Radiography - Faculty of Health, Social Care and Education ...

Student Profile
My name is Martin Brewer, and I’m 26. I live in a flat share in
the centre of Kingston with my partner, our cats, and our
Australian housemate.
I grew up in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes. My childhood
was pretty uneventful; I did well at school and enjoyed
music, cycling, and all the other childhood stuff.
I had always been interested in all things medical and
decided at an early age that I wanted to be a doctor. I had
done everything needed to get a place, but due to
competition for places my first application wasn’t successful.
I spent the next year working in a nursing home while
contemplating my options. I decided I still wanted to go to
university and do something healthcare related, so I chose to
go to the University of Leeds to read Medical Sciences.
I thoroughly enjoyed my time at Leeds, but as time passed
and the end of the course was getting closer, I was at a loss
as to what to do after university. I didn’t want to pursue a
career in healthcare management or medical research, and
so after graduating I moved to Middlesbrough in the North
East. I had some family there and didn’t fancy moving back in
with my parents.
While living in Middlesbrough I started working for the NHS
at the local mental health trust. I worked with a wide range of
patients, including adolescents, adults in short and long term
care, and elderly patients with dementia. I also did voluntary
work with a local charity working with people with HIV and
promoting safer sex across the Tees Valley.
While working in mental health I decided I wanted a
professional career within the health service, and
contemplated a career in mental health nursing, but after
much thought I felt I would be better suited to a career that
also involved some technical skills. I did some research into
the allied health professions, and decided a career in
radiotherapy would stretch my technical skills while allowing
me to provide advice and support to patients going through a
difficult period in their lives.
I’m now in my second year and I have just finished my first
clinical placement at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London,
which has been very intense but totally worth it. Over the
past year I have also started RadSoc, a society for all
radiography students at Kingston University, to allow us to
let our hair down once in a while. I have thoroughly enjoyed
my time so far at Kingston University and St George’s,
University of London, and in terms of career path I have
never looked back – I just wish I had chosen therapeutic
radiography as a career when I left school!
I am looking forward to becoming a student ambassador and
representing both my course and the faculty as a whole.
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