Study Guide

Descriptions

Competence for safe and humane imaging and treatment services

The core objective of the Degree Programme in Radiography is to ensure that once you graduate, you will be able to act independently and safely in different imaging and treatment situations. Typical imaging situations are a patient requiring an X-ray due to suspected fracture, as well as computed tomography (CT) scans and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and the related patient care. In addition to safety, it is essential that you learn how to encounter patients who are in different life stages and situations, as well as their family members. As a radiographer, you can also work in radiotherapy. Radiographers participate in patient care together with other operators in the social welfare and health care sector.


Radiography – many possibilities
The field of clinical radiography and the related education are typically extensive in scope. In practice, this extensive scope means that in an imaging or treatment situation, radiographers are responsible for both the imaging and treatment equipment and the wellbeing of the patient. From the perspective of the studies, the extensive scope is apparent in that the studies cover a wide range of imaging and treatment methods used to diagnose and treat the patient’s health problems. This will provide you with a diverse idea of what your future work and employment opportunities might be like. During your studies you will learn to take into account the principles of sustainable develpoment in healthcare.

A good plan means more flexibility
The implementation of the Degree Programme in Radiography is built on a curriculum that offers a preliminary idea of the contents and progress of the studies. The degree programme’s curriculum is based on both national and international descriptions of competence goals (Ministry of Education and Culture 2006, EFRS 2015). Radiographers work independently but not alone, which is why the studies also cover team work and networking with other professionals in the field. During your studies you will learn to take into account the principles of sustainable develpoment in healthcare.
The implementation of the curriculum is reviewed annually and it can be modified when required. This enables, for example, learning situations based on currently topical themes and agile reactions to the changes that occur in working life and the field of higher education, without losing focus of the competence required of radiographers.

Developing education
You are a key factor in the development of education and teaching. You can participate in feedback discussions concerning the contents and implementation of a course already during the course. You can also provide feedback at any point of your studies, for example in the form of direct verbal feedback or by making use of TUAS’s various feedback channels.

After your Bachelor’s degree
The employment situation in the social services and health care sector is good. After you have graduated from the Degree Programme in Clinical Radiography, you will have the competence to work in different locations dealing with X-ray, isotope therapy and radiotherapy. A radiographer can also work in the manufacturing industry or business sector. Only a licensed professional that has completed a degree may work as a radiographer. After graduation, you will submit an application for the right to practice as a licensed health care professional to the National Supervisory Authority for Welfare and Health Valvira (to be renamed the National Licensing and Supervisory Authority).

A Bachelor’s degree in Clinical Radiography also offers you a great basis for advancing your career and continuing to become a sonographer, an applications specialist or one of the radiation safety officers required in the new Radiation Act (2018). A sonographer is a radiographer that performs limited ultrasound imaging. An applications specialist supports the personnel in the digital work environment typical to today’s imaging. The specialist also trains personnel when deploying new applications and solves problems with transferring images and other patient information. The future duties of a radiation safety officer concern the safety of the personnel, such as monitoring working hours, providing appropriate safety training for new employees, and acting as a contact person.

Objective

The Degree Programme in Clinical Radiography consists of core competence and complementary competence. The programme is designed to be completed in an average of seven (7) semesters (approximately 3.5 years). The semesters comprise modules and courses with interesting and meaningful content.

At the beginning of your studies (1st to 4th semester) you will focus on developing your core competence. Core competence is formed of basic and professional studies and practical training. During the basic studies you will acquire the language skills required in the profession and improve your communication and teamwork skills. The objective is also to create a solid basis for responsible and active work. In addition, it is important to establish the ability for life-long learning, as the constant development of imaging and treatment methods will offer you the opportunity to keep improving yourself. Sustainability is an important learning goal. You will be able to take into account sustainable development in it's forms in you work.

During the professional studies, the courses focus on the central imaging and treatment methods used in clinical radiography and the required core competencies. The aim of the professional studies is to form an idea of humans and health, how to encounter patients, as well as to cover the health problems and related treatments central to clinical radiography. One of the essential objectives is to learn the imaging and treatment methods used in clinical radiography and ensure knowledge of the safe use of the radiation or other form of energy used in imaging or treatment.

The development of core competence is also supported by diverse practical training. Practical training forms approximately one third of your studies. You will have practical training on the basics of imaging already during your first semester. The amount of practical training will increase and its contents will become more diverse as you progress in your studies. Practical training will be carried out in the classrooms and simulations on the TUAS campus, as well as in real clinical radiography environments, such as the imaging and radiotherapy units of hospitals and in the private sector. Some of the practical training can also be completed in the higher education institutions of the international collaboration network.
Near the end of your studies (5th to 7th semester), the emphasis will be on the development of your future professional field and quality-related competence. This complementary competence is formed of a Bachelor's thesis, advanced practical training and optional studies.

