ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S139

Invited Speaker

ESTRO 2025

The presentation will address the common barriers to RTT research, including the lack of dedicated research time due to competing clinical duties, insufficient departmental support, and the complexity of research protocols that disrupt clinical workflows. Furthermore, it will discuss the challenges posed by limited research experience among colleagues and poor team communication. Overcoming these barriers requires comprehensive training, mentorship, and simplified research protocols, as well as greater support from departments and enhanced research infrastructure. Additionally, the talk will highlight effective practices to prioritize RTT-led research, such as regular educational activities, organizational structures that support dedicated research time, and fostering cross-departmental collaboration. These strategies ensure that research remains a priority within clinical settings and promotes continuous learning. Resource constraints, cultural resistance, and unclear career progression for RTTs also present challenges that hinder research involvement. Strong leadership from clinical directors, oncologists, and research leads is necessary to navigate these obstacles. By recognizing individual champions and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration, departments can better support RTT research initiatives. Finally, this presentation will outline key recommendations for overcoming the barriers to RTT-led research, including scheduling protected research time, enhancing resource distribution, and fostering interdisciplinary collaboration. By addressing these challenges, RTT-led research can continue to grow, improving radiotherapy practices and patient outcomes.

This talk will emphasize the importance of integrating research into routine clinical practice and ensuring that RTT led research is recognized as a vital component of professional development within the radiotherapy field.

4893

Speaker Abstracts Expanding RTT roles in multidisciplinary radiation oncology leadership development Philipp Scherer University Clinic for Radiotherapy and RadioOncology of the PMU, County Hospitals Salzburg, Salzburg, Austria

Abstract:

The field of radiotherapy is a rapidly evolving medical discipline in which technical innovations play a significant role. Alongside the broader shift towards patient-centred care and individualized therapies, this evolution necessitates an adaptable scope of practice for the professionals within the multi-professional team. Traditional career trajectories in healthcare often hinge on seniority within a single profession or a transition into management roles (or roles that include some management responsibilities). These structures can impede the development of a cohesive, multi-disciplinary team and bear the thread of policy-motivated discussions supported by professional politics. Additionally, these structures are susceptible to dynamics linked to the Peter principle and tend to become less agile . Creating career options that eschew these traditional hierarchies and foster a mindset in which leadership can emerge from any position within an organizational structure can positively impact team dynamics and workspace culture. Valuing professional expertise in the respective specific areas and especially understanding the differences between leadership and management is crucial as well as educating managers as well as employees accordingly.

Additionally, in a lot of countries, the radiation therapists (RTTs) in a historical/traditional multi-professional team held subordinate roles receiving clear instructions on how to treat the patients and use the equipment. Hence, RTTs