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Evidence-based medicine has increasingly been employed in modern radiation oncology. Evidence-based practice is an approach where the best available clinical evidence from good quality research is utilised to inform the decision-making process for patient care. Within healthcare practices, research plays a core component in our profession as radiation therapists (RTTs) underpinning all aspects of patient care in radiotherapy patient pathways. 

In the last decade, there have been rapid changes and progressive developments in the technology used for the planning and delivery of radiotherapy. With the ever-increasing complexity of the radiotherapy patient pathway, the notion of advanced practice may be considered increasingly inherent in the role of RTTs. We are uniquely placed to be leaders in radiotherapy-related research,  clinical audits and service evaluations. 

There is no doubt that ongoing advances, such as automation of repetitive/low cognitive demand clinical tasks and the utilisation of artificial intelligence in cancer diagnosis/outcomes, will affect all stakeholders within the field of radiation oncology in numerous ways. RTTs are required to respond to these changes efficiently in a technology-driven environment with a patient-centered focus by changing how we educating and training the RTT workforce; and refining the healthcare workflows with an increased emphasis on high-quality patient-clinician interactions. 

With the aim of offering our patients the best service and healthcare outcomes, it''s essential for RTTs to take a leading role in research and implement the findings of such research to enable improvements in healthcare delivery, technological and patient care innovations, education, and development of the RTT workforce.

Against this background, this presentation will include the following:·      

- Establishing the current perceptions of RTT roles in research·      
- Illustrating influences of RTT advanced practice on radiation therapy related research·      
- Showcasing examples of RTT led research activities in Europe·      
- Discussing the skills required to establish RTT leadership roles in research