Sarah Randall hasn't taken the easy route through her studies, and as she celebrates her graduation she has been singled out by clinical staff and tutors for their top student award.
The Canterbury Christ Church University Agfa Student Prize celebrates each radiography cohort's achievements inside and out of the classroom. The winner is picked for outstanding academic achievement, overcoming adversity and applying themself beyond the confines of the programme. Sarah has impressed on all counts.
Academically, she gained a 2:1 and she also completed a "brilliant" project according to tutor Ali Eyden: "Most of our students do a literature-based study but Sarah did an empirical one on dose reduction where. She actually went to the xray room and took the measurements herself.
“It's certainly not the easy option. You've got to have real desire to know the answers and a real passion for radiation protection."
Outside of the classroom Sarah took on yet more challenges.
In her third year she was one of four Peer Assisted Learning (PAL) leaders, using her experience to support the learning of first year students in their first semester.
She also took part in a Research Informed Teaching (RIT) project run by one of members of academic team to look at effective personal tutoring. Sarah designed and undertook the data collection for the project. Only four other students took part in this and it took up approximately six months of Sarah's own time.
Christchurch's professional lead for radiography, Lee Bolton, says Sarah went "beyond the call of the programme, helping other students"and praised her for being a "huge help" with the RIT project.
He continued: "We needed student involvement, so at the same time as she was doing her individual research study Sarah was doing a piece of research to help the institution."
Fitting these projects in alongside an already demanding programme was, for Sarah, the "most challenging" thing about her course: "We had lots of assessments, lots of placement time and lots of essays to do. I was trying to fit everything in and have a life as well."
The enjoyment she gets from work kept her going: "I love being on placement and all the sessions in the xray room, they were always good fun. I'm a practical person."
Despite having a stammer Sarah has always put herself forward in class, answering and asking questions, presenting in groups. On placement, likewise, she has never allowed her stammer to hold her back when communicating with staff and patients.
“When I first started my course I was really nervous. If I had a question I'd wait to the end of lectures and go up rather than ask at time but I got a lot more relaxed towards the end of the third year.
"It's also been hard on placement going into the waiting room and calling patients in but then I think 'right, I've just got to forget about it, I've just got to get on." said Sarah.
Lee Bolton adds: "In the hospital that's something you're going to have to put to one side, and she's coped with very well."
He says Sarah's determination shines through: “That compliments her – that desire to get on and do well is why she's been able to come through her own difficulties to get a good mark. She's got that professional desire to get on and gets on well with everyone."
Despite such high praise, on receiving the prize Sarah remains modest: "I was quite shocked when they rang me – I was like 'why have they chosen me?', but it's a lovely thing to be awarded.
"It means a lot because I worked really hard. I know it sounds silly but especially when I did my dissertation I spent a long time in the 24 hour computer rooms and things like that working away, so it's a nice reward for that."
Awarding the prize was SoR president and the MSc programme director of the medical imaging department at Christchurch, Gill Dolbear. She said: "There are three criteria for our student prize: Academic achievement, overcoming adversity and applying oneself beyond the confines of the programme. Sarah fulfils all three in some measure."
Gill believes it's really important to acknowledge the students that go that extra mile. She commented: "They needen't volunteer for extra work, they are so time poor it's amazing any of them step forward to help and so this prize is a nice to show our appreciation."
Though for Sarah, who has now secured her first radiography post at Lewisham Hospital, it seems the reward of her work is really what it's all about.
"Radiography is something that I really enjoy doing. When I'm at work it doesn't feel like I'm at work. I hope I can do this for a long while and travel and work in other countries doing radiography. I just really enjoy it."
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