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Radiation Therapy. Jill Byrne Lecturer. Change of Title. From Therapeutic Radiographer tp RADIATION THERAPIST. Course title has changed from B. Sc. in Therapeutic Radiography to B.Sc. In Radiation Therapy. Radiation Therapy /Therapeutic Radiography.
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Radiation Therapy Jill Byrne Lecturer
Change of Title • From Therapeutic Radiographer tp RADIATION THERAPIST. • Course title has changed from B. Sc. in Therapeutic Radiography to B.Sc. In Radiation Therapy
Radiation Therapy /Therapeutic Radiography • Relationship to Diagnostic or General Radiography? • Main Differences • Patient population • Type and quantity of radiation.
Radiotherapy • A specialised branch of medicine concerned with the treatment of malignant disease.
Radiation Therapists are an integral part of a team which includes Oncologists and Physicists in the planning and delivery of Radiotherapy regimes The Radiation therapist is the main contact person for the patient during the course of treatment and is involved in all aspects of the treatment process Radiation Therapy
Radiation Therapy • Utilises high energy potentially lethal doses of radiation in order to destroy malignant tumours. • Malignant tumours however do not exist in isolation. • They reside inside a PERSON.
Radiation Therapy • A person involved in this profession needs to be multi-skilled and ‘A BIT OF A PERFECTIONIST’ • A very high degree of technical knowledge is required and there is a need for precision, accuracy and attention to detail. • Excellent ‘people skills’ are also essential in this profession
Course content • The first two years cover the basic sciences. • First year • Physics • Chemistry • Biology • Professional Studies
Course content • Second year • Anatomy • Physiology • Biochemistry • Genetics • Psychology • Counselling and communications • Medical and radiation physics
Course content • Third and fourth years consist of an in-depth study of: • Cancer and its overall management • The professional skills of Radiotherapy • Self Development • Health care management • A substantial research project in a related area must also be completed
Clinical Placement • There is approximately fifty (50) weeks clinical placement in total over the four years. • A substantial amount of clinical placement takes place in vacation time.
Clinical placement • In the freshman years there are short introductory placements • There is significant clinical placement in the sophister years • Students are placed in Radiotherapy departments in various locations throughout the country.
Course assessment • Students are required to pass exams in both theoretical and clinical areas over the four years. • Satisfactory completion of the clinical component is required each year in order to rise • There is also continuous assessment, project work and practical assessment
Course Assessment • A clinical portfolio and a thesis are the main assessment processes in the final year counting for fifty per cent of the total grade.
Career opportunities • Currently there is a shortage of Radiation Therapists world – wide so graduates have little difficulty in obtaining employment.