a career in radiotherapy

Radiotherapy is one of the three main methods of treating cancer. It involves using high energy radiation to focus on, and destroy cancer cells. As a radiotherapy radiographer you would be involved in accurately planning the patient’s treatment so that a high dose of radiation is given to the tumour whilst minimising the dose to surrounding normal tissues. You would also deliver the treatment to the patient, usually over a period of three to six weeks, so you get to know the patient and their family and help them to cope with any side effects. It’s a profession that gives you the best of both worlds – an opportunity to work with computer aided technology yet still be closely involved with the well-being of the patient.

Radiotherapy departments are usually found in larger hospitals or specialist centres. There is currently an international shortage of radiotherapy radiographers so a job at the end of a successful training course is guaranteed and progression through the grades is rapid. There are also many opportunities to work abroad.

To qualify as a radiotherapy radiographer you need to study a three year full time BSc (Hons) course, 50% of which is clinical training in a radiotherapy department and 50% academic in a university.

The Department of Radiography is part of the School of Allied Health Sciences at City University, London.  For further information concerning this programme or any other health related programme visit our website at www.city.ac.uk/ihs/radiography.

Contact our Admissions Team on 020 7040 4194 for further information or details of our Open