Student given specialist prizes after graduating from radiography course

A SHETLAND student’s “top class performance” at university has seen her secure two specialist awards.

Rachel Dorrat, who is from Lerwick, has graduated from the BSc (Hons) Diagnostic Radiography course at Queen Margaret University (QMU) in Edinburgh.

But she not only graduated with a first-class honours degree – the student was awarded the Fujifilm Medical Systems Award for Academic Excellence and the Society of Radiographers’ Professional Award for Academic Achievement.

Twenty-two-year-old Rachel graduated from QMU on 4 July at a ceremony in Edinburgh’s Usher Hall.

Discussing her experience of Queen Margaret University, Dorrat said: “I was studying for part of my degree during the height of the pandemic, and I can truly say that QMU went to great lengths to ensure we were well supported, engaged in our study, and connected with the QMU community.

“The academics were amazing throughout the whole course and did everything they could to ensure students, across all levels of the radiography degree, had a great experience on the course.

“I carried out an elective placement in London and had the opportunity to work at three hospitals in the capital – King’s College Hospital, Guy’s and St Thomas, and the Princess Royal.

“From that opportunity, I was able to secure a position as diagnostic radiographer (Band 5) at King’s College Hospital. Working at the London hospitals was a great experience and I’m excited to be starting my diagnostic radiography career at King’s College Hospital in August this year.”