Information before you apply

You will be required to attend an interview. The interview should take 30 minutes, and you will be interviewed by staff of The Royal Marsden School’s Academic Team. Your interview will take place virtually, using MS Teams in July/August 2024. An invite nearer the time will be sent to you with details.

Who is it for?

The pathway is aimed at a multi-professional clinicians working to further their education and professional development within the speciality of cancer care. 

Cost

Costs vary depending on the choice of optional modules. Due to the flexibility of the structure, the pathway cannot be purchased as one unit. Please purchase the individual modules that you would like to undertake during an academic year. Module fees may increase in subsequent academic years.

Entry requirements

Professional Requirements:

• Learners are required to be a Nursing and Midwifery Council (NMC) registered nurse, or a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) / Royal Pharmaceutical Society (RPS) registered professional

Experience:

• Two years’ post-qualifying experience in regular contact with cancer patients

Academic Qualifications:

• Learners will normally hold a relevant degree. If this is not the case, relevant experience will be considered on an individual basis. This may also involve the submission of written academic work for assessment
• Previous study at level 7 or to demonstrate the ability to study at level 7 
• Competence in written and spoken English (IELTS – 7.0 or above)

Clinical Practice Requirements:

• Normally Band 6 or above or equivalent and currently employed in the care, treatment and management of cancer patients

Learning Outcomes

Clinical Practice:

• Mastery of knowledge and in-depth understanding of person-centred, cancer care provision, including the wider socio-political, financial, and cultural influences and articulate its’ application to professional practice within complex, specialist, and inter-professional contexts.
• Comprehensive understanding of the wider ethical, legal, and professional perspectives of cancer care.
• The ability to apply advanced reasoning skills to complex situations and an ability to reconcile uncertainty, constraints, and dilemmas within the changing context of cancer practice.

Leadership and Management: 

• An ability to utilise change management theories by the identification of the need for change within a service through critical reflection and feedback, proposing, consulting on, planning and leading innovative and evidence-based solutions relative to the learner’s scope of practice.
• Work collaboratively in the development and transformation of cancer services by influencing practices to enhance quality, productivity, and value within cancer care.

Education:

• The ability to critically reflect and evaluate professional practice through self-awareness, emotional intelligence, and openness to change, addressing learning needs through ongoing professional development to continually develop practice. 
• The ability to evaluate and respond appropriately to an individuals’ learning style, motivation, development stage and capacity by acting as a role model to instil and develop confidence in others. 
• The ability to work collaboratively to support health literacy and empower individuals to participate in decisions about their care and to maximise their health and well-being. 
• Critically analyse the organisational culture of their clinical area / team and contribute to a culture of organisational learning to inspire and develop colleagues professionally. 

Research:

• Demonstrate the ability to access appropriate information systems and conduct a systematic literature search. 
• To proficiently critically appraise and synthesise current research, audit, health initiatives, clinical guidance and policies pertaining to cancer practice, demonstrating a critical understanding of research methodologies. 
• Demonstrate the ability to synthesise and integrate diverse and contradictory contemporary sources, evidence and concepts and apply this to the enhancement of quality, safety, and productivity of a service.
• The ability to disseminate research, audit, and service developments through appropriate media to further advance clinical practice. 
• Engage in research activity and develop links between clinical practice and research by networking with clinical academics and researchers.
   

Modules

Year 1

• Core Module: Fundamentals in Cancer Care (20 Credits)
• Two optional 20-credit modules

Year 2

• Core Module: Research Applied to Clinical Practice (20 Credits)
• Core Module: Leading in Cancer Care (20 Credits)
• One optional 20 credit module 

Year 3

• Core Module: Portfolio: Advancing and Exploring Your Practice in Cancer Care (20 Credits)
• Core Module: Service Improvement Project (40 Credits)

Optional modules

• Developments in Cancer Care
• Exploring the Complexity of Cancer-related Pain
• Independent Prescribing 
• Living With and Beyond Cancer
• Lymphoedema: Principles and Practice
• Palliative and End of Life Care
• Physical Assessment and Clinical Reasoning in Cancer Care
• Principles of Acute Oncology
• Principles of Breast Cancer Care
• Principles of Gynaecological Cancer Care
• Principles of Haemato-Oncology Care
• Principles of Lung Cancer Care
• Principles of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy
• Principles of Systemic Anti-Cancer Therapy