Vision College Alumni: Success Story, Izuan Halik

Vision College Alumni: Success Story, Izuan Halik

Izuan Halik
Sonographer in Maternity Department
West London, England

Choosing a career when you are still in High school is a difficult task. My interests for my future career kept changing over and over again, but I was always drawn to a medical health related profession.

After I finished my degree in Biomedical Science at the University of Malaya (UM) I was still rather unsure about which career path to pursue until I was introduced to Vision College 7 years ago by my friend Ashley, who was a First Year Student and one of the first to attend the Post Graduate Diploma Studies in
Postgraduate Diploma of Medical Ultrasonography, PgDMU (Asia).

Ashley invited me to come to an Open Day event and I was captured with interest right away. I was accepted to participate the course in November 2005 and it properly was the most important decision in my life and I will never regret this decision which has changed my life in so many positive aspects.

Vision College back then was still very small which was ideal for a small number of students; I am aware that Vision College has extended into a renowned facility since, still providing excellent teaching and education. Back in my days it already had a very well equipped in-house diagnostic centre with up to date ultrasonic devices and systems. The lecturers were always very friendly and helpful and to this day I fondly remember the Ultrasound Supervisors, Mr Alan and Ms Yip, and also guest lecturers like Mr Roger Gent.

The college had a small library with adequate reference books. The educational approach consisted of problem/evidence based learning, one-to-one approach, and practical teaching which has helped me very much to gain the necessary skills, knowledge and understanding for my chosen professional career and the hands-on practice with actual patients has taught me to understand the relationship between a member of the public and a health professional.

My career in Ultrasonography has provided me with a profession that I enjoy with great passion. The challenges that I am facing on a daily basis keep me interested to broaden my knowledge by attending ultrasonographic courses and study days as well as reading medical and profession related journals.

As a Sonographer I am not only responsible for producing a diagnostic image but also interpreting and reporting it, making my findings part of the further treatment for a patient.

Up close patient contact, history taking, equipment optimisation and problem solving skills are required for every examination. It is a task of detective work with each patient presenting with a unique clinical question that requires a solution from the scanned image.

Afters pending some years in General Ultrasound and working as an Application Specialist I focused on Obstetric Sonography as my chosen field of speciality and expertise. Today, I am working as a Maternity Sonographer in one of the busiest Maternity Departments in West London, England. I work with colleagues who have many years of experience and together we make a great team. My Senior Sonographer helps and supports me when needed and gives me courage and support to expand my career steps.

London is a great city. Being one of the most multicultural and diverse among the European cities I encounter patients of many different cultural beliefs and backgrounds on a daily basis which has helped improving my interpersonal skills in treating every patient equal and with the same respect and dignity. It has helped me on my personal path in life to rise above criticism, despite this being positive or negative, but to see this as feedback and to learn from this, making me a better person as a professional and in private life.

Vision College has played a big part in the developing of the person I am today and helped me along with a sound and thorough education for which I am very grateful. It has opened many opportunities for me and I am still exploring.