Career in Healthcare Science
Jane Harrison-Williams MSc, BSc
(Hons), LIBMS
Specialist Biomedical Scientist
What is Healthcare
Science?
What do Healthcare
Scientists do?
What is Healthcare Science?
• Putting science to work for people's health
What do Healthcare Scientists
do?
• They play a vital role in the prevention,
diagnosis and treatment of a huge number
of medical conditions, as well as in
rehabilitation
Who are we?
Biomedical Scientist
Cardiographer
Who are we?
Community Pharmacist
Cardiac Clinical Scientific Officer Cervical Cytoscreener
Gastroenterology Technician
Clinical Engineer
Medical Laboratory Assistant
Audiologist
Hospital Pharmacist
Clinical/Medical Technologist
Scientist in Haemostasis and Thrombosis
Haematologist
Cardiac Physiologists
Clinical Embryologist
Audiological Scientist
Medical Illustrator
Molecular Geneticist
Hearing Therapist
Clinical Cytogeneticist
Operating Department PractitionerPhlebotomist
Neurophysiology Technician
Medical Physicist
Perfusionist
Respiratory Physiology Technician
Clinical Biochemist
Anatomical Pathology Technician
Pharmacy Technician
Areas of Healthcare Science
• Physiological Sciences – examines
patients directly to look for any problems in
how the body works
• Clinical engineering and physical sciences
– work with clinical teams, making sure
equipment is safe and effective
• Life Sciences – play a crucial role in
helping to improve understanding of
illnesses and their treatment
Physiological Sciences
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Part of a medical or surgical team.
Direct interaction with patients
Identify abnormalities
Provide long term care for patients
Audiological Scientist, Audiologist, Cardiographer, Cardiac
Physiologists and Cardiac Clinical Scientific Officers,
Gastroenterology Technician, Hearing Therapist, Neurophysiology
Technician, Operating Department Practitioner, Perfusionist,
Respiratory Physiology Technician
Clinical engineering and physical
sciences
• Develop new techniques and technology
• Including ultrasound, radiation and clinical
photography
• Artificial techniques and design
• Including limbs, body parts and facial
reconstruction
Clinical Engineer, Medical Physicist, Clinical/Medical Technologist,
Medical Illustrator
Life Sciences
• Spend most of time in laboratories, or hospital
wards or in the community
• Three areas
– Pathology – clinical pathology laboratory
– Genetics – specialist hospitals
– Embryology – help people to conceive
Anatomical Pathology Technician, Clinical Embryologist, Cervical
Cytoscreener, Medical Laboratory Assistant, Phlebotomist,
Biomedical Scientist, Clinical Cytogeneticist, Molecular Geneticist,
Clinical Biochemist, Haematologist, Scientist in Haemostasis and
Thrombosis, Clinical Microbiologist, Clinical Scientist in
Histocompatibility and Immunogenetics, Clinical Immunologist
Biomedical Science
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Clinical Biochemistry
Haematology
Transfusion
Microbiology
Immunology
Histopathology
Cytopathology
Biomedical Science
• Diseases
– Clinical Biochemistry
– Haematology
– Microbiology
– Immunology
– Histopathology
– Cytopathology
Grades
• MLA (Support worker or assistant technician)
[2,3]
• Senior MLA (Assistant practitioner) [3,4]
• Trainee BMS (Trainee Practitioner) [4]
• BMS 1 (Practitioner) [5]
• Specialist BMS (Scientist Practitioner) [6]
• BMS 2 (Senior Practitioner) [7]
• BMS 3 / 4 [8a]
• Clinical Scientist (Advanced Practitioner) [7, 8a]
• Consultant (Consultant Practitioner) [8b,c, 9]
What should I know?
Where are you now? What can I do?
Studying for GCSEs
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Explore routes into a chosen
career
Are there any particular skills
or experience needed that can
improve my chances
Enquire about work
experience or volunteering
Do I need A levels or
equivalent
Consider 14-19 Diploma
Who can help me?
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Subject Teachers
Careers advisors
Professional bodies
NHS careers
Where are you now?
What can I do?
Who can help me?
Studying for A Levels
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Consider an apprenticeship
Do I need a degree
Investigate further
qualifications
Am I eligible for a bursary
Seek advice from your local
Trust for current vacancies
Enquire about work
experience or volunteering
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Subject Teachers
Careers advisors
Professional bodies
NHS careers
UCAS
NHS students grants
unit
Enquire about work
experience or volunteering
Do I need a degree
Investigate further
qualifications
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Careers advisors
Professional bodies
NHS careers
NHS jobs
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University
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Useful Websites
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www.nhscareers.nhs.uk
www.nwhcs.nhs.uk
www.ibms.org
http://nextstep.direct.gov.uk/Pages/Home.
aspx
• www.ljmu.ac.uk
• www.edgehill.ac.uk
• www.open.ac.uk