Imran Ulhaq
Who am I? Imran Ulhaq
What do I do? Diagnostic Radiographer at Bradford Royal Infirmary
What did I study at 6th form/college? Biology, PE, Maths and BTEC Health and Social Care
Where did I study at University? Diagnostic Radiography at The University of Bradford
As a young child, I was always hurting myself playing football and upon on visiting the accident an emergency department, on each occasion some sort of medical imaging was performed initially it was always plain film xray but due to these complexities of my injuries I sometimes needed further scans for example an MRI scan. Being able to demonstrate human anatomy in extreme detail fascinated me. This was the initial trigger for my passion for medical imaging so I did some research around the profession to see if there’s any prestige or different avenues I could explore within the profession after completing the degree. Furthermore, coming from a family all in the health sector they also reassured me that a career in diagnostic radiography would be a great career choice.
Were you aware of other health professional courses before starting at University?
I was always aware of different healthcare professional courses such as physiotherapy occupational therapy and nursing. I had a passion for technology and looking after people, so I thought medical imaging was the profession for me.
Prior to university I had never worked before therefore my understanding of a working environment was incredibly limited. On the first day of my clinical placement, it was a lot to take in on how the working environment especially the healthcare environment operated. What stood out was how often we were engaging in conversation with the general public as well as ensuring their safety.
The profession is exactly what I expected to be, fast paced, new technology being advanced, positively contributing to an individual’s quality of life and being able to explore different avenues in the profession such as CT, Ultrasound, MRI
Due to the coronavirus pandemic, I started working pretty much straight away after university to contribute to the workforce to ensure enough members of staff or present at the hospital during these challenging times.
My role varies daily on some occasions I carry out general radiography meaning looking after ward patients ensuring workflow runs smoothly considering all the new infection control policies especially due to the pandemic. On some occasions I’ll be working in the busy accident and emergency department, working with surgeons in theatre using the image intensifier and on occasions aiding radiologists with fluoroscopy examinations.
Overall, the fact that my days are never the same keep the enjoyment in the job as I know that I will be doing something different each day.
The biggest factor was time management ensuring that I had the right balance between completing all my academic work as well as making the most out of clinical placement. Once I established this balance everything else fell into place with a bit of hard work and support from my academic tutors and family, I was able to complete the programme with the first-class honours.