Radiographer (therapeutic) academic development and infrastructure for clinical advancement and learning (RADICAL): A scoping review.

Authors

C Marr, A Duffton, R Simoes, Y M Tsang

Published in

Radiography (London, England : 1995). Pages 103538. Aug 19, 2026. Epub Aug 19, 2026.

Abstract

Clinical academic roles enable therapeutic radiographers (TRs) to integrate research and clinical practice, yet career development pathways remain poorly defined. Individual studies have examined research engagement among TRs, but a synthesis mapping the barriers and facilitators to pursuing a clinical academic career is lacking. This scoping review aimed to map the barriers and facilitators influencing TRs pursuing a clinical academic position.
A scoping review was conducted using Arksey and O'Malley's framework with reporting guided by the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses extension for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA-ScR). The protocol was registered on Open Science Framework. Searches were conducted in CINAHL, PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and MEDLINE and limited to English-language from 2004 to 2025. Two independent reviewers screened articles. Data were synthesised descriptively using narrative summaries and evidence mapping to group recurring concepts and barriers/facilitators to the Theoretical Domains Framework (TDF).
Twelve studies published between 2007 and 2024 across multiple countries were included. Five pathway themes were identified: professional support, organisational infrastructure, research culture, educational opportunities, and career progression. Barriers and facilitators were mapped to 11 of 14 TDF domains. Common barriers included a lack of protected research time, limited funding, workforce shortages, and unclear career pathways. Mentorship, postgraduate education, and organisational support were the most consistently reported facilitators. Equity, diversity, and inclusion emerged as a recurring theme.
TR clinical academic career development remains underexplored. Based on this review's findings, support for TRs should aim to include protected time, funding, mentorship, access to education, organisational research support, and equity-focused initiatives.
This review highlighted the need for radiotherapy departments to prioritise coordinated strategies to support sustained TR clinical academic progression.

PMID:
42618360
Bibliographic data and abstract were imported from PubMed on 20 Aug 2026.

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