Emily Aveyard

"My personality types are coordinator, influencer and quality controller. My role as a medical physicist requires me to provide a patient and compassionate service to our patients (coordinator). I have to explain complex scientific methods and treatments to other healthcare professionals, patients and their relatives in a way that is understandable to them (influencer). I ensure that our imaging and scanning equipment is kept in working order and that all work performed using ionising radiation is carried out safely (quality controller)."

"I work as a Nuclear Medicine physicist. In our department, we administer radioactive tracers to patients and image the tracer uptake in the body using radiation detecting scanners known as gamma cameras. We diagnose various conditions, including heart disease, Parkinson’s, cancerous tumours and even leaky tear ducts! In my role, I ensure that radiation is used safely to ensure doses received by both patients and staff are kept low. I advise and train radiographers, doctors and nurses on best practice. I help to implement new imaging techniques and optimise existing practice – such that the best quality images can be achieved for the lowest radiation dose to the patients and staff. I assist with our radionuclide therapy service, where we administer patients with radioactive iodine to treat both thyroid cancer and overactive thyroid. I also perform periodic routine quality assurance and safety testing on our imaging equipment, and routinely use and develop imaging analysis software.I enjoy working in a multi-disciplinary team that includes scientists, technologists, nurses and doctors. It’s fantastic to work alongside others who are passionate about healthcare science. I really enjoy getting to use the knowledge and skills gained from my physics degree every day for patient and public benefit, knowing I am directly contributing to advancements in patient care. The opportunity to make a difference to patient’s lives every day makes it an incredibly rewarding role - I can’t imagine myself doing anything else!"

"I graduated with a BSc Physics from the University of Birmingham in 2017. I learned about the applications of physics in medicine and healthcare during my degree. For my final year project, I investigated nuclear medicine technologies currently used in hospitals, whilst my dissertation explored potential advances in external beam radiotherapy and proton therapy. My degree has given me a strong grounding in core physics, and excellent numerical, practical, and problem-solving skills, which are vital in my work today as a practising scientist. I completed the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) in Medical Physics. I spent a year in clinical rotations covering radiotherapy, diagnostic radiology, nuclear medicine, MRI and ultrasound, before specialising in nuclear medicine and diagnostic radiology. I studied for an MSc Clinical Science (Medical Physics) from the University of Liverpool as part of my training. I am now a state-registered Clinical Scientist with the capacity and responsibility to make vital decisions about patient care and safety. "

"In my spare time, I really enjoy reading - I am currently working through a 500+ book long \"to be read\" list on Goodreads. I also love live music - I am *that* person who will queue up 2 hours early to be front row at a gig! I am also really passionate about the environment and sustainability. You can often find me in my kitchen, cooking up some delicious plant-based recipes - not that they'll last long!"

"On a typical day, I will work from 9 to 5. Some days will be very busy and hands on! I am responsible for ensuring all equipment is in safe working order for our patients, so on some days I will perform quality control tests on a gamma camera or an intraoperative probe. On other days I may be directly involved in a patient's treatment, explaining to patients how their radionuclide therapy treatment works and offering radiation protection advice. I also carry out patient studies, analyse and report test results. I am sometimes involved in departmental research and development projects, working to optimise image quality whilst reducing patient dose."

"International Baccalaurate (IB) Diploma: Physics HL, Chemistry HL, Mathematics HL, History HL, English SL, Spanish B SLBSc (Hons) Physics at University of BirminghamMSc Clinical Science (Medical Physics) at University of LiverpoolNHS Scientist Training Programme (Imaging with Ionising Radiation)"