Radiography in UK

According to the registration requirements of the Association of Radiographers , students holding a degree in radiation therapy or radiology can directly register to practice. According to the government 's 2040 review report on 13 medical manpower planning and professional development strategies , radiation therapists are one of the nine medical professions that are understaffed.

There are two types of career paths in radiology. The first is a diagnostic radiographer; the second is a radiation therapist. Radiologists mainly provide doctors with diagnostic evidence, including X-rays, MRIs, ultrasounds, etc. Radiation therapists belong to the oncology department, and their main responsibility is to design treatment plans for tumors, such as radiotherapy. Both start with radiation therapy, but the course content will be different starting from Year 2.

56% of radiotherapists work in public hospitals (i.e. Queen Elizabeth Hospital, Pamela Youde Nethersole Eastern Hospital, Princess Margaret Hospital, Queen Mary Hospital, Tuen Mun Hospital and Prince of Wales Hospital), while 44% work in academic and private institutions. As more and more private institutions start providing radiotherapy services, including the Chinese University of Hong Kong Hospital and Union Hospital, it is believed that more radiotherapists will be recruited, narrowing the gap between the number of radiotherapists in public and private institutions.

In addition, the technology of radiotherapy requires a lot of large and expensive medical equipment. For example, a linear accelerator required for radiotherapy costs about 10 to 20 million Hong Kong dollars. The installation of a linear accelerator requires about 2 floors of height. In addition, a large number of lead walls are required for protection, which requires more money and space. Generally, small and medium-sized hospitals and clinics do not have enough space and financial resources to operate this service. Therefore, radiotherapy will only appear in large hospitals. Public hospitals are mainly the leading hospitals of each network, while private hospitals are mainly supported by large financial groups. Although this limits the employment options of radiation therapists to a certain extent, at least institutions willing to invest resources will not give up easily, which also ensures the stability of the industry to a certain extent.

• Students who complete the degree in radiation therapy can register as a Class II radiographer, $30,235 - $48,860
• Radiographer I/Department Manager requires a Master's degree in Radiotherapy, $51,095 - $74,515
• Senior Radiographer/Department Manager requires 11 years of experience or more, $74,515 - $89,845

Therefore, the starting salary for radiation therapists is similar to that of other Poly five professions: physical therapy , occupational therapy , medical laboratory , and optometrists.

1. Possess a 4-year degree in radiotherapy from PolyU or Tung Wah University, or have completed relevant courses in Canada, Switzerland, Australia or the United Kingdom and hold a local radiotherapist license
2. Registered with the Hong Kong Radiographers Association

• In the first year and a half, students will learn anatomy, physiology, radiation physics and other knowledge to lay a solid foundation.
• In the middle of the second year, students are required to choose between radiation diagnosis and radiation therapy.
• If it is radiation therapy, students will learn about radiation therapy dosimetry, radiation biology, and radiation instrumentation. For example, students need to understand the characteristics, advantages, and disadvantages of two-dimensional and three-dimensional radiation therapy .
• Tung Wah College does not offer diagnostic radiology, so there is no need to choose it.
• According to the requirements of the Radiological Technologists Association , students who are studying for a radiotherapist course or a radiology degree need to complete at least 1,300 hours of compliant clinical practice, which is more than Poly's other majors: physical therapy , occupational therapy , medical laboratory , and optometrist . Therefore, radiotherapy is actually a subject that requires high technical skills, communication skills, and judgment.

• Three major sciences + Poly five treasures
• British university radiotherapist course : 3-year course, you will get a license after completing the course, and it is not difficult to practice in Hong Kong. The cost is at least 30% lower than that of Australian universities.
• Australian University Radiation Therapy Course : 4-year course, licensed upon completion, easy to practice in Hong Kong, no science requirement
• Requirements for overseas study : There are more than 20 majors that Hong Kong students love the most, as well as their industry prospects and license exam information. These majors of course include the three major subjects in Hong Kong and the five Poly subjects. The threshold for overseas study is lower than in Hong Kong or you can graduate faster. There are also some subjects that require half the god score in Hong Kong, but there is no god job after graduation. Students may also want to consider studying overseas and immigrating and returning.
• Cost of studying abroad : Comparison of costs of studying abroad, where is the cheapest place to study abroad?