I am a student at Plymouth University. I currently study Diagnostic Radiography with Foundation Ultrasonography and I am in my first year. Diagnostic Radiography is one of the multitude of healthcare courses offered by Plymouth University and is a relatively new course only having been run for three years.

When it came to prepping for my interview, I spent a fair bit of time thinking about what healthcare meant to me and how I felt I could fit into the role of being a healthcare provider.

I took the time to do some research before my interview. I spent time on the internet looking at different uses of imaging and how they could be used to diagnose different things; I also took the time to talk to some practicing radiographers about what their roles in the imaging department were like and how they had progressed in their jobs through their careers. This was all very inspiring to me and is ultimately what encouraged me to choose the course I did.

Uni life is great fun and I would definitely encourage you to make the most of it. I’m only 6 weeks into my course so far, and I have just completed the first placement for my course which was the most amazing learning experience (thank you Mayflower ward !), I have a group of wonderful flat and course mates, and I have joined the Plymouth Uni Swimming and Waterpolo club as a great way to keep fit and find even more friends. Plymouth as a city is a lovely place to live and there are some wonderful things to do!

Uni life is great fun and I would definitely encourage you to make the most of it. I’m only 6 weeks into my course so far, and I have just completed the first placement for my course which was the most amazing learning experience (thank you Mayflower ward !), I have a group of wonderful flat and course mates, and I have joined the Plymouth Uni Swimming and Waterpolo club as a great way to keep fit and find even more friends. Plymouth as a city is a lovely place to live and there are some wonderful things to do!

I won’t lie to you though, Uni is hard. It’s the first time living away from home for most people and the course is definitely a step up from A-levels or college. I was 19 starting Uni and I thought I would be able to do everything by myself because I was all grown up and living away from home, but I don’t think I ever realised how hard it was to just think of food to eat every evening! I would seriously encourage anyone who needs help at Uni, no matter of age, gender or experience to ask, there is always support if you need it.

One thing that has always been said to me about going away to Uni by friends and family is – you’re here to have fun but you’re also here to get a degree and finding the balance between those two things is never going to be easy but that’s what has to be done.

I wrote this blog while sat next to the fish in the national aquarium!

Good luck with your application and hopefully I’ll see you in Plymouth soon!