The Australian Society of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (ASMIRT) is the main body representing medical radiation practitioners in Australia. Our aims are to promote, encourage, cultivate, and maintain the highest principles of practice and proficiency of medical radiation science, always mindful that the welfare of the patient should be at the centre of everything we do. ASMIRT is delighted to contribute to the ESTRO community via the Radiation Therapists’ (RTT) Alliance, and we know that our Australian radiation oncology community is gaining significant knowledge from this collaboration.

ASMIRT’s focus is on empowering medical radiation practitioners to provide excellent patient care through leadership in advocacy, education, professional standards, and research and innovation. Based on these four pillars, we engage with our membership through an active community of volunteers who are experts in their respective fields.

This article details updates on a few pieces of advocacy work previously reported, and new work that ASMIRT is engaged in on a national level. Our next piece of work will be presented at ESTRO 2025 on “Advancing Advocacy through Collaboration between National Societies and Patients”.

We encourage conversation about these topics and are open to hearing from our international colleagues on whether they experience the same issues and to discuss solutions.

Placement poverty

In our previous newsletter, we highlighted the challenges faced by students completing clinical placements during their four-year undergraduate degree programmes, particularly the significant financial strain imposed by rural, regional, and interstate placements. In response to these concerns, the ASMIRT Board of Directors has acted to support final-year students. To address the financial pressures that many students experience, the ASMIRT board is offering an Australian $500 (about €285) grant to final-year students across all universities. This grant is intended to alleviate the financial burden associated with these placements, enabling students to focus on their studies and clinical training as they approach the culmination of their degree programmes. ASMIRT is committed to supporting as many final-year students as possible through this initiative, ensuring they have the resources needed to succeed in their final year of study.

Student Ambassadors

ASMIRT is committed to working closely with universities actively to foster the development of our students and to provide them with numerous opportunities for mentorship, learning, and growth within the profession. We create pathways to these goals by identifying students who are eager to become ambassadors or representatives, offering them the opportunity to gain valuable insights into the profession while they share their knowledge with their peers.

By actively encouraging students to participate in the broader medical radiation science community, we enable them to cultivate essential professional skills, expand their knowledge, and build critical networks that will support and propel their future careers. These ASMIRT student ambassadors have been engaged in work that includes:

• increasing student engagement through membership and attendance at events;
• expanding communications and event participation;
• providing more educational resources;
• general outreach projects such as ASMIRT-sponsored stalls at university orientation weeks;
• involvement in designing and running educational and social events for their peers and the general membership; and
• contributing to the quarterly newsletter that is specifically for students.

 

Research

Radiation therapy is rooted in evidence-based practice, and ASMIRT is committed to advancing research skills among practitioners. In line with this commitment, ASMIRT's membership advocacy and research committees have launched an initiative that is aimed at engaging students early in their educational journeys. This initiative seeks to foster research practice by offering presentation and discussion forums for students in their third and fourth years of study.

The primary goal of this initiative is to enhance students' research capabilities, boost their confidence in research activities, increase their awareness of available research opportunities, and broaden their perspectives on career possibilities in the field. By targeting these key areas, ASMIRT aims to create a lasting, positive impact on the development of future researchers in radiation therapy.

 

Explore Careers

ASMIRT has partnered with Explore Careers (Australia's leading early-career and employment platform) to equip young people with the essential tools, resources, and guidance they need to make informed decisions about their career pathways. Through this collaboration, the Explore Careers website offers reliable, fact-based information on a wide range of radiation-therapy-related careers, empowering individuals to choose the path that best suits their skills and interests. Below, you’ll find links to some of the impactful work our team has been involved in, helping to shape the future of tomorrow’s professionals.

https://asmirt.org/news/radiation-therapy-career-video-out-now/

https://explorecareers.com.au/the-day-in-the-life-of-a-radiation-therapist/

 

ASMIRT is excited to deepen our partnership and contribute to the ESTRO RTT Alliance. By sharing insights, addressing common challenges, and exploring collaborative opportunities, we aim to strengthen the global radiation oncology community and to drive meaningful progress in the field.

 

Dr Nigel Anderson

Radiation therapy manager

Olivia Newton-John Cancer Wellness & Research Centre, Austin Health, Melbourne, Australia

Board member, ASMIRT

Ms Min Ku

ASMIRT Professional standards manager

Melbourne, Australia