Taken from:

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/diagnostic-radiographer

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/diagnostic-radiographer/entry-requirements-and-training-diagnostic

To practice as a radiographer, you must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). In order to register with the HCPC, you first need to successfully complete an approved programme in diagnostic radiography. Degree courses take three or four years, full time or up to six years part time. A degree apprenticeship standard has been approved for delivery. There are also postgraduate programmes usually taking up to two years.

Courses cover anatomy, physiology and physics as well sociology, management, ethics and the practice and science of imaging. They all involve a lot of practical work with patients.

Each institution sets its own entry requirements, so it’s important to check carefully.

To get onto a diagnostic radiography degree course you usually need:

• two or three A levels, including physics, chemistry or biology/human biology, along with five GCSEs (grades A-C), including English language, maths and science

or alternative qualifications, including

• BTEC, HND or HNC which includes science

• relevant NVQ

• science-based access course

• equivalent Scottish or Irish qualifications

If you have a relevant first degree, you can apply for an accelerated programme in diagnostic radiography. These courses are usually between 21 months and 2 years long.

However, each institution sets its own entry requirements, so it’s important to check carefully. Wherever you study, you will need to show that you have an understanding of diagnostic radiography. It is a good idea to spend some time with a registered diagnostic radiographer to see what the work is like.

Degree apprenticeships

A degree standard apprenticeship in diagnostic radiography has been approved for delivery. To get onto a degree apprenticeship, you will need to apply for an apprentice position with a health care provider. You can search for vacancies on the NHS Jobs website and Find an Apprenticeship website.

Once you’ve successfully completed a programme approved by the HCPC, you are then eligible to apply for registration with the HCPC. Once registered as a practitioner, you’ll be required to retain your name on the register by keeping your knowledge and skills up to date and paying an annual retention fee.

https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/explore-roles/allied-health-professionals/roles-allied-health-professions/therapeutic-radiographer/entry-requirements-and-training-therapeutic

https://www.prospects.ac.uk/job-profiles/therapeutic-radiographer

Therapeutic radiographers specialise in the planning, administration and aftercare of radiotherapy treatment for patients, most of whom have cancer

As a therapeutic radiographer, you'll use a range of technical equipment to deliver accurate doses of radiation to tumours to destroy diseased tissue, while minimising the amount of radiation to surrounding healthy tissue. You may also use radiotherapy to treat other conditions such as some blood disorders and thyroid disease.

As part of the radiotherapy team, you'll have lots of contact with patients before, during and after their treatment, and will play a vital role in helping them cope with the daily side effects.

Therapeutic radiographer is a protected title with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Qualifications

To practise as a therapeutic radiographer you must be registered with the HCPC. In order to register, you must successfully complete an HCPC-approved therapeutic radiography training programme at either undergraduate or postgraduate level. See the HCPC Register of approved education and training programmes.

The BSc (Hons) Therapeutic Radiography lasts three years full time (four years in Scotland), with a six-year part-time option available. Applications are made via the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS).

If you've already got a degree in a science or health-related subject, you may be eligible for a two-year (or three in Scotland) accelerated postgraduate course leading to an MSc in therapeutic radiography. Relevant subjects include:

• biological sciences

• biology

• health studies

• life and medical sciences

• nursing

• physics and/or medical physics.

Contact individual universities for entry requirements.

Both undergraduate and postgraduate training consists of a mix of study and clinical placement, approximately 50% of each. Subjects covered include anatomy, physiology, radiation physics, ethics, the social and psychological aspects of cancer care and the practice and science of imaging.

It may also be possible to take a degree apprenticeship in therapeutic radiography (England and Wales). Search the Find an apprenticeship or NHS Jobs websites for opportunities.

All students will need to pass a criminal records check and get occupational health clearance.

All UK approved courses lead to professional qualification, eligibility to apply for registration with the HCPC and membership of the Society of Radiographers.

All pre-registration undergraduate and postgraduate therapeutic radiography students can receive funding support of at least £5,000 per year. You don't have to pay it back and are still able to access funding for tuition and maintenance loans from the Student Loans Company. For more information, see Health Careers.

What's the difference?

https://www.bcu.ac.uk/health-sciences/about-us/school-blog/diagnostic-and-therapeutic-radiography-whats-the-difference

Understanding of the sector needed, NHS, role requirements and why you think you have the skills required for the role.

https://www.ucas.com/explore/subjects/radiography-and-medical-technology

https://radiographycareers.co.uk/

https://www.sor.org/

The six values the NHS looks for are set out in the NHS Constitution (Department of Health 2015). If you’re considering a career as a nurse or midwife, or indeed any other healthcare profession, the NHS Constitution is essential reading. Along with the NHS values, it sets out the seven key principles upon which the NHS is founded, as well as the rights and responsibilities of patients and staff.

