Dr Jonathan McConnell - Diagnostic Radiographer

RESEARCH: RADIOGRAPHER PERFORMANCE IN AREAS OF ADVANCED PRACTICE

How did you get into research?
I have always wanted to understand what makes things happen the way they do. From early career days, I have been interested in creating ways that we can enable systems or create new ways of doing that can be used in our work and everyday lives. Radiography gave me opportunities to be involved with teams who were far more knowledgeable than myself, but I wanted to contribute to those teams. Eventually through various courses of study I achieved an MSc then through wanting to gain a senior academic role realised that having a stronger career grounding would require studying so that I could become a good researcher. Becoming a consultant radiographer in 2013 enabled this fully with eventual PhD completion in 2015 and has opened doors for me to continue being involved with research to a greater extent in clinical and academic roles.

What do you enjoy about research?
More than anything I enjoy the potentials that research brings, especially with the challenges of devising a study to investigate and find some answers to problems we face. As well the opportunity to work in an interdisciplinary way and understand how multifaceted approaches can combine to provide solutions to questions we have. This has been further enabled by maintaining contact with academic colleagues to be involved with helping others achieve their career goals and professional aspirations through research. Most importantly, it’s the feeling that I and my colleagues have made a  contribution to how research enables knowledge building for the good of people and society.

What was the most difficult aspect of doing your PhD?
There are a few factors that made gaining my PhD challenging. Firstly settling on an idea that can keep you interested for a long timeframe. Secondly, and something I would advise others to avoid, was I began my study in Australia and returned to the UK. As well I swapped jobs twice, leaving a purely academic profile to develop a new team of radiographer reporters in Scotland meaning not only did I separate myself from supervision input but I added further challenges through my role. That said though, opportunities did arise through taking on the consultant radiographer role as this gave several freedoms to concentrate on my research that was closely allied to my area of work.

What difference has your research training and experience made to your career?
Having research training has opened doors for me as part of my career path. My main research focus has also resulted in invitations to join groups where my expertise can contribute, but also the training has (I think) resulted in me having an improved questioning ability that has been useful for work in multiple guideline developments nationally and internationally. As well I believe that research training has allowed me to advocate for radiographers, so that their voices are heard for the good of the public we serve.

How has research changed your clinical practice?
Without doubt that questioning approach has added to developing new ways of working in the clinical and educational sectors of radiography. New approaches to service delivery have been developed and when coupled with ways to align ideas with practice, the roles of the multidisciplinary team are enhanced for patient benefit. By being able to source, review, question, apply and measure impact of research my clinical practice is always developing and responding to new ways of working.

What has made a difference to progressing your research career?
Being able to communicate ideas and demonstrate their potential has served well so that projects can be initiated and evaluated. This has resulted in multiple partnerships being developed to enable research to advance and consequent invitation to act as visiting/honorary professor, thus demonstrating the career path can be multifaceted.

Where do you see your clinical academic career going over the next five years?
I have just returned to a full-time academic role, which I believe will be a great way to complete my career as it will enable more close working with developing researchers of the future. This way I hope to leave a legacy of enabling the next generation of radiographer researchers. The opportunity of working with students at all levels enables the development of a research-based mindset amongst our new graduates and those developing their clinical careers. Even though challenging, the opportunities and satisfaction research brings is an avenue that should be germinated as soon as possible in the careers of radiographers and to allow the profession to excel. This is especially pertinent when we consider how much of the population imaging and therapy departments interact with, and how other professions rely on our knowledge base.

Dr Jonathan McConnell, Senior Lecturer Radiography and visiting Professor Ulster University, University of Salford J.R.McConnell@salford.ac.uk