This page answers frequently asked questions for potential PhD applicants to Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy (MIRT) at UCC.

Choose a question from the list below. If your question is not answered here, email mirt@ucc.ie.

Who are we?

The mission of Medical Imaging and Radiation Therapy is to enhance patient outcomes through clinical applied medical imaging and radiation therapy research.

We prioritise research that improves patient diagnosis and treatment. We are a team of academics, clinicians, and graduate research students.

Together, our team members and leading collaborators have achieved 400 publications, over €5 million in grant income, and supervised 30+ research students.

Our community of researchers includes:

• Academics in MIRT
• Clinicians in Radiology, Radiation Oncology dosimetrists, Radiation Therapists, Radiographers, and other health and social care professionals
• Scientists in related fields of Anatomy, Physics, Medical Physics, and computer science

The outputs of our research programmes can be seen on Professor Mark McEntee's research profile.

What could I research?

Some potential projects we are interested in:

Optimisation of MIRT, including:

• Justification, optimisation of radiation dose and image quality, and diagnostic reference levels
• Application of new technological developments of MIRT (AI, wearables, handheld ultrasound, 5G, image acquisition)
• Optimisation and innovation in patient positioning and immobilisation
• Human image interactions and the perception science

Social Science of MIRT, including:

• The teaching and dissemination of knowledge
• Patient, public, and professional perception and opinion that drives behaviour.
• The social determinants of health as they interact with MIRT.

Other PhD projects in Medical Imaging

• AI in Medical Imaging
• Breast density measurement in digital mammography, automated breast ultrasound, digital breast tomosynthesis, and MRI
• Medical Imaging perception
• Equity, diversity, and inclusion in medical imaging
• Patient and public involvement
• Optimisation of CT acquisition protocols and contrast media delivery
• Cardiac CT imaging, including risk stratification.
• Radiography clinical education: improving the efficacy of education in the clinical setting, exploring challenges along with radiographer motivation and clinical teaching skills.
• Justification and optimisation of radiation dose and image quality in CT
• Contrast media protocol optimisation in CT
• Low dose imaging in CT
• Optimisation of patient pathways for stroke patients
• Improving and enhancing the patient service users' pathway through the imaging department

Other PhD projects in Radiation Therapy

• Use of spacers in radiotherapy for prostate cancer
• Compare the use of enema versus spacer for rectal dose, costs, patient experience, day-to-day management on the treatment unit, and set-up errors.
• CT simulation: CT planning dose, optimising CT protocols for specific sites, and diagnostic reference levels in radiotherapy
• Planning: contouring organs at risk (pre-intervention test, educational intervention, post-test, compare several radiation therapists to either one or more radiation oncologists or compare to Radiation Therapy Oncology Group guidelines).

What should I send when I first contact you?

When you first contact us, please send:

• Your CV
• Any publications or presentations
• A copy of your master's or honours thesis
• Details of your funding source

We will give you information on the discipline. You can ask us for more information at any stage.

You can find out more about the UCC PhD on the research degrees at UCC page.

What qualifications do I need?

If you did not provide this when you first contacted us, we will ask if you have:

• A 1:1 (first-class honours) in your undergraduate degree
• A master's by research
• A master's plus experience
• Multiple publications
• 20 years plus of experience plus publications
• Or a funded scholarship

We can move to the following steps only if this documentation is provided.

Please note the admission criteria for a PhD.

What should my research proposal include?

We will ask you to write a PhD project proposal. You would write a proposal for a topic you are interested in.

Your initial proposal should include the following information:

What happens after I send my proposal?

We pass it all to the Head of Discipline for review. The Head of Discipline will discuss it with the supervisor and co-supervisor.

Questions to be answered:

• Do we have the skills necessary to supervise the project?
• Do we have the equipment necessary?
• Who else needs to be included as supervisors?
• Do we have specific questions we need to ask you?

There is a minimum of 2 supervisors. Primary supervisors and co-supervisors must have a PhD.

Will there be an interview?

Yes. We will interview you and ask:

• Why do you want to undertake a higher degree?
• What access to resources will you need?

We will check if your skill set matches the project proposal.

If you are suitable, we will indicate that you can go ahead and apply. If not, we will consider your proposal and come back to you via email.

How do I apply?

PhD applications for UCC are made through the Graduate Studies Office. When we indicate that you can go ahead, apply through the UCC online application portal. This is the first step to making an application for research degrees.

When can I start?

There are a few expected start dates throughout the year for a PhD: October, January, April, and July.

Please note that it is advised to allow at least three months for processing before the expected start date. Please also allow any time required for visa applications if relevant.

What are the English language requirements?

Please note the language requirements for applicants whose first language is not English.

What are the fees?

All information on fees is in the UCC fee schedules.

What is a scholarship offer conditional on?

As noted in your letter of offer for the scholarship, the award of the scholarship will be conditional on your application being judged as eligible for entry to a programme of study for the Degree of PhD.

What do I need to do after I receive an offer?

Once the offer has been issued to you, you often have work to do to come to Ireland. This includes, but is not limited to:

• securing your grant/funding
• securing leave from work, or resigning
• arranging visas to travel and study
• travelling
• securing accommodation

The Graduate Studies Office creates resources for students. The Graduate Students: Coming to Cork handbook (PDF) is particularly useful.

We do not get involved in finding accommodation for you or advising on visas. Please use the resources.

Let us know when you have booked flights and when you will be arriving.

We will make an appointment for you to come and meet us for the induction meeting. We will also get in touch with Graduate Studies about the next induction.

What happens when I arrive?

In preparation for your arrival, we ensure that your hot desk space is clean and tidy.

The induction meeting is in person, with at least one supervisor meeting you in person. Other supervisors can be online or not present.

Your supervisor will set the meeting, give you directions, and meet you. The meeting should cover:

• Definition of roles
• Setting of expectations
• Setting milestones, perhaps by asking you to draft a Gantt chart for the four years
• Introduction to the supervisory team
• Setting out your responsibility, including preparing an agenda for every meeting and setting a date for the next meeting at the end of every agenda
• The supervisors' responsibilities
• Pointing you to the relevant policies and documentation, which are available on the Academic Policy Portal
• Showing you around the Brookfield Health Sciences Complex and the campus

What support is there once I register?

Once you are registered and have a student card and student email address, your supervisor will:

• Give you the Roadmap to Success for PhD students (PDF)
• Give you the UCC student supports page
• Set regular meetings with you