Eva shares her unique journey from patient to Diagnostic Radiography Lecturer

Meet Eva Starkey, Eva, works in the School of Health as a Lecturer in Diagnostic Imaging at RGU.

Eva was attracted to Diagnostic Radiography from a very young age due to being on the other side of the scanner as a patient. Eva was born with a congenital condition called Developmental Dysplasia of the Hip (DDH) whereby her right hip socket did not form, meaning her hip continuously dislocated. She attended the radiography department from birth until adulthood to diagnose and monitor her condition, before and during several surgeries beginning at just one years old, until her most recent operation at the end of last year.

Regular appointments at the x-ray, ultrasound and MRI department caused her to become curious on how the technology and equipment worked. Eva went on and completed work experience in the Golden Jubilee National Hospital in 2012, here, for the first time, she began to appreciate how patient centred the profession was. Radiographers must work incredibly closely with patients and relate to each service user on an individual basis to build trust and rapport ahead of any scans. The technical and personal elements to the job aligned with Eva’s core values and academic interests, this encouraged her to attend Glasgow Caledonia University from 2015-19.

Despite her own patient experience being a driver in pursuing a career in Diagnostic Radiography, Eva would recommend the profession to anyone looking to explore an innovative, vast and evolving career. Eva’s favourite part of the job is that every day is different, even your whole career. Day to day, Clinical Diagnostic Radiographers work with all patient types, imaging modalities in locations throughout the hospital (A&E, ICU, wards, operating theatre, clinics). But from a broader lifelong career perspective, opportunities are endless - with roles extending far beyond the clinical environment. Diagnostic Radiographers can work in veterinary settings, research, forensics, sales, education, offshore and for the armed forces. This variety and breadth of career opportunities makes diagnostic radiography a fantastic option for people from all walks of life.

Eva embarked on a career in education when she stated to work at RGU in July 2023. Eva shared, 'The state-of-the-art campus at Garthdee offered the perfect balance of cutting-edge clinical technology nestled in a remote and rural setting which has offered much needed peace and tranquillity on busy and stressful days! The flexible working model at RGU has also allowed me to maintain a clinical role whilst teaching, ensuring my practice is kept relevant and students are educated with the most up to date protocols in mind.'

RGU has also facilitated Eva’s further education, allowing her to achieve post graduate qualifications in research as well as her Advanced HE Fellowship, and practical skills such as Basic Life Support (BLS) Cascade Training.

You can find out more about the Diagnostic Radiography course on our website.