Specialisms – STP Perspectives

My MSc Project: Medical Physics

Hello, my name is Rachael and I’m a Medical Physics STP based in Oxford. I started the STP back in September 2020 after studying Mathematics and Physics BSc at the University of Manchester. My specialism is imaging with ionising radiation which is a mix of Diagnostic Radiology and Nuclear Medicine on the current curriculum.

The Source (or Seed) of Hope for Cancer Patients – Brachytherapy

Hi! I’m Kieran and I’m a 3^rd year Trainee Clinical Scientist specialising in Radiotherapy Physics at Oxford University Hospitals (OUH). Unlike most trainees, I did not choose Radiotherapy (RT) at the end of my first year nor apply for a Radiotherapy specialism STP post. Originally, I had secured a post in Imaging with Ionising Radiation. After my radiotherapy rotation (my first one), I was enthralled by the wide variety of work, large clinical impact (and not to mention high dose!) of radiotherapy and inquired as to switching specialisms. Fortunately, I was able to switch – bear in mind this is not common practice but might be feasible if you desired to switch.

I would like to highlight an aspect of radiotherapy that is not as well-known. If I mention my work in radiotherapy to people, there is usually one of three reactions:

What’s that?
Oh, is that like a radiologist?
Shooting radiation at cancer with a big machine

While answers 1 and 2 are common and 3 is a large part of what we do – external beam radiotherapy – there are other methods of radiation delivery such as molecular radiotherapy and…

Brachytherapy

STP Specialisms – Embryology

What is Embryology as a clinical field?

Fertility treatment has been an established medical specialism for over four decades, yet many people are unaware of what it entails, and the role clinical and non-clinical staff play. An IVF clinic combines the skill sets of consultants, specialist nurses, and scientists to assist couples trying to conceive. The latter is where I come in. Hi! My name is Laurie-Anne, and I am a second-year Embryology trainee (Reproductive Science) at University Hospitals Coventry and Warwickshire NHS Trust. I’m going to show you what a day in the life of an Embryologist is like and how we contribute to fertility treatment.

The STP: Application, Interview and First Year Structure – Medical Physics

My name is Holly and I’m a first year Medical Physics trainee specialising in Radiotherapy, across Suffolk and Essex. I first heard about the STP in a careers lecture during year 1 of my undergraduate degree and began preparing to apply virtually as I left the hall. Hopefully this post will give a little insight (and hope) for entrance to the STP and what to expect once you reach the flip side

Before too much waffle I just wanted to say when I began my application to the STP, I felt like I may as well have been applying to be an Olympic sprinter (I reckon I’ve ran successfully about a 2km total in my entire life). I applied with an undergraduate physics degree from a smaller university, and my work experience was serving chips, so it goes without saying if I can do it, you certainly can.

Application and Interview

For anyone who is a skim reader, here are my main tips beyond your long-listing:

International Women’s Day 2022

International Women’s Day (IWD) evolved from the universal suffrage movement that originated in New Zealand, and was the catalyst for movements in North America and Europe in the early 20^th century. It is recognized throughout the world in a diverse range of ways, however became ‘official’ in 1975 when the United Nations began celebrating it. To commemorate IWD in 2022 we are shining a light on some current and past STP trainees. We asked them a range of questions to find out what inspired them to pursue a career in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics).

STP Specialisms | Ophthalmic and Vision Science

Hi, my name is Linda and I’m a third year STP trainee in Ophthalmic and Vision Science (OVS) at Great Ormond Street Hospital for Children NHS Foundation Trust. While we may not be one of the larger specialisms out there, we have a vital role to play in patient care. After all, vision is one of the most fundamental ways we experience the world, and the eye is a window into the brain and body! For those considering starting their journey with clinical science, hopefully I can provide an eye-opening insight (see what I did there?) into the ‘What’, ‘Why’ and ‘How’ of OVS.

STP Specialisms | Medical Physics: The Pathway of a Radiotherapy Treatment

Hello! My name is Alick and I’m a second year Medical Physics trainee with Liverpool University Hospitals NHS FT, specialising in Radiotherapy at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. I initially started the STP with an undefined specialism, which meant that I chose my specialism after completing first year rotations in the different strands of Medical Physics: Radiotherapy, Imaging with Ionising Radiation, Imaging with Non-Ionising Radiation and Radiation Safety. This blog post will cover the pathway of a radiotherapy patient, from immediately after the diagnosis through to treatment. Hopefully I’ll be able to convey the important role that physics plays along the way, as well as why I chose to specialise in radiotherapy!

STP Specialisms | Biochemistry

Biochemistry sounds like a complicated subject, but simply studying the chemical components of the body can have a huge impact on the diagnosis and treatment of a wide range of diseases a patient may have. I’m Tom, a first year STP student specialising in Clinical Biochemistry. I joined the STP fresh out of my undergraduate degree. Before starting university, I didn’t have a career plan set in mind, I just wanted to do what I enjoyed most through my A-levels which was biology and chemistry. And now I’m very fortunate to be on a programme where I can use my knowledge to improve patients’ lives.

STP Specialisms | Respiratory & Sleep Science

Do you like breathing and sleeping? If so, this could be the specialism for you…Hopefully this post will provide some useful insight into what the Respiratory & Sleep specialism involves.