Nuclear medicine - physics applied to medicine
I began doing science A levels at school, but I didn’t enjoy it. I wanted to work in a hospital but I didn’t want to be a nurse. I then saw a job in advertised in Medical Physics, so I dropped out of the A levels and started to work.
In those days the qualifications needed were a City and Guilds, and I did that through day release while working for the NHS. When I finished, they raised the qualification requirement to an Ordinary National Certificate in applied biology, so I decided to go for it. I qualified – and they raised the level again! I didn’t have to, but I did the Higher National Certificate. I spent six years on day release! Now you need a BSc to be a nuclear medicine technologist, but I’m beyond undergraduate study.
I’ve worked in nuclear medicine for 37 years and I love it. It’s physics applied to medicine. You have to think about the basic principles of science, while also having lots of contact with the patients.
For the last 30 years I have worked at Rotherham General Hospital. It’s a small department, which means you have to be involved in all aspects of the work. Over the years, I’ve been in technical charge of a number of sections: nuclear medicine, obstetric and gynaecological ultrasound, and vascular ultrasound. We manage various forms of diagnosis and treatment including imaging and ultrasound; radio pharmacy (which involves making the medicines used in nuclear medicine); radiation protection for patients and staff; disposal of radioactive material and more.
I manage a team of ten, mainly women. They are very competent and we have a lot of responsibility. I enjoy the management side of it – I’ve been in charge a long time. You have to be focussed to get on.
I’m passionate about training. I’m a trustee of the Institute for Physics and Engineering in Medicine and I’ve been a member of the IPEM Council. I joined because it’s important that technologists have a voice.
The government is currently conducting a review – ‘modernising scientific careers’. We are concerned that they may introduce a top pay scale for technologists that is lower than that of other professional strands such as clinical scientist, radiographer or nurse.
We want and need the best technologists, and that means attracting young people who are ambitious. It also means enabling others to progress. I just started working with no long-term plan, and I grew – there are others like me who have lots to offer if they are allowed to develop.
That said, I have never encountered any barriers within the NHS or in any of the committees I have joined. It’s a really good career.
Barbara Dawson is Senior Chief Clinical Technologist and Nuclear Medicine Technology Service Manger in the Medical Physics Department at Rotherham General Hospital. She is a member of the Professional Advisory Group for Yorkshire and Humber Clinical Technologist and Clinical Physiologists Training Scheme. She is nuclear medicine lead for advice for departments starting to take on students. She is a trustee of the Institute for Physics and Engineering and Medicine, and has served on many IPEM committees.
Comments
ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
Welcome to the UKRC GetSET Women blog, Barbara. Thank you for taking part. I find it very interesting that you started out with no particular career plan, but have taken on more and more responsibility and become a manager. Did someone or something help you become focussed on what you could achieve, or did it just evolve? I wonder sometimes if women are reluctant to appear \'ambitious\', and whether more can be done to enable women to aim for and achieve more senior positions. What do you think?
Barbara Dawson:
Hi Ruth To be fair I am ambitious and quite driven. I have always worked in Medical Physics and came to Nuclear Medicine early in my career. Having found a job that I loved I have worked hard to progress through the career structure. In the NHS, I think nowadays women find there is much more support for them to progress and still achieve a work life balance. I think managers and mentors should support women within a profession and to support this aim there should be more training within an organisation to promote flexibilty needed by some women. Although it is important that you strive to advance by keeping up with training and developement throughout the stages of your proffessional life.
Kaye Heyes:
Hi Barbara Would the career path for a person entering the profession now look very different or is still possible to have a career in nuclear medicine without A Levels?
Barbara Dawson:
Hi Kaye If you don\'t have A Levels some universities offer courses for a foundation year or an Access to Science course also BTEC National Diploma in Science, which on successful completion would allow access onto the degree course. There are also careers in nuclear medicine as assistant practitioners which require lower qualifications, which dependending on the grade and level of responsibility could be a NVQ III qualification and care experience – for others they may need a BTEC higher diploma or foundation degree in a subject relevant to their area of work (e.g. science or health and social care). Hope this answers you question.
