Medicine

Contact Us School of Medicine
Level 1
Trinity Biomedical Sciences Institute
Trinity College
152-160 Pearse Street
Dublin 2

View the contact page for more contact and location information

medadmin@tcd.ie

Undergraduate

rt students studying in VR set

This honours degree gives the broad academic base on which to develop the clinical skills of radiation therapy.  Evaluation, analysis and decision-making are important skills for a Radiation Therapist and this course will equip you with these core foundations.  Research in radiotherapy is paramount as a practitioner and upon qualification, you will be competent at undertaking research in this field. 

There are both theoretical and clinical components to this degree, with clinical placement in all four years.  The contact hours are high in this course and teaching takes place through lectures, workshops, practical-based sessions and tutorials.  Integration between academic studies and clinical placement is supported by a continuing close liaison between academic and clinical radiation therapists. 

Theoretical Modules in the degree programme include:

First and Second Years

In the First and Second years, the course covers the basic sciences. You will also study the structure and function of the human body and will be introduced to topics that relate to cancer and patient care. There are approximately 20-30 hours per week in class in these years. The clinical practice component (clinical placement) will introduce you to radiation therapy and will develop your understanding of the complexities of the cancer patient pathway. The content covered in these years includes:

  1. Biology
  2. Chemistry
  3. Anatomy
  4. Physics
  5. Principles and Practices of Cancer Care
  6. Introduction to Imaging and Planning
  7. Psychology and Communication
  8. Clinical Practice
  9. Biochemistry
  10. Physiology
  11. Research Methods and Statistics
Third and Fourth Years

In third and fourth years, you will study more specialist subjects that are specifically related to cancer and patient care, and complete a research project in this area. The content covered in these years includes:

  1. Principles and Practices of Cancer Care
  2. Physics
  3. Radiobiology
  4. Radiation Therapy Treatment Planning
  5. Treatment Preparation and Verification
  6. Research Methods and Statistics with the completion of a capstone project
  7. Radiation Therapy in Practice
  8. Clinical Practice
  9. Quality and Patient Safety in Radiation Therapy

This programme use a variety of assessment methods, including written end-of-year examinations, continuous assessment, individual and group project work, oral examinations, reflective journals and workbooks. A clinical portfolio and research dissertation are substantial components of the assessment processes in your final year.