A large proportion of any health care degree is time spent on placement in an NHS or private department setting. This can be a daunting experience regardless of your confidence or background. As a student changing departments a few times a year it can be especially hard fitting in with an established radiotherapy team. As well as trying to remember theory learned at uni and putting it into practice, we have to think about the impression that we are making on both patients and the radiotherapy team. Do we seem helpful? Are we asking enough questions? Are we communicating with patients appropriately? Do patients feel comfortable around us? Do our colleagues like us?! All of these questions are constantly going through our heads especially in our first placements when everything seems a bit daunting. The thing is, the impression we make on these placements could make a difference as to whether we get employed at the end of our 3 years of hard work so it’s all pretty important and definitely can all feel a bit overwhelming.
My advice to people is work to your strengths and everyone’s are different. For me, my strength lies in my confidence in communicating and relaying information. My academic knowledge is not the best and I don’t pretend to know things that I don’t. I try my hardest to listen when other students are asking questions I never even thought to, and MAKE NOTES! Make notes for everything, even if you think you will remember it tomorrow. I make a conscious effort to chat to patients about their general life but also how they are coping with their treatment. Another way to aid in fitting into a team is finding out about the professionals you are learning from. Sit with them at breaks and for lunch. Yes it’s uncomfortable but push yourself out of your comfort zone. Placement isn’t just about learning the theory it’s about learning how to do the job of a radiographer and that goes far deeper than delivering radiotherapy.
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