The main objective of the Techniques in Medical Radiology, Imaging and Radiotherapy Degree Programme is to train professional Technicians of Medical Radiology.
The programme starts with preparatory studies and biometric sciences, with the aim of strengthening students' grounding, then focuses on the ability to communicate through the study and acquisition of psychology, English language and information technology skills.
Students also acquire the theoretic, ethical and methodology principles on which the activity of professional technicians of medical radiology, imaging and radiotherapy is based, and carry out practical work during the first part of the internship.
The programme then focuses on the pre-clinical and clinical disciplines required by the degree.
It comprises four learning areas, which include all the knowledge students must acquire during the programme, with a gradual increase in difficulty and use of technology, in line with the theoretical learning set for the individual years of study, coherent with the learning areas, increasingly difficult in the three-year course:
Preparatory Area,
- to understand the structural and functional principles of the biomolecules that regulate the metabolic activities of unicellular and multicellular organisms, and the fundamentals of transmission and expression of genetic information; the structural and ultrastructural organisation of the human body, and the morphofuncional characteristics of the main tissues, organs and systems;
- to understand how the human body works in the specific work environment, in order to actively contribute to the creation of the relevant diagnostic and therapeutic processes and the assistance of patients and/or users.
- to acquire the language skills necessary to collaborate, within radiology services, to writing scientific articles, take part in radiodiagnostic and radiotherapy research projects, and contribute to the training and refresh courses for technicians of medical radiology;
- to learn Health Physics skills, understanding the general principles of radiation protection, the importance of checking and reducing the dose and monitoring operators, patients and the population;
- to acquire transversal competencies and learn more about the issues in connection with communication and relations with users and their families and how to respect sensitive data in compliance with privacy regulations;
- to learn professional management skills and understand and implement the applicable legislation.
Assistance Area,
- to understand patient emergency assistance procedures;
- to understand the need for radiology services, whose contribution is essential to diagnosis and optimal patient management, for the preparation of drugs in the event of adverse reactions to contrast agents, used during diagnostic investigations, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics;
- to understand the procedures to measure vital signs, blood pressure and oxygen in haemoglobin, prepare drips, intermuscular, under-skin and intravenous techniques.Particular attention is given to interdisciplinary clinical disciplines, which have been included in the course structure diagram to crate the grounding essential to the development and learning of related professional disciplines.
Technical and Diagnostics Area,
- to learn how to apply methodology and technical and diagnostic skills to carry out the next stages of the relevant processes of Radiodiagnostics, Nuclear Medicine, Radiotherapy and Health Physics, using the knowledge to optimally manage radiotherapy as part of the therapeutic process of oncology patients;
- to integrate knowledge and skills collaborating to maintain high standards of quality and safety in the different diagnostic and therapeutic contexts.
Technology Area,
- to learn about the equipment used in imaging diagnostics techniques, radiotherapy and health physics (conventional radiology, digital radiology, computerised tomography, MRI, scintigraphy equipment, positron-emission tomography, linear accelerators, radioactive source vectors, equipment for clinic, instrumental and environmental dosimetry), as well as in imaging elaboration and archiving techniques, for both theoretical and practical work.
Each year of study includes laboratory work that expands and integrates the notions learned in rooms. Laboratories are safe environments in which, under the tutor's supervision, students learn the practicalities of procedures they studied on books and put them into practice improving their ability to solve issues related to the clinical cases presented. These activities prepare students for the internship.
During the entire learning programme, theoretical lessons will be followed by a period of professional internship aimed at developing professional skills: personal and interpersonal techniques in line with the learning objectives of the academic year.Additionally, during the internship graduates acquire the independence necessary in the application of the technologies associated with diagnostic imaging, nuclear medicine, radiotherapy and health physics.
