The Student Room Group

Radiography Applicants Thread!

Everyone else has it so why can't we :biggrin:

Just a place to post and ask questions and things for radiography really and to not feel like you're the only person applying!

Personally I'm applying for therapeutic radiography at Cardiff, Liverpool, Portsmouth, Sheffield Hallam and St George's and I think my most wanted ones are Pompey, Liverpool & SHU in that order :smile:

So far I've got an interview at SHU lined up which I'm a bit scared about - it's hard to know exactly what they expect, or what I can expect!

So..hi!


EDIT 18th April 2008 - I've made a page on the wiki now for budding radiographers :smile: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/wiki/Radiography

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Reply 1
*sniff*

Maybe I am the only person applying!
Reply 2
Well! I'll just have to keep replying to myself in the hopes that someone finds it useful!

I applied toward the end of October for Radiotherapy, and was offered an interview at Sheffield Hallam not long after that. It involves a Group Task and an individual interview.

And then I got an interview from Portsmouth this week, which is on the 26th (two days after Sheffield!).

So I'm really excited at the moment as they are both the ones that really stood out for me to date :smile:
Reply 3
lol, us radiographers are few and far between on these boards :p:
Reply 4
Hey Spiffy! How's it going for you so far? :smile:
Reply 5
Its going pretty well actually. I had 6 weeks at uni and for the past 2 weeks i've been on placement. The workload isnt bad at all right now but I know that will change when I go back to uni in a fortnight. If you've got any questions about the course feel free to ask and I'll give the best answer I can :smile:
Reply 6
I'm in my first year at Leeds uni doing diagnostic radiography. It's going really well so far, been on placement since the start of term every thursday and next week I'm starting a block of 3 weeks on placement. They literally throw you in at the deep end with taking x-rays, i've done so many chest x-rays & hand and feet x-rays since I started - feel like i've been doing it for years already.
The radiation science and technology module is kinda hard but u just really gotta keep on top of the work - it is a lot of work in the first semester but after that it calms down (apparently!)
I'm really enjoying the course but I'll warn you, being a student radiographer is not like being a normal student because you have lots of work and you have a lot of responsibility when you're on placement - it's not a case of just standing there watching! It's great getting the hands on experience though and the staff are all really helpful.
By the way, all the uni's are very different with how the course is structured - some courses have more problem based learning than others and some do placements at different times etc. think carefully bout where you really wanna go and what teaching style suits you best!
If anyones got any questions let me know!
Spiffy, which uni you at?! How you finding it?
Reply 7
I no I am not applying for radiography but I was wondering if anybody would be able to answer my question. what would have to do if i wanted to do radiography after a nursing degree?
thank you x
Reply 8
There's some part-time in-service courses for health professionals.. might be one of those routes? :smile:

Spiffy
If you've got any questions about the course feel free to ask and I'll give the best answer I can


Got my interviews coming up... bit worried but I have general ideas of what to expect... I'm trying to be positive though! For Pompey they've already had me fill in Occupational Health forms/CRB check.. that's gotta be a good sign right? :biggrin: Any advice?

katern13
I'm really enjoying the course but I'll warn you, being a student radiographer is not like being a normal student because you have lots of work and you have a lot of responsibility when you're on placement


This is exactly what I'm after really. I don't want to be a student - I want to be a radiotherapist afterall! I want to work, to study, to learn, to experience... I'm so excited.

And yey!! Great to see some radiographers around :biggrin:
Reply 9
:biggrin: Received an interview pack etc from Cardiff today! Probably going to hassle the poor radiographer I did work experience with again to fill out yet another form, I feel like such a nuisance doh :frown:
Reply 10
The Application Process

Ooh it's all so exciting. Now, when I was first thinking of applying for Radiography, I thought (and still do!) it might be interesting to know what sort of procedure is in place and I searched through the forums to find out what other people had posted...

Seems I'm a bit lonely this year :frown: but I can at least write some nonsense in in the hope that it might help someone else later. :smile:

So I'm a so called mature student, 22, and have been working full time. I sent my UCAS in on the 24th of October, with a personal statement fully tailored to Therapy Radiography and a work skills based reference from my boss.

Work Experience

One of the main requirements is that you get some work experience in to apply for radiography...I didn't really struggle to get this - though for therapy departments in particular it has been harder, and at one hospital I've only been able to observe a little because of their contract restrictions. I've applied to do another day elsewhere but not sure if that will go through.

Basically, I made a list of all my local hospitals - got their email addresses and phone numbers. I sent a general email out to a bunch and got some positive responses right away, and in other cases I phoned and asked to be put through to the radiography depts and asked about work experience from there. In one case it was through phoning an admissions tutor at one of the local universities doing the course and they gave me the name of the person I should talk to at a hospital nearby.

If you manage to get work experience in before you even apply through UCAS, mention it in your personal statement and what you learnt/experienced!

What Happens Next?

