The Modest Radiologist
The Modest Radiologist
After spending the first part of his life in the North Island, radiologist Dr Ben Wilkinson has succumbed to the beauties of the south. Following five years postgraduate training in radiology based at Christchurch Public Hospital, he's spending a sixth straight year in the city completing a Fellowship in Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) with Christchurch Radiology Group (CRG).
Wilkinson is apt to deflect conversation away from himself and towards his younger brother Tim, a professional golfer playing on the US PGA tour. But drag him out of the bunker and you uncover a wealth of achievements.
Wilkinson grew up in Palmerston North where he attended the local Boys' High School, garnering a number of awards along the way and representing both his school and Manawatu at cricket. In seventh form he was one of four New Zealanders chosen to attend a Chemistry Olympiad in Norway, returning with a silver medal.
Auckland Medical School followed, where he picked up an award from the Leukaemia and Blood Foundation and, after completing his final exams, the fifth year senior prizes in medicine and pathology.
Nor did the awards stop there. Once in the South, Wilkinson cleaned up in Part 1 of the professional radiology exams held across Australasia, and went on to complete his final year of radiology training at Christchurch Hospital with an Abdominal Imaging Fellowship, specialising in CT and MR scanning of the abdomen and pelvis.
Wilkinson's relishing his time at CRG. "I'm really enjoying learning about MRI applications in musculoskeletal imaging, which comprises the bulk of the Fellowship. CRG offers an excellent environment for developing sub-specialty expertise. Because its digital communication system, PACS, means you don't have to be on-site to report films, you see a huge volume of images and gain superb experience as a result."
Away from the viewing screens, Wilkinson's working hard to reduce his golf handicap, which currently sits at ten. In what must bring sibling rivalry to a new low, Ben says he plays the odd round with his brother when he's back visiting. "Tim's left-handed, but against me he switches to playing right-handed and still wins comfortably!"
There's one more southern beauty Wilkinson's been seduced by. He and Jo, from Hawarden, met three years ago. Jo recently gained a BA in Biology, and while she considers whether to pursue a Masters or her interest in fashion and design, there are more pressing concerns - after becoming engaged in Riomaggiore, Italy last year, Ben and Jo will be married in March. We offer our congratulations to them both.
