ESTRO 2025 - Abstract Book

S4270

RTT - Education, training, advanced practice and role developments

ESTRO 2025

1 Clinical Trials Unit, SLRON, Dublin, Ireland. 2 Research, Irish Research Radiation Oncology Group, Dublin, Ireland. 3 Radiation Oncology, SLRON, Dublin, Ireland. 4 Applied Radiation Therapy Trinity, Discipline of Radiation Therapy, Trinity St.James’s Cancer Institute, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. 5 Discipline of Radiation Therapy,, Trinity College Dublin, Dublin, Ireland. 6 Radiation Therapy, SLRON, Dublin, Ireland Purpose/Objective: Teaching and mentoring students is an important part of the radiation therapist’s (RT) role, however structured rotations in clinical trials units (CTU) had not previously been a formal part of the undergraduate curriculum. The aim of this initiative was for RT students to rotate through CTU during clinical placements and to assess the impact of this experience on their academic journey, The potential benefits to students included strengthening autonomous critical thinking ability, improving evidence utilisation in clinical decision making and increased likelihood of pursuing a career in clinical research (1,2). Material/Methods: A structured timetable was devised for the student CTU rotation to maximise learning opportunities, components of the timetable included ICH-GCP training, consenting procedures and data collection. A survey was designed to collect student feedback on their experience. The results of the feedback survey were then discussed with the RT student coordinator and Discipline of Radiation Therapy with a view to integrating time spent in CTU as a formal aspect of clinical placement for all RT students in in our radiotherapy network. Results: 13 students representing all four undergraduate years rotated through CTU during an academic year. The results of the evaluation survey and the students’ comments were overwhelmingly positive. • 90% of the students had never spent time in a clinical trials unit before. • 54% of students did not know that RTs could work in clinical trials prior to their CTU rotation. • 100% of the students reported that it was worthwhile for students to spend time in CTU during their clinical placements as outlined in Figure 1 below. • 92% reported that their understanding of clinical trials greatly increased as outlined in Figure 1 below.

Conclusion: Following discussion with the RT student coordinator and the Discipline of Radiation Therapy the next stage of this initiative is to formally include a CTU rotation for all 3 rd and 4 th year students. The long-term goal of the research team is for experience within CTU to become an official component of the academic journey for all RT students