Understanding perceptions and expectations of studying radiotherapy: mature students compared to school-leavers

Abstract

Introduction: Recruitment and retention for pre-registration radiotherapy courses in the U.K. has posed a difficulty for workforce planning within cancer care for many years 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 ,9 ,10. Mature students have traditionally made up a high proportion of students, but there has been a large decline in them starting the course since 2017 11,. There is a broad understanding of the market for mature students in general 12, 13, 14, but little research on why mature students choose radiotherapy specifically. This study explores mature students’ views on radiotherapy as a course and a career, in comparison to the views of students who had joined the course straight from school. Method: A focus group of mature students and one of school-leavers all from one institution were conducted with semi-structured questions. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed verbatim and coded by one researcher. Ethical approval was obtained via Sheffield Hallam University. Results: Both groups were attracted by hands-on learning, close patient care of cancer patients and secure job opportunities, but were concerned by the physics content. School-leaver students expected a traditional University experience, where mature students were expecting a more structured training course. Mature students required more detail on the practicalities of placement living and location as they were more limited. Both groups felt disappointed in the job opportunities from before the course compared to starting it, but it was a more of a concern for mature students due to their settled lives. Mature students were more anxious about their choice to study radiotherapy and were more interested in the ability to plan, as they had made an active choice to return to education, where school-leavers were going to go to University at this point anyway. Conclusion: More detailed information on the course and the job prospects may help mature student recruitment and retention. Similarly, policies which allowed for more job security earlier in the course should be looked at. These ideas should then be put back to prospective mature students in further research. Numerical References 1 Department of Health (DoH) (2000) Meeting the Challenge: A Strategy for the Allied Health Professions. The Stationary Office. London. 2 Department of Health (DoH) (2017) Smaller and Specialist Allied Health Professions Final Report. The Stationary Office. London. Retrieved from https://www.healthcareers.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/documents/Smaller%20and%20Specialist%20Allied%20Health%20Professions%20Final%20Report%20-%20June%202017.pdf 3 Higher Education Funding Council for England (HEFCE) (2018) Strategic Interventions in Health Education Disciplines. Retrieved from http://www.hefce.ac.uk/media/HEFCE,2014/Content/Pubs/2018/201802/HEFCE2018_02.pdf 4 Hutton, & Eddy. (2012). How was it for you? What factors influence job satisfaction for band 5 and 6 therapeutic radiographers. Radiography, Radiography. 5 McNamara, J. (2010). The recruitment and retention of therapy radiographers. International Journal of Therapy and Rehabilitation, 17(5), 225. 6 Probst, H., & Griffiths, S. (2007). Retaining therapy radiographers: What’s so special about us? Journal of Radiotherapy in Practice, 6(1), 21-32. 7 Society of Radiographers (2009). Improving Student Retention: Guidelines and Good Practice. Retrieved from https://www.sor.org/printpdf/book/export/html/5971 8 Society of Radiographers (2017). The College of Radiographers Research Priorities for the Radiographic Profession. Retrieved from: https://www.sor.org/learning/document-library/college-radiographers-research-priorities-radiographic-profession 9 South West London Strategic Health Authority (SWLSHA) (2006) Student Recruitment and Retention Guide for Diagnostic and Therapeutic Radiography. Retrieved from https://www.sharedsolutions.net/app/download/5779480454/Student+Recruit.++Ret.+Guide+2006-02-09.pdf 10 Wharton D, Green D. Therapeutic Radiography Students—Why Become One? An Investigation of Motives Behind the Choice to Become a Therapeutic Radiography Student and Some Implications of These Motives for the Profession. Research Report. Leeds: Cookridge Hospital, 2000. 11 University and Colleges Admission System (UCAS) (2017) End of Cycle Report. UCAS. London 12 MillionPlus and National Union of Students (2012). Never Too Late To Learn. MillionPlus. London. Retrieved from http://www.millionplus.ac.uk/documents/Never_Too_Late_To_Learn_-_FINAL_REPORT.pdf 13 MillionPlus (2018). Forgotten Learners: building a system that works for mature students. MillionPlus. London. Retrieved from http://www.millionplus.ac.uk/documents/Forgotten_learners_building_a_system_that_works_for_mature_students.pdf 14 Office For Fair Access (2017). Topic briefing: mature and part-time students. Retrieved from https://www.offa.org.uk/universities-and-colleges/guidance/topic-briefings/offa-topic-briefing-mature-learners/