Student testimonials

Testimonial Template

Background

Which high school did you attend?

Hampton SHS

When you started your Bachelor degree at UniSA were you a high school leaver, TAFE student, adult entry or other?

I commenced my postgraduate study as an adult after having completed my BSc in Medical Imaging at Curtin University

Study

Which program did you study?

In 2010 I completed my postgraduate diploma in Medical Sonography. I returned 2 years later to commence my Masters in Medical Sonography (IMSO) and will graduate in 2014.

Why did you want to study this program?

Three main reasons: 1) I wanted to expand my knowledge in certain areas of ultrasound, specifically MSK and Fetal Heart imaging. 2) I was on maternity leave initially and did not want to fall behind with current knowledge/developments. 3) I am hoping that by doing my masters it will allow me to broaden my opportunities in terms of future tutoring/mentoring roles.

Why did you choose to study it at UniSA?

UniSA has a good reputation and is well recognised in the ultrasound community. It is possible to study externally online which allowed me extreme flexibility with work hours, family etc.

University of South Australia

What did you enjoy most about studying at UniSA?

- Flexibility of the online learning

- Flexibility of the tutors to student circumstances

- Availability & contactability of the tutors

How would you describe the quality of UniSA’s teaching staff? How did they support you during your studies?

Overall I found the teaching staff to be amazing. Their knowledge was extensive and if there was something that they were not sure about it was researched and responded to in a timely fashion. Their availability via the discussion forums and email was invaluable.

What was the highlight of your time at UniSA?

Obtaining a GPA of 7 ;)

Also being able to discuss my studies online with students that had more and less experience than myself, & learning from their experiences.

Tell me about any practical experience (work experience/work placements/field trips/overseas study) you’ve undertaken during your degree.

During my studies I have been working as a medical sonographer (aside from a short stint on maternity leave) When I commenced my studies I was working as a full time radiographer/sonographer in a tertiary hospital. Since then I have expanded my career to include specialist women’s imaging for a private obstetrician & radiologist in Perth and part-time as a tutor sonographer in one of Perth’s tertiary hospitals. I have been keeping up to date with current developments via my study as well as attending interstate/international conferences.

Why was the experience valuable? (ie What did you learn here that you couldn't have learned in the classroom?)

These changes in my career have been a very steep learning curve. In terms of my imaging I have learnt from specialists what is clinically relevant to them. In particular I found the information required by a clinician is often vastly different from that of a radiologist.

Patients’ reactions vary vastly in terms of receiving bad news/good news. I think it is impossible to learn to read a persons body language/gauge their reaction in a classroom setting. Experience in communication/empathy is essential.

New technologies are constantly being developed and I have been lucky enough to have been exposed to some high end ultrasonic equipment.

Improved communication skills – particularly when training student sonographers – and patience!!!

How did you find the teaching facilities at UniSA? (including laboratories and clinics, and online)

Labs/clinics – N/A

Online – once I got over my initial computer illiteracy problems I found the online study easy to navigate. However I still find the online library frustrating to use at times!!

Professional

Tell me about the work you have done since completing your study.

I am still currently working part-time for a consultant obstetrician & radiologist at a specialist womens imaging clinic, and part-time as a tutor sonographer at a tertiary hospital in Perth.

Why is this area of work important to you?

By doing this I am able to get the best of both worlds so to speak. The tertiary role allows me the time to train/educate/inspire upcoming ultrasound students – this makes me feel like I am contributing something to our profession. The private role allows me to easily keep up to date with new advances, which can also be shared in my tertiary role. The specialised nature of the private role exposes me to more pathology than I might otherwise see which keeps me interested & passionate. Both of these roles are important to me but my main aim is to make a positive difference to somebody’s ultrasound experience whether it’s from a patients’ perspective or a students.

What do you think it takes to become a leader in your field?

I think you need to lead by example. You need to be someone that can be looked up to – both from a knowledge base point of view and character wise. You need to be approachable and willing to help.