27 August 2025
Medical radiation practitioners in low-to-middle income countries face a number of challenges. Equipment is often limited or out-dated, skilled staff may be in short supply, and infrastructure can be inadequate. In this episode of RadPod, host Steve Lacey talks with radiographer, Jacob Ago and radiation therapist, Craig Opie who have experienced these conditions first hand. Jacob and Craig describe the challenges, possible solutions, and how practitioners and organisations in higher income countries can help.
Currently pursuing his PhD in Australia, Jacob Ago qualified and and initially worked in Accra, the capital of Ghana. He says clinical education is an area for improvement in the country, with quality frameworks largely non-existent. He believes countries like Ghana have a lot to gain through collaboration with countries like Australia in developing curricula and methods of training and assessing students.
Craig Opie works as a radiation therapy educator at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital, and facilitates online education seminars for radiation therapists in the Asia-Pacific region. He has also taught radiation therapy in-person in Myanmar, Vietnam, and Cambodia. Craig says some countries in this region have well-developed clinical education frameworks, while others have none at all.
As Co-Chair of ASMIRT's Global Medical Radiation Practitioners Reference Group, Craig helps connect healthcare facilities in low-middle income countries with people and organisations able to help. He says the group is looking into various ways Australia can assist, from having Australian MRPs placed in temporary teaching roles in low-middle income countries, to creating remote learning programs and other resources here in Australia, to provide to our MRP counterparts overseas.
RadPod episodes are ASMIRT CPD endorsed. Listen to an episode and share your reflections when you apply for the CPD hours. The endorsement code is 003861.
RadPod is ASMIRT's official podcast for the medical radiation science community, hosted by Paediatric Radiographer and ASMIRT Director of Education, Steve Lacey. Episodes come out once a month and cover both clinical and non-clinical topics.
RadPod is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, YouTube, and other podcast streaming services.
