Eva Starkey

What do you do in your current role/area of expertise?

My current split role allows for me to blend clinical practice with academic principles, whilst implementing the four pillars of practice.  

My primary position as a Diagnostic Radiography lecturer and First Year Lead has provided me with the opportunity to develop skills in effectively managing a small team, as well as taking charge of wider extra-curricular events aimed at a larger geographical location. Lecturing has also allowed me to facilitate learning amongst students of varying academic levels.

Drawing on my personal expertise and background in Trauma and Neurological Radiography I have shaped new interactive workshops and simulation sessions.

I believe it is imperative to showcase the range of opportunities and careers radiography can lead to – and so I have organised careers fairs for the last two academic years. This involves meeting professionals from around the UK to ask questions about how they got to where they are, and this provides recruitment opportunities for graduates.

Whilst lecturing, I have also undertaken further education of my own, having completed Post Graduate modules in Learning, Teaching and Assessment and Developing Professional Practice in Research to contribute towards my Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy. These modules run simultaneously with my own teaching commitments, and so require effective time management and dedication, but they have been essential in improving my approach to teaching and evidence-based practice.

My ongoing commitment to clinical practice also highlights my belief in providing  high quality, patient centred healthcare. This requires me to keep up to date with current practice and legislation, which not only ensures I am working effectively and safely as a radiographer, but as an educator, too.

What steps did you take to get to this role?

As a Band 5 radiographer working in a busy major trauma centre at the beginning of the pandemic, I witnessed how Covid-19 was rapidly negatively impacting our undergraduate radiography students.

After having some negative experiences of my own throughout my training, I was keen to change the direction of student learning – even on a small scale. Small group tutorials soon developed into trust-wide online CPD events, motivating me further to complete a PGCert module in Teaching Healthcare Professionals. Career progression soon followed as I accepted a Band 6 role in 2021 and gained CoR Practice Educator Accreditation in 2022. Although career promotion allowed me to develop my managerial and time management skills, I knew that in order to fulfil my passion for teaching and student education, I would have to make the jump into higher education.

In June 2023, I accepted a new role as a lecturer at Robert Gordon University (RGU), forcing me out of my comfort zone into an exciting new city. Over a year later and I am delighted to have received SoR awards for Scottish Team of the Year 2022 and Scottish Radiography Professional of the Year 2023, as well as receiving a STAR award in May 2024 which recognised my teaching.

I also hold an Associate Fellowship of the Higher Education Academy, and am currently working towards my Fellowship (due December 2024).

What support did you have along the way or would have been helpful to have had?

I was encouraged by a colleague to apply for CoR Practice Educator Accreditation via the evidence based route. Although I knew I was enthusiastic about student learning, receiving this recognition from the Professional Body motivated me to pursue my passion further. I also believe the personal level of encouragement and support received from the CoR upon submission of my application gave me an opportunity to ask questions in a comfortable environment.

Transitioning from a full-time career in the NHS to a split role balancing clinical shifts with academic work remains challenging. A shift in workload, responsibilities and time management have meant I have developed new strategies to find an appropriate balance, but further support in this area would be welcomed.

Furthermore, the disparity in recognised NHS Practice Educator roles in different regions of the United Kingdom was apparent when networking with fellow radiographers at SoR events. Protected and standardised Radiographer Practice Educator roles in Scotland are almost non-existent, forcing clinicians to choose between clinical or academic careers. This does not seem to be the case in the rest of the UK, and more work to align Scotland with surrounding nations would be revolutionary in developing the current workforce.

What is the most rewarding thing about your role?

My role as Lecturer and First Year Lead affords me the privilege of watching novice students develop into competent practitioners. Being able to share relevant advice and anecdotes from my current clinical role with students serves both learner and teacher: students gain insight into current clinical practice, and I ensure to keep up to date with CPD, policy and protocol.

I invest a lot of time into projects that capture the next generation of potential diagnostic radiography students. By leading school outreach programmes and open day events, I aim to find a way to make radiography accessible and relatable to a range of applicants. Gaining positive feedback and seeing applications from individuals I meet at events provides me with a huge sense of pride and motivation to continue to find new pathways.

What advice can you give to others who might want to work towards this role or follow a similar pathway?

Pursuing a career in higher education can seem daunting and completely alien when compared to the routine and familiarity of healthcare. Be prepared to find new approaches to how to manage time – unlike the health service, work does not continue to happen without you there. Remember to find the balance so as not to take things home with you every night, I say this from experience!

But most importantly, be yourself. Play to your strengths, develop your weaknesses. Radiography students are, as they should be, astute individuals; and will know if you are trying to ‘blag’ your way through unfamiliar territory. I have found being honest and recognising that you may need to do your own research in order to answer their question often has a much better outcome than attempting to venture into the unknown unarmed!

Higher education offers job satisfaction and challenges in abundance – it’s about finding out how your personality and skills fit into the career.