Whenever I’m not at work, home and travelling, I’m definitely busy with my studies. Yes, I’m studying again. This time, it is relevant to my job experience (in health sector) and I can say that I’m thriving in this program. Thriving because when people ask me why I chose to take this course, I cannot help but talk about it with enthusiasm. Also, as I’ve mentioned above, this is relevant to my work as an assistant at the home nursing job that I have.

I’m studying Bachelor of Science Major in Radiography at the University College of Bergen (Høgskolen på Vestlandet). I just started this fall and I’m so glad that I’ve chosen this program.

Before I continue, let me tell you what a radiographer is, because most of the people I know thought that I’m going to be a spesialist in X ray imaging or AKA radiologist.

A radiographer is someone who takes X ray images of patients. In addition to that, they also perform CT scan examination and MRI examinations to diagnose for example, an injury. Depending on what country the radiographer is working at, the scope of work task is different. Like for example, here in Norway, the radiographers are very hands on to their patients and they administer medicines and etc. Unlike in the other countries, the radiographer’s only task is to take X rays and report to the radiologist.

A radiologist on the other hand is a medical doctor (a physician) and is a specialist in using medical images to diagnose and treat a disease. 

 

In order to be a good radiographer, it is important that you know your anatomy, radiological physics and radiographic positioning. The photo above, is a photo of Bontrager’s handbook.

 

 

This is the school’s X ray lab. I love how we can come here anytime to practice what we’ve learned in the classroom and to master the art of conventional X ray. Don’t worry, we only practice on phantoms and not on each other!

 

And because we are training to be a professional radiographer and health worker, discipline in the field is a must. Hence, the uniform.

 

 

 

Some of the reasons why I chose to study radiography is that the idea that I’ll get to work with high-tech equipments, work with patients and work with research. A radiographer is not limited by x ray/CT/MRI machine alone, but he/she also do research. Because the health sector is constantly changing.

The Bachelor program at the University College of Vestlandet is 3 years to complete and has 180 units. On the job training is included. All of the lectures and exams are in Norwegian, except for one of the subjects in the last semester (I think).

For more information about the program, kindly check this HVL’s website: https://www.hvl.no/studier/studieprogram/2017h/grr/ .