Well.. hopefully.. you hear about interviews! And let me tell you that from the first moment you hear from one of your choices you need to get your paperwork in order or else it gets maddening! I've now heard from three and could fill a book with all the paperwork I have! It's best to fill in the forms they want you to return to them prior to interview ASAP so they don't clutter up the place and confuse you, and then file the rest of the bits and pieces for each university separately...

You might need to verify your work experience visit. Hopefully you'll still have the name of someone at the hospital(s) you visited so you can contact them and ask them to fill the forms in and either send them off to the unis or send them back to you.

Get some passport sized photos of yourself sorted. If you're applying to a few universities, then they're likely all going to want some so be ready for that and get several copies. Also make sure you have photocopies (and to take originals on the day) of some forms of identity.. there's quite a list you can use but the likes of passport, driving license, birth certificate is a good start. It's all for the CRB check.

Find out when you had your immunisations! I'm not sure how accurate it needs to be, but be ready with the info.

And of course, photocopy your exam certificates, and be sure to have the originals ready to bring.

I've had about a two week turnaround between receiving an interview invite and the date of the interview itself so far, so having things ready in advance is helpful. I've now got a plastic wallet for each uni, each with a copy of all my exam certs, photos, forms of ID etc. So hopefully I'm set for the interview process which starts.. tomorrow! Eeek!
Reply 11
katern13
I'm in my first year at Leeds uni doing diagnostic radiography. It's going really well so far, been on placement since the start of term every thursday and next week I'm starting a block of 3 weeks on placement. They literally throw you in at the deep end with taking x-rays, i've done so many chest x-rays & hand and feet x-rays since I started - feel like i've been doing it for years already.
The radiation science and technology module is kinda hard but u just really gotta keep on top of the work - it is a lot of work in the first semester but after that it calms down (apparently!)
I'm really enjoying the course but I'll warn you, being a student radiographer is not like being a normal student because you have lots of work and you have a lot of responsibility when you're on placement - it's not a case of just standing there watching! It's great getting the hands on experience though and the staff are all really helpful.
By the way, all the uni's are very different with how the course is structured - some courses have more problem based learning than others and some do placements at different times etc. think carefully bout where you really wanna go and what teaching style suits you best!
If anyones got any questions let me know!
Spiffy, which uni you at?! How you finding it?


Im at Birmingham City University and just like you ive been thrown in at the deep end on placement. I went to uni for six weeks and im in the middle of a months placement and yeah, ive done so many chests, fingers, hands, wrists, feet and ankles. I wish I could do more but we dont cover the axial skeleton until I go back in the new year.

Being a radiography student is hard work belive me. You hardly get any holidays like regular students, you're at uni everyday and the sheer amount of anatomy alone that you have to learn is insane. Ive been told that radiographers are second only to doctors/surgeons in terms of the amount of anatomy, physiology and pathology that you have to know!

Becca L
I no I am not applying for radiography but I was wondering if anybody would be able to answer my question. what would have to do if i wanted to do radiography after a nursing degree?
thank you x


Theres a guy on my course who just qualified as a nurse but realised that he wanted to do radiography instead so he's now doing the full 3 year diagnostic radiography course. I dont think you can fast track it just because you have a nursing degree I'm afraid.
Reply 12
Spiffy
I dont think you can fast track it just because you have a nursing degree I'm afraid.


Perhaps you can - I was told at Sheffield today that they do a 2 year programme for people who have science/healthcare related degrees, of which Nursing surely must be one. They're only one of two centres to do it though, the second being London South Bank.
Reply 13
Update...

First interview down. I think it went quite well, though they asked me to try and get another day or so placement somewhere and go from there...

I'm hoping that's a good sign... I mean, if I was completely wasting their time they wouldn't have encouraged me to do that right? right? /hopeful!

Thankfully I'm just waiting for some admin stuff to go through for another placement so we'll see.:smile:
Reply 14
Right...

More fun and games. I got a phone call yesterday offering me a conditional place at Sheffield Hallam - one of the conditions is that I spend at least a full day in a radiotherapy department which I'm doing in three weeks. Not sure on any grade requirements as yet as I sadly didn't get to take the call.

I had my Portsmouth interview, too. It was basically very similar to that of Hallam's, though I was with a diagnostic radiographer and seemingly threw her a bit by being the first therapy one she interviewed!

Hallam was completely amazing. Like, really amazing. They put so much effort into the day. I loved all of the academic staff I met as they were all so friendly. They take far more people than other places which means more people doing my course. They have their own text book and internationally publishing staff. They have fantastic facilities in a department that is completely unrivalled and seemed to have such a nice community feel to it. We had the opportunity to chat with some other applicants... you know what it's like at these things, as everyone is with their parents/family/friends and sometimes you don't get involved with each other. But we got thrown together in little groups and people seemed so nice.

