I Am A Medical Radiographer, Not A Doctor! -By Abubakar Sharhabilu Warrah

To the common man, virtually everyone putting on a white laboratory coat is a DOCTOR. Hence, Lab scientists, Pharmacists, Physiotherapists, Scientists and even Environmentalists; whose line of work require the use of a laboratory coats end up being illiterately tagged as ‘DOCTORS’.

Surprisingly, perhaps out of ignorance, the aforementioned professionals pridingly answer the name without considering the damage that could end up doing to their profession.

Radiographer or not, maintaining professionalism is the duty of all personnel to their respective field. Sadly, we don’t think it’s important anymore.
I’ve seen Nurses do ultrasound scans, Radiographers that prescribe drugs and Pharmacists that dresses wounds.
The point is, everyone is trying so hard to prove to the people around him how deserving he is of the “DOCTOR” tittle.
In result, what we get is a world that believes every medical assistance is given by a doctor and so they’re the only professionals in the hospital.

Of course, public pressure could be a pressing factor in making professionals overstep their bounds. I vividly remember a time I went home for vacation, that was after my first semester 400L.
A woman in our neighborhood sent for me, only to show her sick child to me, pleading me to check if I would have to do blood transfusion for her (lol). In her own believe, I am a DOCTOR!. I explained to her how I can’t, and even if I could I ain’t allowed to do so, not until she goes to see a DOCTOR first.

Alas, I started to hearing rumours about how uncaring and incompetent doctor I was. Truth is, unless other professionals acknowledge themselves for who they really are, DOCTORS will continue to be at the receiving end of all the credits, praises and thanks.

I am a RADIOGRAPHER; the number one personnel in probably the busiest department in the hospital (RADIOLOGY). I am present 24/7 in the hospital to attend to your routine and emergency cases. I am the brainiac behind diagnostic radiology, I take your xrays, do your ultrasound scans, CT, MRI scans and many more.

As a RADIOGRAPHER my role in the hospital cannot in anyway be overemphasized.
I am as integral as the “DOCTOR”; for he is blind without me, I am the eye of modern medicine. I play an important role in diagnosis, treatment and management of patients in the hospital.

So, my fellow professionals, more importantly RADIOGRAPHERS, I humbly call on us all to answer our name. Whenever you’re done attending to that patient and he/she said “THANK YOU DOCTOR”.
With a smiling face, correct them by saying “I am not a doctor, I am a RADIOGRAPHER, and I am just doing my job”.

I am a medical RADIOGRAPHER and I am proud to be one.

Abubakar Sharhabilu Warrah
B.Rad in view (UDUS)
30/03/2019