Your Bachelor's thesis proves that you know how to apply information essential to clinical radiography and process the information in a critical manner. The Bachelor's thesis process takes place towards the end of your studies, at a point when you have accumulated both experience and insight into the contents and development needs of your future professional field. During the thesis process, you will apply development and research methods in a suitable manner, and you will be able to apply and deepen your skills in verbal, visual and written communication. Your thesis can be a concrete product that serves working life and education in the field, or it can be a development task based on research. Bachelor’s theses are primarily written as part of working life-oriented research and development projects, either individually or in small groups. You can read earlier theses at www.theseus.fi.

The central goal of advanced practical training is to apply the competence you have developed earlier, perhaps in a new working environment. Practical training will expand and deepen your core competence.

Optional studies can be selected from the studies offered by higher education institution to support your development as a radiographer during, for example, summer semesters.

The Bachelor of Health Care (Radiographer) degree studies are based on the legislation concerning universities of applied sciences and professional work, the European Qualifications Framework (EQF), the National Qualifications Framework (NQF, www.minedu.fi/OPM) and the degree regulations and strategy of Turku University of Applied Sciences, whose pedagogic approach is innovation pedagogy. National (Arene, Ministry of Education and Culture) and international (EFRS) competence descriptions, among other things, have been utilized in their preparation.

Development

PEDAGOGICAL METHODS IN CLINICAL RADIOGRAPHY EDUCATION

Together we are wiser
The Degree Programme in Clinical Radiography will allow you to develop your competence in clinical radiography, and later on you can expand your knowledge become an expert in the field. This development will be a collective effort by you and the multidisciplinary community of the entire higher education institution. Your role is that of an active learner that promotes the learning of both radiography students and those of other fields. You can support your learning by participating actively in different learning situations and by reading, seeing, discussing and doing. Turku University of Applied Sciences is also a part of a national education network, so you will be studying together with other radiography students in Finland.

Learning is more important than teaching
Information and especially skills cannot simply be given to others. The duty of teachers and instructors is to help you ask questions that are meaningful and appropriate to clinical radiography and then help you find answers to those questions. Your learning will be supported through tasks, workshops, simulations and lectures, as well as individual and group-based guidance. The teachers also have the task of organizing versatile and multidisciplinary forms, places and forums of learning, as well as to act as coaches and inspiration. In practice, this means, for example, solving situations typical to clinical radiography in working life and practicing together with the other students and representatives of working life.

Clinical radiography as a part of a global community
The imaging and treatment methods typical to clinical radiography are universal by nature. Similar methods are used globally, often to diagnose and treat the similar health problems. This provides an opportunity to participate in an international community. The Degree Programme in Clinical Radiography at Turku University of Applied Sciences is a part of the European Erasmus Radiography Group https://www.erasmus-rad-group.org/id17.htm that enables you to do an exchange period abroad and study together with incoming foreign exchange students studying Clinical Radiography in Turku. This way, you can also make international contacts. Some of the Degree Programme studies are carried out together with international exchange students, and the courses will be held in English. In addition, you can select foreign-language studies from the courses offered by the other Degree Programmes at the university of applied sciences. You can include a total of 60 ECTS of studies in foreign languages in your degree.

Developing clinical radiography
Clinical radiography is developing constantly, but not without competent developers. It is essential that you learn to identify development needs in the field and how to look for solutions to them. In practice, this means that during your studies, you will get to utilize both national and international knowledge for different tasks and especially the process of writing your Bachelor's thesis. The tasks and theses are working life-driven and their goal is to help you develop both yourself and the field of clinical radiography with an approach of open curiosity. Development skills are a part of professional competence, as it is essential for radiographers to keep improving their skills and knowledge.
All future radiographers are entrepreneurs at heart.

The social welfare and health care system currently being developed requires professionals in the field to approach their work in an entrepreneurial manner. For radiographers this means team work skills, quality awareness, service design skills, being able to use digitalization to develop services and taking responsibility for how resources are used appropriately in producing imaging and treatment services.

Further information

Assessment based on learning

Assessment is one of the most essential tools for learning and instruction, as usually you will learn the things that are subject to assessment. To ensure that the assessment performed during your studies supports your development in the field of clinical radiography, the assessment is based on the goals of the Degree Programme. Assessment also allows you to control your competence. Assessment is performed by other students, practical training instructors and teachers. In addition to verbal and written exams, your competence is promoted through, for example, demonstrations and essays. The objective of the diverse assessment methods is to support you in developing the foundation of knowledge and skills required for practicing clinical radiography.

The assessment criteria are specific to each course. The criteria are prepared for grades 1, 3 and 5/approved. The criteria are described in more detail in the implementation plan prepared for each course. The teacher of the study unit is in charge of the study unit’s assessment and the grades are recorded in the study register. As competence develops little by little, the assessment is supported by a preliminary assessment framework that is applied on a course-specific basis. The framework takes into account the phase of your studies (beginner, advanced, expert) and field-specific and general competence goals.