The College of Medicine and Health, UCC has launched a two year full time taught MSc Diagnostic Radiography programme.
Photography by Gerard McCarthy
The clinical Masters programme began in September, 2018 within the School of Clinical Therapies, with a student intake of 15 students.
The development of this programme has been driven by a regional and national shortage of Radiographers both in the public and private sector.
The South/South West Hospital Group (SSWHG) has acknowledged the difficulty in resourcing qualified radiographers in this region and fully supports the development of an MSc Radiography programme in UCC as a means to strategically address this ongoing challenge to the delivery of radiography services in Ireland.
It has committed to sponsoring 15 radiography students for each of the two years of the programme (Programme 2018 – 2020) with a further commitment to issuing each graduate student with ,a two year graduate contract to work with the HSE SSWHG post-graduation. UCC said this model of partnership would ensure a joined-up approach in the development of the proposed programme and a further embedding of the academic and healthcare partnership of UCC and the HSE SSWHG.
It is intended that the programme will be accredited by CORU, Ireland’s multi profession Health Regulator and work is underway in this regard. Recruitment is already underway for the 2019/2021 student intake.
This is an accelerated pre-registration programme for students with a primary degree in a subject other than diagnostic radiography. The programme uses the learning and teaching methods that best supports students to develop the knowledge, skills and professional attributes commensurate with radiography practice. The aim of this programme is to provide each student with an excellent educational experience both in the academic and clinical environments.
The programme is located in Áras Watson where the University has invested in the capital fit-out of a radiography suite, teaching space and offices. A radiography team of staff has been appointed with further staff to be recruited over the coming year. Students will receive over 1000 hours of clinical placement in various hospitals across the HSE SSWHG as well as some private centres. The School of Clinical Therapies, in tandem with the College of Medicine and Health, has the research base to build a relevant evidence base for Radiography practice.
Head of School of Clinical Therapies, UCC, Professor Jeanne Jackson, said, ‘’It is an extremely exciting time for the development of radiography in the southern region and an opportunity for University College Cork to become a centre of excellence for radiography education, equipping its students with the clinical and research skills and professional attributes required to work and develop as competent clinicians, researchers and agents for change within the evolving healthcare environment.’’
