So I figured I'll do an update as I've just successfully completed my third year of Radiography and I've had a few PMs about the course with VCE and course preferences hitting peak stress for those interested in the department.
This was a ridiculously intense semester, and I had a lot of high and very low points. It forced me to confront aspects of my personality I hadn't thought about before, discover what I valued, appreciate opportunities I took for granted, learn about professionalism, success, achievement, and most of all, failure. We had a 3 week intensive in July before I went to Ballarat for a 4 week placement.
I really enjoyed the experience in Ballarat, I got extensive fluoroscopy training, heaps of paediatrics that I finally feel comfortable with and really started to embrace independent, well thought out and all-encompassing examinations and patient presentations. I still don't think I reached a level that I would have hoped to but I feel confident for the first time in my degree that I am somewhat competent and I'm super driven to smash out my internship next year.
The assignments this semester were once again difficult, and I had a couple more late submissions due to on and off periods of depression. However, I was really impressed with the fact I managed to achieve some 80-90% grades in some, while naturally the physics work stayed at 60-70s
I had a very rough period during exams, falling quite far behind and struggling a lot with MRI, mammography and dosimetry physics. I borderline failed one of my exams, and I was thankfully unbelievably blessed to have been granted a resit which I passed. I did get my first credit of my degree, but with a wam of 77 and a massive drive to smash out my final year, I want to hit that 80 next year!
I didn't develop a huge interest in ultrasound this semester, but I did manage to handle the technique aspect of it pretty well, and it really helped my memory of pathological findings and its relevance to clinical presentations so I hope this learning will still prove to be an asset. Whilst I remain uncertain as to my future in mammography, I enjoyed the methods aspect of this learning and I hope to get my training with my internship completed next year. MRI hasn't greatly appealed to me in the physics regard, but the methodical learning will be taught next year and I guess we'll wait til after that to see how that modality eventuates.
On top of the stressful semester, internship applications were an unbelievably trying time for all of us. I have never had a job and I found it quite difficult to find aspects of my personality that I really liked. Selling myself has never come easily to me. I opted to not apply for a private centre, but in retrospect, it might not have been a bad idea. I applied for 10 out of 12 available clusters, and sadly only got 4 interviews. This was a really heart wrenching time for me, but last week I got the call from Monash Health where I will be an intern from June next year! This was not my top preference but they have some excellent teaching staff, great equipment (a stunning CT scanner at Dandenong Hospital!) a great intern group and I can't wait for my rural experience in Traralgon. My friends all did really well, and though not everyone is happy with their preferences, its going to be a really rewarding year for us all and I'm going to work really hard to learn as much as I can before we start work.
Fourth year has already started which is of course very stressful. I guess we got comfortable with the 3 month semesters, 7 months is going to be a very long haul! But its good content next year and I finally have a decent mindset with which to face it. It is mostly pathological appearances on plain film imaging, CT physics and elaborate techniques and MRI methods, as well as a 5000 word literature review and some content on research, psychophysics, ethics and stats. I'm spending the last 3 weeks of my holidays picking lit review topics, studying a course in image interpretation and reviewing some concepts from second year, and maybe getting a head start on some of next year's self directed modules.
In other news, I was among a group of 4 who hosted this year's radiography/radiation sciences ball which was a massive success but a very stressful event! Had a great time though, also attended a few ASMIRT events and getting all geared up for the huge ASMIRT/NZIMRT conference next year. I hope to be joining a few more volunteer opportunities on a long term basis next year as I might get a bit more time to myself, I have started a knitting project and made heaps of new friends so trying to have some fun in these last couple of weeks! My mum is heading out to India tonight so also going to be gaining some life skills in independence which should be difficult but fun
try to stay out of trouble!
Hoping you're all looking after yourselves and I'll keep you guys updated <3
Also any prospective students with any questions, feel free to post them in this thread and I'll be happy to answer whatever I can!
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Topic: See Me In CT - Babushka's Rad Journey Through Radiography (Read 21983 times)