June 14, 2024#WeAreNorthern
Meet David Abud, Radiation and Laser Safety Officer, Biomedical Engineering Department, Northern Health.
Q: Firstly, what is your coffee order?
A: Latte with an extra shot.
Q: You recently started a new role at Northern Health. Tell us a bit more about that.
A: I recently started the role of Radiation and Laser Safety Officer for Northern Health in the Biomedical Engineering Department. My duties consist of looking after education and training, auditing of safe practices and investigating accidents and incidents when using laser and radiation equipment, and management of dosimetry badges and lead apron testing. Also monitoring, servicing and maintenance schedules on lasers and radiation equipment.
Q: You have been working at Northern Health for the past 28 years. Tell us about your journey.
A: I started working at Northern Health when it opened in February 1998. I first started at PANCH in December 1996, after retiring from professional sport, and later moved to the Northern Hospital Epping. Up until recently, my role was a Senior Theatre Technician.
The biggest change over the last 25 years or so, is that the Northern Hospital Epping used to be a fairly small hospital with just four theatres, and now it has expanded to 10 theatres and a big Radiology Department. Also, Cath Lab Angio suite and PET CT are opening soon. All on the old Epping Tip! Quite amazing. And of course, over the next five years, it will change even more.
As for my volleyball career, I played for the Australian Volleyball team. I was very fortunate to travel around the world and get paid for what I loved to do. I was living in Canberra and Sydney and training at the Australian Institute of Sport, and I was very privileged – it was hard training all the time, but I very much enjoyed it. I was going Olympic qualifying events, World championships, Asian championships, just to name a few.
Q: Beach or mountain?
A: That’s a tough one! Beach – I would be on my surfboard or out with my fishing rod. Mountain – I would be on my bike, which I consistently ride up to Kinglake East at least three times a week.
Q: What is on your bucket list for 2024?
A: I recently completed a 350km bike ride in Western Victoria to raise funds for Alzheimer’s research in honour of my dad, Dr. Rodney Abud, who was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s in 2021. Alongside a few colleagues at Northern Health, we successfully raised $10,000 this year. This is an annual event that I plan to continue organising. We’ve set up a GoFundMe page to support the Australian Alzheimer’s Research Foundation. If you’d like to contribute, please visit the link.
Another goal on my bucket list is to make this new role at Northern Health a success.
