Sanjida Ahmed

Diagnostic Radiography – BSc (Hons)

Sanjida knew she wanted to work in healthcare, but she wasn’t sure which role was right for her. When she discovered the Diagnostic Radiography course at BCU, she knew the support available, placement opportunities and expert tutors would help her achieve her goals.

"I always wanted to work in a healthcare setting, I just didn’t really know about the different roles available to me. I knew I didn’t want to be a doctor or a nurse as I wasn’t sure about doing a role that is patient facing all of the time. My college introduced me to Diagnostic Radiography, which I hadn’t heard of before. I did some research and found that it was a profession with a nice balance between the technical side of healthcare and the patient-facing side.

I was excited to get into a profession that would be the perfect balance between using medical equipment and machinery whilst also being able to provide care for patients during the diagnosis of their condition.

BCU is local to me, and I found out lots about the university during my time at college. I attended an open day to find out a bit more about the Diagnostic Radiography course in detail and it sounded great. The staff were really helpful and told me everything I would need to know about the course. Plus, I could see that there was a range of support available, from mental health to finance. I felt supported before even joining BCU and that’s how I knew it was the right place to go.

From the beginning, I was really impressed by the structure of the course. We have a good mix of placement and theoretical learning all year round, allowing me to always be able to work and build on my skills. The real-life, face-to-face experience at the hospital is invaluable. I now feel that I know how to work and act in a healthcare setting.

My tutors have also contributed to my professional development, all my tutors work as radiographers and have years of experience in hospitals. They share all their knowledge and expertise with us which helps me feel more prepared when I head out on placement.

Being on placement a lot does mean that there can be challenges balancing university work and placement. Working in a real hospital setting can be tiring, which sometimes makes it tough to come home and complete assignments. My tutors were a huge help with this, I chatted to them and we worked out a way for me to better manage my time and motivate myself.

I’ve also found the Centre for Academic Success a big help when it comes to completing assignments. I’ve been able to book one-to-one sessions with them to look over my work and provide feedback. They’ve helped me to improve my academic language and the structure of my work. I now feel like my work is of a higher quality and I can work faster, as I feel more confident in what I’m doing.

Another thing that helps me with academic work is being able to go to different BCU campuses to work. I have great friends at the City South campus and spend most of my time there but when I need a change of scenery, I love going to City Centre campus to study. It really helps me focus and I have some great study spots!

Thanks to my time at BCU, I have become a more confident person. In university, I’m proud of the work I produce and the community I’m a part of. As for placement, I’m not afraid to get stuck in anymore. Sometimes you have to think on your feet in healthcare, having the confidence to do that has helped me feel ready to start my career.

To me, ‘I am BCU’ means being proud and confident in myself and believing I can do anything if I set my mind to it."