Sustaining our radiation oncology workforce through collaborative research and education
ABOUT US
Curtin University and Western Australia’s two Radiation Oncology providers, Genesis Cancer Care and Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, have been awarded funding from the Better Access to Radiation Oncology program of the Commonwealth’s Department of Health and Ageing to conduct a two year project in Radiation Oncology workforce sustainability in Western Australia. The project has five main areas of activity which involve both strategies and research to: understand the workforce, develop a postgraduate Master of Radiation Therapy, increase opportunities for research, increase employment opportunities for internationally trained workforce, and increase collaboration between the private and public sector.
AN IMPORTANT INITIATIVE
Radiation therapy is an essential component of cancer services and is estimated to be of benefit in 52 per cent of all new cancer cases. This vital project is going to enable us to conduct research with radiation oncology professionals to determine what opportunities will improve the current workforce shortages in our state.
Dr Georgia HalkettRadiation Therapy, Curtin UniversityThe workforce shortages, coupled together with an increasing demand for radiation oncology services, means significant investment in the training of qualified experts in this field is required. Curtin is addressing this concern by developing a Graduate Entry Master of Radiation Therapy Science degree which, with University approvals in place, we hope to commence in March 2014.
Associate Professor Jan McKayMedical Imaging Science, Curtin University