Profile
Kate Haines
My CV
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Education:
Range High School – I did my GCSEs and A Levels here.
University of Manchester – for my undergraduate degree
University of Liverpool – for my postgraduate degree
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Qualifications:
GCSEs: Physics, Chemistry, Biology, English Language, English Literature, Maths, IT, German, History, Music, RE
A Levels: Physics, Chemistry, Maths, Further Maths & Music
BSc: Physics
MSc: Clinical Science (Medical Physics)
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Work History:
I’ve taught piano and violin in the past and done the odd waitressing job, but my first proper job was as a part-time tutor during my degree. I taught English and Maths to under-16s a couple of times a week.
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Current Job:
Clinical Scientist in radiotherapy physics.
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About Me:
I am a radiotherapy physicist which means I use radiation to help cure cancer! In my spare time I like to play music and chase my cat around the house 🙂 My pronouns are she/her.
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I live in Manchester with my boyfriend and our two-year-old cat, Heidi (aka the chonkiest fluffiest baby in the world!)
I’m really into music, and go to gigs and music festivals whenever I can – this is one of the things I’m most looking forward to next year! I’m also in a musical theatre society and we do shows twice a year 🙂
I play the piano and violin, and have done since I was much younger. Sometimes I write music and sing but I’m not very good at that! But that’s okay because I enjoy it 🙂
I also like to dye my hair a different colour, like, every two months. At the moment it’s bright orange to match the Autumn leaves!
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I use my physics knowledge about radiation to target tumours within the body whilst also avoiding the healthy bits of the body as much as possible – if healthy tissue gets too much radiation, it can cause nasty side-effects which we don’t want! The radiation we use is a bit like when you get an x-ray but a much MUCH higher energy and we can target it very precisely into a small area to kill the cancer cells.
To make sure we’re reaching the right areas, we have to regularly test the machines to make sure we know exactly what they’re doing. This can involve using other equipment to measure the amount of radiation coming out of the machine, or just making sure the machine moves to the right position when we tell it where to go.
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My Typical Day:
I drag myself out of bed, and arrive at the hospital to begin my working day. I spend the day planning treatments and performing tests on the radiation machines.
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Every day is different but a typical day looks like this:
I’m really bad at mornings, so I usually drag myself out of bed a little bit too late and then rush to get to work! I cycle to the hospital, make myself a cup of tea and some breakfast and then check my emails.
In the morning, I will plan a radiotherapy treatment using special software to decide where the radiation will go. I often have to read through patient notes thoroughly to make sure I’m aware of any special requirements, and might talk to the patient’s doctor or some of my colleagues if I have any tricky questions.
After lunch, I perform tests on the radiotherapy machines to make sure they’re giving out the correct amount of radiation, and otherwise performing correctly! Some tests have to be done every day, some every month, and some just a few times a year, so this can be quite varied.
In the evening I will usually go for a run and watch TV with my boyfriend 🙂
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What I'd do with the prize money:
Buy a video camera so we can hold our open day next year!
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My Interview
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How would you describe yourself in 3 words?
Bubbly, friendly and a bit weird
What did you want to be after you left school?
For a long time I thought I'd be a doctor (both my parents are doctors) but I can't deal with blood and icky bits. So I'm glad I found an area of healthcare that fit me :)
Were you ever in trouble at school?
Only for "forgetting" my PE kit... I hated PE
Who is your favourite singer or band?
My favourite band is called James - they're from Manchester and were big in the 90s. I've basically copied my dad's taste in music.
What's your favourite food?
Can't go wrong with fajitas, yum!
If you had 3 wishes for yourself what would they be? - be honest!
I'd wish for another cat, for this pandemic to be OVER, and for a lil more self-confidence (something a lot of people struggle with - I certainly do!)
Tell us a joke.
What goes zzub zzub? A bee flying backwards!
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