Army MOS · Medical

72A Nuclear Medical Science

Overview

Nuclear Medical Science officers plan, direct, and participate in medical NBC defense, health physics, medical physics, radiation biology research, and laser or microwave physics activities related to military operations. They serve in staff and instructor assignments involving fields that affect personnel health and the environment in NBC and other settings.

Core Skills

  • radiation detection and measurement
  • health physics and dosimetry
  • CBRN medical defense planning
  • risk assessment and hazard analysis
  • research design and execution
  • data analysis and interpretation
  • technical writing and documentation
  • policy and standards development
  • training development and delivery
  • incident response planning and support

Civilian Software & Tools

  • Microsoft Excel
  • Microsoft Office software
  • R
  • Adobe Photoshop
  • ESRI ArcGIS software
  • IBM SPSS Statistics
  • Linux
  • Microsoft PowerPoint

Civilian Career Paths

  • Public Health
  • Environmental Engineering
  • Project Management
  • Emergency Management

Training & Development

Getting Started

  • Registered Radiation Protection Technologist (RRPT) · Funded
  • Certified Nuclear Medicine Technologist (CNMT)
  • Nuclear Medicine Technology (N)

Career Growth

  • Certified Health Physicist (CHP) · Funded
  • Certified Healthcare Leader (CHL)
  • Certified Professional in Healthcare Risk Management (CPHRM)

What the Work Involves

  • Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
  • Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
  • Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
  • Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
  • Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.

Related Occupations

  • Geneticists
  • Biochemists and Biophysicists
  • Physicians, Pathologists
  • Microbiologists

Typical preparation for these civilian roles: graduate-level education or extensive experience.

Defense contractor jobs for 72A

Descriptions may be summarized for clarity. Verify all information with your branch career counselor or official military documentation before making career decisions.

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