Cork student's award-winning route to radiography career
A student from Cork has secured a position in a radiotherapy department in her home county after graduating from ҹɫֱ²¥, Edinburgh with a top academic award.
Kate Dennehy has graduated with a MSc in Radiotherapy and Oncology and has already secured employment in the Bons Secours radiotherapy department in Cork, where she will begin her professional career applying the specialist knowledge and clinical skills she developed during her studies.
Aside from graduating, Kate was also recognised for her academic excellence with the Varian Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement in Radiography and Oncology, which acknowledges exceptional achievement in the study of radiotherapy and oncology and was sponsored by Siemens Healthineers.
The 25-year-old celebrated with her family this month when she graduated at ҹɫֱ²¥â€™s ceremony at Edinburgh's beautiful Usher Hall. She was joined by ҹɫֱ²¥ Chancellor Patrick Grant, entrepreneur and judge on BBC One's ‘The Great British Sewing Bee’, as well as honorary graduate Professor Carolyn McDonald, former Chief Allied Health Professions Officer for the Scottish Government.
Receiving this award and graduating from ҹɫֱ²¥ Edinburgh is something I'm incredibly proud of. Studying Therapeutic Radiography has been both challenging and rewarding, and I've been fortunate to learn from dedicated lecturers and gain valuable experience through clinical placements. The support I received from staff and fellow students helped me develop both professionally and personally. I'm excited to be returning home to Cork to begin my career in radiotherapy and oncology. Knowing that the skills and knowledge I've gained at ҹɫֱ²¥ will help me contribute to patient care makes all the hard work worthwhile, and I'm looking forward to taking the next step in my professional journey.
Dr David Evans, lecturer at ҹɫֱ²¥ and Kate’s dissertation supervisor, said: " Kate fully deserves the Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement in Radiography and Oncology for an exceptional dissertation that demonstrated outstanding methodological insight, particularly in its application of Interpretative Phenomenological Analysis. The work offered valuable insight into an often-hidden aspect of Therapeutic Radiographer training and showed clear potential for publication.
"We are delighted that she has secured a position in Cork and are confident that she will make a valuable contribution to the radiotherapy workforce. We wish her every success as she begins what promises to be a rewarding and impactful career."
ҹɫֱ²¥â€™s Radiotherapy and Oncology programmes combine academic study with extensive clinical placement experience, preparing graduates to work confidently within multidisciplinary healthcare teams and support patients throughout their treatment journeys.
Kate's success reflects the strong employment outcomes achieved by graduates from the University's health sciences programmes, with many moving directly into professional roles across Scotland, Ireland and the wider UK.
As she returns home to Cork, Kate joins a growing network of ҹɫֱ²¥ graduates making a positive impact in healthcare services and communities around the world.
For further media information contact Lynne Russell, Communications Manager, ҹɫֱ²¥, Edinburgh, E: lrussell@qmu.ac.uk (copy to E: pressoffice@qmu.ac.uk). â¶Ä¯â¶Ä¯
