New radiation therapy MA at UCC

UCC’s school of medicine has announced a new mas- ter’s degree in radiation therapy.

The new degree at the College of Medicine and Health (CoMH) UCC will be a two year, full time master’s programme with a intake of 12 students in 2020/2021.

Radiation therapy is a type of cancer treatment that uses ionising radiation to kill cancer cells. The new programme will provide students with the knowledge and expertise to place them at the forefront of their field.

It is estimated that by 2025 the number of patients diagnosed with cancer in Europe annually will reach over 4.5 million, around 50 per cent of whom will need treatment that includes radiation therapy.

According to Prof Helen Whelton, Head of the CoMH, UCC, there is currently a “significant shortage” of radiation therapists in Ireland.

“This exclusive programme will provide a supply of highly trained and exceptional quality radiation therapists to the south to assist in the resolution of the current recruitment challenges in radiation therapy within the Irish healthcare system,” said Prof Whelton.

Graduates of the programme will have the skills and technical knowledge to produce individualised treatment plans to deliver high quality, customised radiation therapy to patients.

Professor Mark F McEntee, Chair of Diagnostic Radiography, UCC said: “This programme offers a unique opportunity for students to attend clinical placement in some of the newest cancer care centres in Ireland. These include the Glandore Centre in CUH and the Bons Secours Hospital in Cork, which I believe provide an exceptional learning environment.”

Bons Secours Radiotherapy Cork, in partnership with UPMC Hillman Cancer Centre, opened in July 2019. The centre is equipped with some of the most advanced technologies available today.

The Radiation Oncology Centre at CUH is a new state of the art facility which delivered its first treatments in late 2019.