The six values in the NHS Constitution are:

1. Working together for patients

2. Respect and dignity

3. Commitment to quality care

4. Compassion

5. Improving live

6. Everyone counts

Test your values with an e-tool

Health Education England has a free online tool to champion the values and behaviours of the NHS. The tool will show you some videos of staff working in various situations and ask you questions about how you would have handled the same situation. You'll then get an assessment report to show you how you've done.

Try out the tool for yourself.

Work experience

To be accepted on to a training programme, many universities will expect you to have visited an imaging or radiography department. Contact the imaging service manager at your local hospital and ask if you can spend time work shadowing a qualified diagnostic radiographer.

Previous work with the public, particularly in a health-related role, is also useful.

Examples of University courses

Diagnostic Radiography:

https://www.cumbria.ac.uk/study/courses/undergraduate/diagnostic-radiography/

https://www.liverpool.ac.uk/study/undergraduate/courses/diagnostic-radiography-bsc-hons/overview/

https://courses.leeds.ac.uk/i102/diagnostic-radiography-bsc

Therapeutic Radiography:

https://www.lsbu.ac.uk/study/course-finder/therapeutic-radiography-bsc-hons

https://www.bcu.ac.uk/courses/radiotherapy-bsc-hons-2020-21

https://www.qmu.ac.uk/study-here/undergraduate-study/2020-undergraduate-courses-folder/master-of-radiography-therapeutic-mtrad/

Check the information provided from the University when you were invited to interview what do you need to take with you? What type of interviews will you be undertaking? 1 to 1/ group?

Be on time! Make sure you know where you need to be and how to get there with plenty of time to spare.

Bring all documentation they have asked you to take with you.

Dress appropriately - remember, this is an interview for a professional course.

Re-read your application form and personal statement as they will ask you to elaborate on it.

Be clear about why you want to be a radiographer.

Be ready to answer questions about the profession – brief yourself on current issues. Check current news related to the profession you are hoping to go into.

Be ready to answer questions about the course.

Be ready to answer questions about the University – have you been to an Open Day; why do you want to study here; how will you fit in?

Be yourself! Be confident ! Good luck!

Subject specific radiography university interview questions

Since radiography is so specialised, your university will want to be sure that you have fully considered this career and that you understand what being a radiographer is all about. You may be asked questions such as:

• What makes you want to be a radiographer?

• What research have you done into radiography?

• Have you visited or had work experience at a working radiography department?

• If so, how did it live up to your expectations?

• Describe a typical day as a radiographer.

• What are the best and worst things about being a radiographer?

• Where do you think a radiography degree will take you?

• What are your ambitions in radiography?

• If you were not able to get work as a radiographer, what else would you do?

Personal radiography university interview questions

As a radiographer within the NHS, you will have a large workload and work under pressure a lot of the time. What’s more, you will often be dealing with the public when they are in pain or distress. Your university will want to assess whether you have the personality to deal with all of this by asking questions like:

• What skills do you think a good radiographer needs?

• How well do you work under pressure? Give an example?

• Describe your time management strategy

• How would you deal with a drunken patient who needed an X-ray?

• How would you calm a patient who felt claustrophobic in an MRI scanner?

• What do you think will be the hardest part of being a radiographer?

• Describe an occasion when you have worked in a team

• Radiography is advancing all the time; are you willing to keep studying and learning throughout your career?

• Would your friends think you were cut out for this role?

Ethical radiography university interview questions

Radiographers do not face as many ethical challenges as some other medical professionals, but you will still be part of a team that often faces difficult decisions and challenging situations. Your university will want to know how you will cope with issues such as:

• You see the same child for a broken bone three times in a month. Should you raise the alarm?

• Should self inflicted injuries, such as drunken falls, have less priority than genuine accidents or illnesses?

• A colleague consistently takes longer over their scans than you, increasing your own workload and causing a backlog. What would you do?

• State of the art scanners are often bought through charities. Don’t you think that the NHS should fund the latest scanners for all hospitals?

• Your X-ray for a minor injury shows up something potentially more serious. Should you say anything to the patient?

• A pregnant mother really needs an X-ray, but refuses. Should she be made to have it?

• A worried patient insists that you tell them what their CT scan shows. Should you tell them or refer them to their specialist?