My name is Brooke Storer and I am a CQUniversity Brisbane student.
I am currently studying my second year in the Bachelor Medical Sonography and Graduate Diploma of Medical Sonography full-time.
When researching university programs within Medical Sonography, CQUniversity’s offering of this degree as a Bachelor rather than an exclusive postgraduate degree made it a perfect fit for me to begin my profession in the field of medical sonography. Originally from Port Macquarie, a small regional town on the mid-north coast of New South Wales, I was fortunate enough to be offered a place in CQUni’s Medical Sonography program – meaning I was off to the big smoke!
I chose Medical Sonography as a career as I have always been intrigued in the health industry and felt that the non-invasive, safe procedure that ultrasound offered was ideal. After researching CQUniversity’s Medical Sonography program I was immediately enthralled as it contained all the aspects I wanted from a career including patient contact, care and diagnostic ability.
During my first year, many subjects were offered by distance education. At first the thought of motivating myself to study online was confronting, however this was short-lived due to the amazing support and interactions from lecturers and fellow students. This method of study also enabled me to have a flexible lifestyle where I completed my subjects within my own competing schedule.
The residential schools were a great practical experience and allowed me to network with other students and gain skills needed to succeed. Furthermore, I found that due to the size of the campus, the lectures knew each student individually which allowed greater interaction and accessibility. This was very comforting as there was always someone who was checking how you were progressing and willing to offer assistance.
The Medical Sonography program is such a great opportunity as I am able to be hands on five days a week and gain much-needed practical experience within the labs and clinical placements of my degree. This has allowed me to connect the theory content that I have learnt to the clinical environment creating academic and personal growth.
So far, the highlight of my degree has been the amount of practical sessions offered on campus. The teacher’s support and constant guidance throughout the practical sessions has enabled me to develop strong scanning skills which will enhance my career when entering the clinical environment.
Upon graduating I am looking forward to utilising all the practical skills I will have honed throughout my study and continue to develop myself professionally within the rewarding career of a Medical Sonographer. I am confident that my CQUniversity degree will create a vast number of career opportunities for me.
>> Thinking of a career in medical imaging? The Bachelor of Medical Sonography and Graduate Diploma in Medical Sonography will be one of the highlight features of the CQUniversity Brisbane Open Day on Thursday, 11 August from 3pm-6pm. To register or to find out more, visit www.cqu.edu.au/opendays.
