Healthcare scientist

There are many opportunities in Health and Social Care for people who have a science background (particularly graduates). The healthcare sciences workforce helps to make sure that science and technology are used well in both diagnosis and treatment.

Opportunities in healthcare sciences

Healthcare sciences can be divided into the three areas outlined in the table below:

Life Sciences	Physiological Sciences	Physical Sciences and Engineering
Anatomical pathology Blood transfusion / transplantation Clinical biochemistry including paediatric metabolic biochemistry Clinical cytogenetics Clinical embryology and andrology Clinical immunology Cytopathology including cervical cytology Electron microscopy External quality assurance Haematology and Haemostasis and Thrombosis Histocompatibility& Immunogenetics Histopathology Molecular genetics Microbiology Phlebotomy Tissue banking Toxicology	Audiology Autonomic neurovascular function Cardiac physiology Clinical perfusion Critical care technology Gastrointestinal physiology Neurophysiology Ophthalmic science Respiratory physiology Sleep physiology Urodynamics and urological measurements Vascular technology Vision science	Biomechanical engineering Clinical measurement Equipment management and clinical engineering Medical electronics and instrumentation Medical engineering design Rehabilitation engineering Diagnostic radiology and MR physics Nuclear medicine Radiopharmacy Radiation protection and monitoring Radiotherapy physics Renal dialysis technology Ultrasound and non-ionising radiation Medical illustration and clinical photography Maxillofacial prosthetics and reconstruction

Skills required

Anyone working in a healthcare sciences environment should have an interest in and an enthusiasm for understanding scientific and medical issues. To work in this area, you should also have:

a responsible and mature approach to work
good practical laboratory skills
manual dexterity (be good with your hands)
have technical and analytical abilities
be accurate in your work with good attention to detail
an ability to concentrate for long periods
an ability to reassure and put people at their ease
good communication and organisational skills

To advance your career you will need a high level of scientific achievement, high ethical standards and the ability to lead a team.

Training programme

For those entering the health and social care sector as trainees with GCSEs, training is mostly on-the-job. Trainees then move on to specialised individual training and will have the opportunity to work towards an NVQ Level 2.

There are many degree programmes which will meet the entry requirements for a HCS career. Most commonly acceptable are degrees in life sciences disciplines or in Physics or Engineering.

To achieve the most senior healthcare sciences career grades, a primary degree would be followed by a training period during which a postgraduate qualification such as a Masters and/ or PhD would also be gained.

Some of the degree programmes run by local universities that are relevant to healthcare sciences are listed below. It is important to check with each university for details of the professional body recognition of each programme.

Foundation Degree Applied Medical Sciences

This is usually a two-and-a-half year undergraduate part-time programme. It is offered at North West Regional College, Southern Regional College and Belfast Metropolitan College.

BSc Hons Applied Biosciences

University of Ulster undergraduate part-time Distance Learning two year top-up programme (for holders of qualifications below Honours level).

BEng Hons Bioengineering

University of Ulster undergraduate full-time four year programme (including placement year for Diploma in Industrial Studies).

BSc Hons Biology

University of Ulster undergraduate full-time three-year programme (or four years including placement year Diploma in Industrial Studies).

BSc Hons Biochemistry

Queen’s University Belfast undergraduate full-time three-year programme.

BSc Hons Biomedical Science

University of Ulster undergraduate full-time three-year programme, or four-year programme including integrated placement for Diploma in Professional Practice or placement year for Diploma in Industrial Studies.

BSc Hons Biomedical Science

Queen’s University Belfast undergraduate full-time three-year programme.

BSc Hons Clinical Physiology

University of Ulster undergraduate full-time four-year programme (includes integrated placement for Diploma in Industrial Studies).

BSc Hons Engineering

Queen’s University Belfast undergraduate full-time three-year programme or four-year MEng Engineering.

BEng Hons Engineering

University of Ulster undergraduate full-time four-year programme (including placement year for Diploma in Industrial Studies).

BSc Hons Genetics

Queen’s University Belfast undergraduate full-time three-year programme.

BSc Hons Microbiology

Queen’s University Belfast undergraduate full-time three-year programme.

BSc Hons Molecular Biology

Queen’s University Belfast undergraduate full-time three-year programme.

BSc Hons Physics

Queen’s University Belfast undergraduate full-time three-year programme or four-year MSci programme.

Career pathway

Those entering the healthcare science profession after leaving school can advance with training opportunities to NVQ Levels 2 and 3. Technicians and laboratory assistants may be awarded extra salary scale points for posts that require additional skills and responsibilities.

The healthcare scientist can develop their job further to the senior and principal scientist level by accepting increased responsibility and/or participation in research and development projects. Further promotion to consultant level is possible where responsibility may include the running of a laboratory or department providing a range of services.

You may also become involved in advanced scientific work, research or training.

Professional recognition

The Health Professions Council (HPC) is the professional regulator for any Healthcare Science profession which is regulated. Currently, two Healthcare Science professions are regulated by the Health Professions Council (HPC) - Clinical Scientist and Biomedical Scientist and members of these professions must apply for registration with the HPC before they can practise in the UK.

Eligibility to apply for registration with the HPC is automatic upon successful completion of an approved programme of education and training.

In addition to the professional regulator most professionals have a leadership body. One of the roles of the leadership body is to approve training programmes which will lead to a professional qualification. Two of the best known are the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and the Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS).