Chris Boyd is making the medical world safer one test at a time.
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The 24-year-old former Nowra Anglican College student is part of the SA Health team tasked with testing all the radiology and nuclear medicine equipment at the new Royal Adelaide Hospital.
Part of Chris’s role includes checking CT scanners, X-ray machine, lead levels in walls and ensuring staff aren’t exposed to high levels of radiation.
“The job is really varied so part of it is also educating medical students on writing good referrals and knowing what information a radiographer needs to make their job as easy as possible," he said.
Chris completed a Bachelor of Science in Medical and Radiation Physics in 2013 at the University of Wollongong.
More recently he graduated with a Masters of Science in Medical and Radiation Physics and is relishing his new role.
“For now though I have a job that I enjoy and that’s enough for me. I like getting up and going to work everyday.
- -Chris Boyd
“I’m seeing differences from a result of my work, the education regarding radiation referrals is improving and I’m helping doctors,” he said.
Chris always planned on taking a medical career path but the drive only increased after his older sister Laura suffered her first stroke at age 15.
“I was only 13 so I was relatively shielded but I did spend a lot of time in the ICU and the neuro ward and it definitely imprinted on me,” he said.
“I decided I wanted to go into medicine but I soon realised I was better at maths and physics than biology which is how I entered this field.”
While he’s enjoying his current role, Chris’s expertise may take him to developing in countries in the future.
“The Australasian College of Physical Scientists and Engineers in Medicine have an active role in international radiation safety and part of that is sending highly-trained people to less developed countries so that might be something I’d consider,” he said.
“For now though I have a job that I enjoy and that’s enough for me. I like getting up and going to work everyday.”