🌟 Meet Stephen Edmonds, a Mercy Radiology Medical Imaging Technologist. We want to acknowledge Stephen’s recent academic success in receiving the Top Scholar award at his Medical Imaging graduation. 🎉🏆

 🌟 Was a career in healthcare always a goal for you? If so, was there anything in particular that inspired you? 🌟

I came into health care in my mid-50s; as my son recently said to me, “One is never too old to teach an old dog new tricks!”. What I missed in the corporate world was the people contact and making a real difference, and so medical imaging allowed me to bring those together, along with a love for science and ongoing learning.

🌟 What is your role at Mercy Radiology and what does it entail? 🌟

As a newly qualified medical information technologist (or radiographer) I work with x-rays in four main settings: operating theatres helping surgeons accurately position their instruments, intensive cardiac care and recovery for post-operative imaging, fluoroscopy (‘movie x-rays’), helping radiologists to assess and diagnose, and lastly general x-ray, interacting with people from every walk of life, whether it be for an accident, cancer or other long-term conditions.

 In all of these, it is my role and responsibility to take the best diagnostic image in the safest way possible, with the patient’s best interests and experience at the very heart of what I do.

 🌟 How has your experience with Mercy Radiology helped you achieve the highest honour award? 🌟

I was privileged to be the very first radiography student at Mercy Radiology. They have committed to a pathway of excellence and so having students means putting all the procedures in place to ensure up-to-date processes and the highest standards.

 Whilst it would be easy to focus on the cool technology at Mercy Radiology, in fact, my clinical time as a student was enhanced by an amazingly supportive team of people who were so generous with their time and patience: whether it be the qualified radiographers, my tutors, the ICU/recovery nurses, reception or the radiologists and surgeons themselves. I count myself incredibly fortunate to have been placed here.

🌟 What does it mean to you to be part of the Mercy team? 🌟

Honestly, I think you have answered the question – it is all about that very last word, ‘team’. Everyone here genuinely cares about their colleagues and their patients, so it is special to be part of a team that thinks and acts in the same way.

 🌟 As a newly certified medical technologist, what do you feel has been the most rewarding part of the job so far? 🌟

The privilege of meeting and helping so many people already. It has been a very long time since I have felt this happy every morning going to work.

 🌟 What would your advice be to those who are considering a course as medical imaging technologist? 🌟

On a practical level, get your information from those in the field. Approach a Mercy Radiology or public hospital department and ask for some time getting an insight into what goes on. Secondly, speak to as many people in healthcare as possible to get their differing viewpoints. Thirdly, approach one of the educational institutions, for me, it was Unitec, who were so willing to explain what is involved and expected. Lastly, I would encourage a little bit of reflection time to think about what makes you tick, what makes you happy, what interests you, and what motivates you, and then explain it to someone close for feedback. I have never looked back.

 📍Explore career opportunities at Mercy Radiology here: https://careers.mercyascot.co.nz/search?page=0