughter. Over the last year, she has seen me take a job in the hospital and start taking classes. I want to show her that it is never too late to follow your dreams. Those who work in healthcare have such a large impact on someone's life when they are going through challenges that they may have never expected. I want to be there to support them and give them the best care possible. At this time in my life, I feel that it is time to follow my heart and passion to become a Nuclear Medicine technician. This career will allow me to provide a good life for myself and my daughter.

Hello! My name is Hunter Russell Peck. I’m a New Mexico resident, raised by a struggling single mom. Through my childhood, I witnessed how hard it can be for someone such as my mother, to receive healthcare and the help they really need. This drove me to pursue education, and strive for a successful future. I entered college in 2021, right at the end of the COVID-19 pandemic, further driving and urging me to excel in my passion to work in healthcare. When I entered the University of New Mexico, I thought I had it all figured out, and would be pursuing a degree in Biology. But, through shadowing multiple doctors, in multiple modalities, I came to fall in love with the world of radiology. More specifically, nuclear medicine. This new pathway fascinated me, and excited me unlike anything that had come before. I tackled this passion with all my efforts through countless hours shadowing at my local hospital, unimaginable amounts of research and finally- switching my major from Biology to Nuclear Medicine. Though I picked a rough time to apply, as the program at my school had just been put on hold. So, diligently I waited till it reopened. Thankfully, when it did I was so overwhelmed with joy to both be given the opportunity to apply and to later then be accepted into the program. During my time in the program thus far, I have found an even greater joy and love for the subject in all capacities. I have found a great intellectual joy learning about the current and ongoing issues with our healthcare system, and how we as a community of technologists may be able to play our part in fixing it. I have also been granted opportunities to work closely with my professors with formulating educational plans, and instructions. These experiences and opportunities have not only grown my love for the subject, but also the community that I cannot wait to be a part of. Once I finally graduate from my program, I plan to be not only motivated but excited to play my vital role in my communities health care needs. I also plan to further my education, and involvement with my community by staying informed on ongoing issues, and ways that we as a community can help shape the role, and importance of health care in our communities and world around us. Thank you for your consideration. It means the world to me to be given the opportunity to apply.

Well I am Caleb Froman from Columbia, Missouri. I am currently a pharmacy technician at Boone Hospital. I distribute medications throughout the hospital, compound products, make IV fluids, answer phones, and much more. I’ve always leaned towards the medical field. I love science and am a hands on person which the medical field is a good mix of. I want to feel like what I do matters and if that’s making patients lives easier or slightly more bearable that’s good enough for me. Part of my job involves walking around basically the whole hospital and the most fascinating part to me is when I go to OR rooms or x-ray room or the nuclear medicine department. I just love seeing the huge machines and want to be able to use them myself. I also find the images they produce so interesting. Being able to detect tumors and cancers and hernias and other things long before you would ever know about it other wise. I first learned about nuclear medicine in an intro to health professions class at MU. The person that came to talk just got me hooked and the thing that really got me was the ability to detect Alzheimer’s decades before someone would start experiencing symptoms. That’s insane! Those are critical years that intervention can come in to allow a person to stay cognitive for as long as possible. Alzheimer’s is such an awful disease for the person experiencing it and everyone close to them. To slowly forget who you and everyone around you are is a nightmare. And watching someone forget you especially a close family member or loved one can be brutal. I don’t wish that fate on my worst enemy. However if you know when your 50 your showing early signs of Alzheimer’s in a PET scan it can allow you start treating it then and keep you you for as long as possible. I think this is incredible and there are a thousand other examples of how much of an impact nuclear imaging can have on a patient. I also know going through these giant machines can be incredibly scary. A patient might not fully understand how it works, or is claustrophobic, hate loud noises, or could be learning they have a terminal illness. A technologist has to be able to guide them through this process and keep their mind at ease. When I become a technician my goal is to help patients receive the best care possible both physically and mentally. I would try to help them relax and hope to give them a positive experience and attitude. What patients need is a friendly presence that can help them through this process that can answer questions and help them feel as comfortable as possible.Nuclear medicine is an important part of diagnostic care and as it continues to develop it will only become more useful and important.