Shafiqa:
Hi I am doing work experience at the UK resource centre and I find your blog really interesting. I am doing triple science at school as I like science. I enjoy doing physics in school and I am thinking about studying it further. What jobs could I do based on physics?
Tamsin:
Your job sounds really interesting. Are you ever worried about being contaminated by radiation?
Barbara Dawson:
Hi Shafiqa There are a wide variety of careers using a physics background. These include within a hospital environment Clinical Scientists who provide the scientific input into the clincal environment contributing directly to patient treatment and care sometimes also being involved in research. There are also careers in clinical engineering, radiation protection, and radiotherapy both as clinical scientist and clinical technologists. All are extreemly rewarding jobs! Outside the NHS there are many careers which involve science, for example teaching, computing and in engineering and technology. There are many others I am sure! Good luck in whatever you decide to do. It is good to hear of women wanting to take up careers within science and technology. Barbara
Rachel:
I am interested in your role as a Trustee of IPEM. I would like to join a board of trustees, or the board of a public body, but I worry about the time commitment and also whether I would have the right skills. Do you find being a Trustee very time consuming and what skills do you think are required at that level?
Barbara Dawson:
Hi Tamsin Thank you for your interest in my job I am very lucky to have a career that I really enjoy! Regarding the radiation. We have to be very careful with our working practices and we have very strict working controls which minimise any radiation contamination. Radiation safety is a big part of our training. We are provided with personal protective equipment. As an example when giving a patient a radiactive injection as part of their scan, the syringe we use is shielded. Also where possible we have a lead shield between ourselves and the radiation source which protects us from the radiation. We wear radiation monitors to allow us to keep a check on our radiation dose throughout our working lives.Also ourselves and the department is checked for radioactive contamination throughout the day. Any contamination is dealt with quickly and effectively. In conclusion we are very safety concious and with our training and safety measures contamination is kept to a minimmum so I am not worried about working with radioactive substances.
Barbara Dawson:
Hello Rachel Thank you for your interest in my role as a trustee of IPEM. A trustee, as you probably know, is a big responsibility as you have responsibility for the general control, management and descision making of the the charity . Therefore the role should not be taken lightly. Having said that, it is very rewarding! It gives you an opportunity to use your skills and experience to help run the charity. Time commitment is variable depending on what needs to be done. The IPEM trustee board meets approximately 3 times a year and sometimes you may asked to contribute to other meetings or commitees as and when necessary . It is therfore important that you have the support of your employer to allow you to carry out your trustee duties. I think trustee boards need people with a wide range of skills who represent a diversity of views to be able to function effectively. They should include both men and women. These skills could include management, accounting, legal skills etc which would help with the running of the charity. Also important are the ability to work well in a team with good problem solving skills. I am sure if you have the time and commitment you would find the role both rewarding andsatisfying.
Ruth Wilson (UKRC moderator):
Hi Barbara and Rachel, Thanks Barbara for all these interesting responses. I wanted to come in on Rachel's question about trustees and declare an interest, as I am also a trustee of IPEM. I am their first trustee who is not a suitably qualified technician, engineer or scientist. Its a fascinating experience, and one I'd recommend. I take part in the trustee meetings and sit on the communications committee, as that is my area of expertise. A lot of the board's work is to do with strategy and overview of the management of the organisation, and this does not necessarily require knowledge of physics and engineering. That said, I am enjoying learning more about the various career structures, and I have had guided tours of two hospital departments, a fascinating experience. I saw the IPEM trustee vacancy advertised on the NCVO listing of trustee vacancies. www.ncvo-vol.org.uk/advice-support/trustee-governance/trustee-bank/trustee-vacancies, I recommend anyone interested in governance and being a trustee keeps an eye on this listing.
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