Profile

After graduating uni studying physics back in 2018 I was at a bit of a loss of what to do with my life. I spent a bit of time travelling and working at a ski resort for the winter before getting a programming job in Bournemouth. I did that for a couple of years before deciding it wasn’t for me, and had a career change to do medical physics at a hospital. I quickly realised that the combination of using science and helping people was much more my cup of tea, and I’ve never looked back!

In my spare time I enjoy keeping active by playing 5-a-side football and going for hikes and runs, with the goal of completing my first marathon this year. I also love to travel, and am planning on doing a big trip round South and Central America once my training finishes later in the year.

Radiotherapy uses high energy x-rays to treat cancer. The treatment machines are able to accurately target tumours within the body while minimising damage to surrounding healthy tissue. As a medical physicist I am responsible for helping plan how the machine will deliver this treatment using specialised software. I also perform regular checks on the machines to ensure they’re working properly and safely.

I’d say the best thing about this job is that it helps people – which is definitely worth remembering at the end of a tough or stressful day! I also really enjoy the mixture of work involved, since it involves a lot of practical and hands-on machine testing with specialised equipment, as well as the opportunity to directly apply the physics I learnt at uni.

The world of radiotherapy is expanding all the time, and another big part of working as a medical physicist is helping contribute to research. This could be anything from developing new radiation detectors, reducing the environmental footprint of a radiotherapy department, or using AI to improve treatment quality.