On The Right Wavelength To Heal
The Age
Saturday February 14, 2004
Rohan Adams is studying radiation therapy at RMIT. He speaks with Min Ku, a radiation therapist who works for Austin Health at the Heidelberg Repatriation Hospital, about field work.
ROHAN: I went to school in Yarrawonga, about three hours away. My mum suggested the idea of a career in radiation therapy. I agreed that it sounded interesting and looked into it a little further. Monash University's radiography course was my first preference; RMIT was my second. I got into the RMIT course in the first round, straight out of high school. I needed physics and a maths pre-requisite to get in. I'm now starting the third and final year of the degree with about 40 others, who are all from differentbackgrounds.
MIN: I've worked in this profession for 14 years. I knew about the course when I finished year 12 and became interested in it because I had an aunt and school teachers who were really ill with cancer. I wanted to work in a field that would help people with cancer and thought if I couldn't get the marks to get into medicine, radiation therapy would be a good option. When I first applied, the selectors said I didn't know enough about the course and suggested I spend a year finding out about it. So I did. Studying science for a year, I then transferred into the RMIT course in my second year out of school. When I graduated, I worked at the Peter MacCallum Cancer Centre for seven or eight years before returning to RMIT to run the radiation therapy course for three years. I then took this education position at Austin Health, where I get the best of both worlds: looking after training and development; and staying hands-on. I left the university system because I missed the patient care and the clinical aspects.
ROHAN: When I did work experience here at the Austin last year, I encountered so many nice patients; they're so grateful for what you're doing.
MIN: It's true and it makes it so worthwhile. A radiation therapist is a health care professional who designs and implements radiation treatment for patients diagnosed with cancer and other conditions, while also addressing associated issues of care and wellbeing. Radiation therapy uses X-rays to treat cancerous and benign tumours that are pressing on vital structures. Our work with technology is balanced with patient care. To be a good radiation therapist, you need excellent technical and communication skills. You need to understand where your patients are coming from and what they're going through. A lot of people enter this profession after being touched by family members who've had cancer. They've seen what these patients go through and can empathise.
ROHAN: After completing the three-year radiation therapy course, what's the next step toward gaining employment?
MIN: At university, students are streamed into one of three programs: radiation therapy; radiography; or nuclear medicine. Each stream has a certain intake, depending on the community's needs at the time. Once you complete the degree, you do a year of intern work, which is a guaranteed year in Victoria. You select which hospitals you would like to work with, these hospitals interview you and you then get matched by an independent matching system. You spend that first year doing hands-on clinical work and applying every piece of academic knowledge you have. If you suit that hospital and the team you're working with, and there's a position available, then you're offered that.
ROHAN: What are the job opportunities in Australia and overseas?
MIN: There is a worldwide shortage of radiation therapists, which exists for a variety of reasons. Students often leave Australia to see the world once they've trained. They may have to sit an exam to work in another country but their qualifications are largely recognised worldwide. A lot of rural radiation therapy clinics are now up and running after the needs of rural cancer patients were realised. This means many more jobs have been created too. In general, there are job opportunities wherever you go, so it's your choice where you want to work. Because they're so desperate, a lot of places overseas will offer relocation packages, bonuses and incentives to get you there.
ROHAN: What other avenues does radiation therapy provide?
MIN: There are a lot of different specialisations within radiotherapy. The work can lead you to brachytherapy (internal radiation therapy) and IMRT (intensity-modulated radiotherapy). IMRT involves administering doses of radiation to kill off cancer cells while minimising effects on nearby organs. You can also move into education, research ormanagement.
ROHAN: What about advancements in technology?
MIN: The equipment will be different in five years' time and again in 10 years' time. It's always improving and being refined as new discoveries are made.
ROHAN: What can a radiation therapist earn?
MIN: Interns earn 80 per cent of the first-year wage. Once you've completed that year, you go straight on to the second-year wage, which is almost $39,000 a year. You progress over the following six years to reach $48,500 a year. By that stage, you'd be looking for more challenges. If you do extra study that is pertinent to the profession, you're entitled to an extra qualification wage. It's a great career path that doesn't lock you into seeing and doing the same things each day.
© 2004 The Age