Radiation Oncology Phase 1 Examination

The Phase 1 Examination assesses a trainee's knowledge of the oncology sciences.

The information on the Phase 1 Examination in this section refers to the Phase 1 Examination which will be conducted from 2023 onwards.

To be eligible to sit for the Phase 1 Examination, trainees must be a financial, radiation oncology, student member of the RANZCR, be in an accredited radiation oncology training position and have completed:

  • A minimum of 12 months full-time equivalent (FTE) of accredited training with all associated Clinical Supervisor Appraisals, Director of Training Reviews and Trainee Assessment of Training Sites submitted.
  • At least two Oncology Science Workshops.
  • Phase 1 Practical Oncology Experiences (POE), including submission of the completed POE Session Summary Forms.

For more information, please refer to the Radiation Oncology Training Program Handbook.

The Phase 1 Examination consists of individual papers in 3 Oncology Science subjects to be delivered in an electronic format.

Each paper will be of two hours duration and aligned to the new learning outcomes.

Anatomy

  •  Diagram Labelling: 60 labels, 0.5 marks per label (total 30 marks).

  •  Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): 30 questions, one mark per question (total 30 marks).

  •  Short Answer Questions (SAQs): 6 questions, 10 marks per question (total 60 marks).

Radiation Oncology Physics

  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): 60 questions, one mark per question (total 60 marks).

  • Short Answer Questions (SAQs): 6 questions, 10 marks per question (total 60 marks).

Radiation and Cancer Biology

  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs): 60 questions, one mark per question (total 60 marks).

  • Short Answer Questions (SAQs): 6 questions, 10 marks per question (total 60 marks).

Examination Sittings 

Trainees can elect to sit 1, 2 or all of the papers in any series. Once a subject paper has been successfully passed, only the remaining subject papers need to be completed. However, all three subject papers must be passed within three successive examination series to ensure completion of Phase 1 training within the maximum time of 30 months FTE of accredited training. 

Ideally, therefore, trainees should consider attempting more than one subject paper in each sitting to ensure they have the opportunity to re-sit a subject paper should they be unsuccessful at that sitting.

Please note, the Phase 1 Examination Course is not a mandatory training requirement.

The Phase 1 Examination Course varies from year to year and focuses on the structure and marking of the Phase 1 Examination.

The Phase 1 Examination Course is usually held in June.

Demonstration Digital Examination Site

The RANZCR Radiation Oncology Phase 1 Examinations are now being delivered on a new digital platform.

A demonstration digital examination site has been developed.  The demonstration digital examination site replicates the real examination with its use of tools and question navigation capabilities used on the digital platform.

Candidates are encouraged to familiarise themselves with the new digital platform before attempting the examination.

The demonstration digital examination site consists of:

Questions from each question format:

  • Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs)
  • Short Answer Questions (SAQs)
  • Diagram Labelling Questions

Questions in each Phase 1 Examination subjects:

  • Anatomy
  • Radiation Oncology Physics
  • Radiation and Cancer Biology

The demonstration digital examination site is not intended to be a study tool, but instead a method for candidates to familiarise themselves with the new digital platform.

The digital platform will include a countdown timer for the RANZCR examinations so that candidates know how much time remains during the live exam. This has intentionally been disabled for the demonstration digital examination site so that candidates can spend as much time as they desire in the demonstration site.

Candidates can access the demonstration digital examination site through the links and logins below.

Practique

Demonstration Digital Examination Site

Login ID:           11008

Password:          11008

The demonstration digital examination site requires PINs to access the different examinations available:

Radiation Oncology Phase 1 Examination Demo PIN:   960603

Please note the platform works best on the Google Chrome browser.

 

Radiation Oncology Phase 1 Examination Sample Questions and Answers

This document provides examples of the types of questions being asked within the Phase 1 Examinations.

Radiation Oncology Phase 1 Examination Sample Questions and Answers

 

Radiation Oncology Digital Examinations Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) 

This document provides answers to frequently asked questions in relation to the changes to the examinations and the digital platform.

Radiation Oncology Digital Examinations Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

CE Eddy Prize

The CE Eddy Prize is awarded to the most successful candidate of the Phase 1 Examinations.

This prize is named in honour of the late Dr Cecil Eddy, a former Director of what is now the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Agency (formerly the Australian Radiation Laboratory).

The winner receives a cash prize equivalent to the cost of their examination fee and complimentary early bird registration for the RANZCR Annual Scientific Meeting for the following year for presentation of their prize.

The prize is awarded to a candidate who obtains the total highest marks at the Phase 1 Exams. To be eligible, candidates must be on their first attempt. 

For more information, and terms and conditions, refer to the Examination Prizes on the College website.