Case studies: Medical physicist: Katherine Dewis

Katherine graduated with a BSc in Physics with Planetary and Space Physics from the University of Wales (now Aberystwyth University). She followed this by completing a PhD in Ionospheric Physics. Katherine currently works as a medical physicist in the Diagnostic Radiology and Radiation Protection Group in a hospital.

I entered the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) Medical Physics training scheme in 2006. In my first year, I studied full time for an MSc in Medical and Radiation Physics at the University of Birmingham. In the second year, I gained clinical experience in three areas of medical physics: nuclear medicine; radiotherapy; and radiation protection. At the end of my second year, I passed my Part 1 training and entered Part 2 training. I moved hospitals to be closer to family and join the Diagnostic Radiology and Radiation Protection Group. Over the next two years, I gained experience as a medical physicist in diagnostic radiology and radiation protection. Following a year’s maternity leave, I returned to work and completed my training as a medical physicist in February 2012.

My typical day is very varied. I can be out testing a range of diagnostic x-ray equipment, checking new installations in an area using radiation, sat at my desk completing reports, carrying out risk assessments, reviewing personal doses, undertaking dose calculations for patients, optimising imaging protocols, providing shielding calculations, training different staff groups on a range of subjects or developing our working practices. This is why I love my job as two days are never the same. I also get a great deal of enjoyment out of working as a member of a team and working with members of staff from other areas, including radiographers, radiotherapy and nuclear medicine.

All of the work I do can have challenging aspects to it. For example, if undertaking routine quality assurance testing on an x-ray machine and a fault is found, often a challenging decision has to be made between taking the machine out of use (costing money and time for the hospital) or using it safely in a certain way until it is fixed (therefore reducing down time of the equipment).

Although I have just qualified as a medical physicist, I am already looking to expand my knowledge. I am in the process of learning about MRI to hopefully provide support alongside a senior member of staff. My long-term goals for my career are to become a medical physics expert and then a radiation protection advisor. Each year, I keep my knowledge up to date by attending national meetings and conferences. These are also wonderful opportunities to meet other physicists working in medical physics. 

For those thinking about a career in medical physics, I recommend getting some experience, either shadowing staff to see what they do or visiting a department for a day. Some medical physics departments do run summer holiday projects.

The thing I love most is that I am able to use my knowledge in physics every day and it makes a difference to patients undergoing treatment or diagnosis in hospital.