Degree of Bachelor of Radiography and Medical Imaging (BRadMedImag)

• Objectives
  • Knowledge and understanding
  • Skills
  • Attitudes
• Structure of the course
  • Table 1

Objectives

A graduate with the award of Bachelor of Radiography and Medical Imaging may be characterised as possessing the following attributes:

Knowledge and understanding

Graduates will have acquired a basic knowledge and understanding of:

• + the scientific concepts underpinning modern radiologic physics and their relevance to radiography and medical imaging;
• + the psycho-social basis of illness and behaviour, professional ethics, medico-legal situations, patient care and professional communication;
• + radiation protection, radiation biology and x-ray dosimetry;
• + radiographic equipment, imaging instrumentation and positioning methodology;
• + human biology, anatomy, physiology, genetics, embryology and human disease and injury;
• + the surface and radiographic anatomy of the human body together with its cross-sectional representation by CT, ultrasound and MRI;
• + the applications of information technology in the field of medical imaging;
• + digital image processing: its representation, acquisition, transformation and transmission in CT, ultrasound, vascular imaging and MRI;
• + the instrumentation and practical applications of sonography and MRI.

Skills

A graduate will be expected to be able to:

• + communicate to the professional and lay community an understanding of the wider applications and the biological consequences of ionising and non-ionising radiation in the diagnosis and treatment of disease;
• + design and implement strategies to minimise radiation dose to patients;
• + select the optimum system and implement the projections required for the production of excellent diagnostic images consistent with the medical indications for the examination;
• + critically evaluate radiographic and medical images in terms of image quality, positioning, anatomy and pathological processes;
• + conduct and evaluate obstetric, gynaecological and abdominal ultrasound examinations;
• + effectively participate in digital vascular imaging, mammography and MRI;
• + apply research principles, methods and findings to professional practice;
• + initiate and conduct research in medical imaging and present such findings to both professional and lay audiences;
• + implement and monitor quality assurance programs in all aspects of medical imaging;
• + develop organisational skills in the effective management of medical imaging services;
• + work either as a sole practitioner or as a member of a medical imaging team.

Attitudes

The graduate is expected to display:

• + a reflective and ethical approach to their practice;
• + a commitment to the codes of professional conduct promulgated by the AIR;
• + a commitment to a life-long process of professional development.

Structure of the course

The subjects included in this innovative curriculum will be managed and taught by committees of representatives from diverse academic and clinical departments to ensure vertical and horizontal integration in teaching and assessment methods. The basic sciences will be appropriately contextualised in relation to the clinically oriented subjects to ensure relevance and rigor throughout all years of the course. Likewise, the clinical studies subjects are designed to interface with the academic subjects so that at the time students are introduced, for example, to the central nervous system they experience and participate in clinical imaging examinations and procedures intended to display the system in its coronal, sagittal and axial planes.
In addition, the curriculum has been designed in accordance with the philosophy of the Professional Accreditation and Education Board (PAEB). The PAEB has resolved to support the new course. The two-stage accreditation process of the course by the PAEB is currently under review.
RAD1021 (Radiologic physics) in first semester of year one provides the physical and mathematical principles underpinning the radiographic imaging and methods subject groupings. RAD1072 (Radiologic dosimetry and safety) in second semester of year one underpins the fourth-year subject RAD4020 (Sonographic methods 2 and medical imaging dosimetry).
The introduction to computers, undertaken in the context of RAD1041 and RAD1042 (Radiographic professional skills 1 and 2), forms the foundation of the information technology component of the subject RAD2011 (Radiographic imaging and methods 3) undertaken in first semester of year two.
The knowledge and skills developed in information technology and digital image processing in the subject RAD2052 (Radiographic methods 4 and digital image processing 1) studied in second semester of year two, is extended in the third-year subjects of RAD3011 (Medical imaging and methods 1 [CT]), RAD3021 (Sonographic imaging and digital image processing 2) and RAD3052 (Medical imaging and methods 2 [DVI]) as well as in the fourth-year subject RAD4010 (Medical imaging and methods 3 [MRI]). Electives in integrated PACS environments and teleradiology, advanced MRI and advanced dosimetry will be offered in year four.
In RAD1031 (Radiologic biology 1) the student is introduced to the foundation principles of human biology, genetics, anatomy, physiology and pathology. These principles will enable students to understand the structure and function of the musculoskeletal system and the respiratory system studied in detail in RAD1082 (Radiologic biology 2), the digestive system studied in RAD2021 (Radiologic biology 3), the hepato-biliary and urinary systems studied in RAD2062 (Radiologic biology 4), the anatomical structure of the skull, brain and the central nervous system undertaken in RAD3031 (Radiologic biology 5) and the cardiovascular and lymphatic system studied in RAD3072 (Radiologic biology 6). Embryology of the body systems will be studied in detail in the third-year subject RAD3062 (Sexuality, sonographic methods 1 and sonographic professional skills 4).
RAD1041/RAD1092 and RAD2072, the radiographic professional skills subjects in years one and two are closely related to the subjects RAD1011, RAD1062 and RAD2011 (Radiographic imaging and methods 1, 2 and 3) and RAD3052 (Medical imaging and methods 2). The laboratory and tutorial components of RAD1011/RAD1062 (Radiographic imaging and methods 1 and 2) will develop the requisite preclinical skills for successful participation in RAD1051/RAD1102 (Clinical studies 1 and 2). In a similar way, the laboratory and tutorial components of RAD3011 (Medical imaging and methods 1) will prepare students for successful participation in RAD3041 (Clinical studies 5).

Table 1