At Portsmouth, we were given a talk which was very similar to the Preview Day I went to. And mostly focused on Diagnostics. I know so little about the therapy side of the course, with regard to Hallam where I feel I know pretty much all there is to know. The interview went well and I loved the location in Portsmouth.. everything is so central and I genuinely really love the city itself. I adore Gunwharf Quays and I like that I can just hop on a train, five mins walk from uni and be at my current home in about 2 hours door to door.

But with radiography you also have to look at the placements in quite some detail. Hallam's can stretch as far north as Newcastle. They focus you at one site with a couple of chances to go to other places, and you don't know which site you'll be at till you start the course. I just have this nightmare scenario of paying rent at some place in Sheffield and winding up in like.. Newcastle and needing to get all my stuff over there for certain weeks of the year etc etc :frown: Ideally I'd like to end up living in Sheffield all the time and being able to commute to say Sheffield, Derby, Nottingham or Lincoln.

Portsmouth focuses on two hospitals and the time is split across them - Portsmouth and Southampton, which is an hour's train journey away. But I'd be able to just live in Portsmouth then without that extra worry. There's only 15 or so places on the Portsmouth course, which means there's less people to interact with doing the same thing. If Portsmouth make me an offer too then I'm gonna have some really hard choices to make >< I had such a good impression of Portsmouth at the preview day and the interview day sort of brought me down a notch or two because I still no so so little about the course itself.

I've still got to see Cardiff on the 12th, and hear back from Liverpool and St George's. For me I think it's going to come down to whether I value the location and ease of getting around etc more than the facilities available (bearing in mind academic blocks only take up so much of your time), plus of course the summer holidays... at Portsmouth, you get them - but less clinical work. At Hallam, you don't have so much but you have a lot more clinical experience. Gaah!
Reply 15
Hello!

I have been lurking on these forums since September and its about time I put a bit about my experiences so far.

I am a mature student who applied to Salford University to study Diagnostic Radiography.

I could only realistically apply there as I am married, with two small children, so we are obviously settled in Manchester.

My application was in nice and early (on advice) and I got an interview at the end of October, with a date only 8 days later. This was ideal for me, as I only spent a week fretting!

It was an "informal interview" but I thought it was a little harder than I was anticipating. Thankfully, I could answer all the questions, but I am not sure I did myself justice.

That said, I only had to wait another 8 days to get a conditional offer. "ALL" I have to do, is get a B in the Physics AS course I am currently doing. Definitely doable, but a lot of hard work ahead I suspect!

So, all things being well, I'M IN! If anyone wants advice on the interview, I am happy to post (although I don't come here that much, so be patient if I don't respond!!)

Good luck to all with interviews coming up!

Vic
Reply 16
Hi Spanfan! Welcome :biggrin:

Congratulations on your offer from Salford! I'm sure you'll do great in your AS :smile:

I'm having a financial crisis at the moment, worried so much about funding for next year as the NHS base their calculations on 06-07 and my dad retired at the end of that financial year..obviously not much money now... ><

I got another invite to interview! This time at Liverpool. It's good I guess! But I think Sheffield will be the one for me.
Reply 17
To be honest with you, it's pretty rare to find a uni that won't make you travel to get to your placements - its luck with where you are placed really. I'm in Leeds but placed in Hull. Hated the idea at first but now I've find i've got to know loads more people and the Hull group are really close because of the travelling we have to do.
The people who are actually placed at Leeds aren't as close because there's no travelling involved.
It all depends on what you really want yourself and whether the Uni course suits you, not where you are placed because that is entirely out of your hands!
Reply 18
The travelling part doesn't bother me at all, really. In terms of finances though I may/may not be eligible to claim reimbursement so having to have accommodation elsewhere will be a huge financial strain.

There's other things about the placements between the two I mentioned. At one uni, there'll only be fifteen people on my course. At the other, there's fifty! In terms of making friends, it must be easier to find someone more on your wavelength at the one with fifty.

Beyond that.. At SHU they focus your placement at one hospital which will help with settling I think, both with the people and in the environment.... my only main concern with being placed further away is the financial concern :frown:

I think it will be quite exciting to travel around a bit and to be honest I do really want to be pushed with the course. The idea of having five hours a week lectures and drinking all night... that isn't me. I want to work and do something good :>
Hey there nice to see some other radiographers, i applied and got in last year and there wasnt any on here then. Im up at glasgow doing mine and i think it differs somewhat from england in that we are not let out onto placement until march. That being said i am still loving the course and regardless of the workload am having a good time. I too was classed as a mature student but when i got to the first day i found that in all of the class there is more of us over the age of 20 than under it so it was a nice mix. There is a lot of anatomy to learn but its fun to learn it all so im ny case at least you dont mind learning it, the radiation science is a drag and im finding this the hardest so far but if you persevere then it will all work out hopefully. Im just comming to the end of my first term and normally i am stressing about exams etc but i am so chilled and happy in what im doing i dont even care. im looking forward to placement and to being in the clinical setting and its a great course to be doing.
good luck for the interviews and as spiffy mentioned any questions ask away, i wish i could have had someone to bounce some questions off when i was applying. :biggrin:
xx

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