DN410 Radiography (MDS4)
School:
Medicine Diagnostic radiographers are responsible for producing high-quality images to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
The overall purpose of the programme is to develop radiography graduates who are patient-centred, competent and safe diagnostic imaging practitioners with a strong professional identity and understanding of their role in the wider healthcare context and their contribution as part of a multi-disciplinary team. Graduates of the programme will demonstrate well-developed autonomous learning skills and the capacity for continually developing their professional knowledge and practice, in an evidence-based, research oriented and international context. As the national radiography training centre students will gain competency to practice as radiographers whilst on clinical placement in our dedicated hospital sites, ensuring graduate clinical excellence. We aim to provide a supportive learning environment to foster and develop excellence in diagnostic imaging which is both dynamic and research-informed to match the rapidly expanding and ever-changing field that is diagnostic imaging. Our learning environment ensures appropriate access to cutting edge diagnostic imaging technology across the national clinical sites and diverse and innovative approaches to both teaching and assessment are employed to ensure an optimum learning experience for all students. Teaching methods include both didactic and experiential learning through clinical placement with a focus on active learning through practical hands on skills labs, while assessment strategies include practical, oral and written assessments including individual and group work to foster team work and collaboration.
- Acquire the relevant knowledge underpinning scientific principles, diagnostic imaging practice, technology and clinical practice.
- Acquire the relevant skills to engage in research and clinical audit.
- Act as reflective practitioners and demonstrate a commitment to lifelong learning.
- Adhere to best practice, safety and quality guidelines relevant to clinical practice.
- Apply an evidence-based approach to all aspects of diagnostic imaging practice.
- Apply problem-solving skills across a wide range of clinical scenarios.
- Communicate effectively within the multidisciplinary healthcare environment.
- Competently undertake and appraise specific diagnostic imaging examinations.
- Engage with the professional education of students, colleagues and other health professionals to foster an ethos of continuing learning and knowledge sharing.
- Integrate professional values and standards in their daily practice and promote these in a wider societal context.
- Understand their roles and responsibilities as an autonomous professional throughout their clinical practice.
- Work effectively, both independently and as part of a team.
Minimum CAO Points 2007: 500
Average CAO Points 2007: 525
Average Intake: 40
Length of Programme: 4 Years
Diagnostic radiographers are responsible for producing high-quality images to assist in the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
The skills of a radiographer are diverse: whilst obviously a caring profession, Radiography requires considerable technological and scientific expertise in both the production of images and the responsible delivery of ionising radiation.
Upon graduation you will have the knowledge base and clinical competencies to practise as a radiographer and will undertake your professional duties with the highest level of patient care. You will be able to integrate the technological, psychological and sociological aspects of healthcare in order to perform your role with confidence in an integrated healthcare team.
The programme is organised into four strands:
- Practice of radiography
- Technology of radiography
- Clinical practice of radiography
- Subjects associated with radiography
You develop knowledge of all aspects of imaging, including how to care for patients, how to perform examinations, how to provide high levels of radiation protection and how to evaluate the quality of images.
The focus of the programme is on general radiographic procedures, although you also have an overview of the more specialised modalities of computed tomography, magnetic resonance, positron emission tomography, radionuclide imaging and ultrasound.
PROFESSIONAL WORK EXPERIENCE
From early in Stage 1, you will perform radiography under supervision in state-of-the-art imaging facilities in UCD's Health Sciences Centre, before progressing to perform examinations on hospital patients.
Throughout the programme there is increasing emphasis on self-directed learning as well as a greater proportion of clinical placement. These all build to allow you acquire professional competence on graduation.
Generally, you choose two sites for the duration of your clinical experience from a list of specified hospitals, with one site for Stages 1 & 2 and a different site for Stages 3 & 4. You will become integrated with the department team in your training hospital, working alongside Radiography colleagues to learn and refine your professional skills as a radiographer.
From early in the first stage, you will perform radiography under supervision in state-of-the-art imaging facilities in UCD's Health Sciences Centre, before progressing to perform examinations on hospital patients.
Throughout the programme there is increasing emphasis on self-directed learning as well as a greater proportion of clinical placement. These all build to allow you acquire professional competence on graduation.
You choose your clinical sites for clinical experience from a list of specified hospitals. Students become integrated with the department team in their training hospital, working alongside Radiography colleagues to learn and refine their professional skills as a radiographer
Radiography & Diagnostic Imaging has a successful student exchange scheme as part of an Erasmus programme, providing an exciting opportunity to experience an alternative healthcare system whilst enjoying the culture of one of our European neighbours. Under the scheme, some of the Stage 4 class spend a three-month elective in one of our Erasmus partner institutions. These are in a number of countries, including Austria, Finland, the Netherlands, Norway, Malta, Portugal and Slovenia. The exchange currently runs from January to the end of March in Stage 4.There is also an opportunity for a research exchange to Connecticut, USA either in the summer period of Stage 2 or 3 and is open to all students and decided on a competitive basis.
Imaging continues to be a growth area in the health services, and employment opportunities for radiographers are excellent, both in Ireland and internationally. Graduates over the past five years have all obtained positions as radiographers in Ireland.
As well as the traditional hospital-based career path, a smaller number of radiographers are employed by X-ray manufacturing companies as applications specialists and in sales.
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