Clinical scientist, physiological sciences

Clinical scientists working in physiological sciences play a critical role in diagnosing and managing abnormalities and disease in organs and body systems

As a clinical scientist working in physiological sciences, you'll use specialist equipment and techniques to measure and evaluate, for example, the functioning of hearing and balance, or of organs such as the heart, lungs and brain in patients who may be seriously ill or have long-term health problems.

You'll record and report the physiological data you obtain to help diagnose disease, plan treatment and measure the effects of previous treatment. In some cases, you will also provide critical care intervention and manage long-term care.

You'll often work in hospitals, although there are also opportunities to work in the community visiting patients.

Types of work

Clinical scientists in physiological sciences work in a range of specialties:

• audiology
• cardiac sciences
• critical care science
• gastrointestinal physiology
• neurophysiology
• ophthalmic and vision science
• respiratory and sleep sciences
• urodynamic science
• vascular science.

Training places are available via the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) on an annual basis. Some specialties will have more places available than others, and not all specialties are available every year.

For more information, see The Physiological Society.

Responsibilities

Job titles and responsibilities vary significantly according to your specialism. However, in general you're likely to:

• use specialised equipment to perform complex clinical physiological tests
• record, analyse and interpret the results of each test to help medical staff diagnose or manage conditions
• report physiological data to help diagnose disease, identify treatment regimes and measure the effects of treatment
• measure the functions of a patient's body, such as digestion or breathing
• ensure that results are safe, accurate and reliable
• get patients and equipment into correct locations and positions for monitoring
• give assistance and reassurance to patients during their medical tests and/or operations
• monitor patients' conditions and provide them with relevant information and instructions to help educate them about their care
• maintain and calibrate equipment, including therapeutic and diagnostic equipment used in patients' homes
• ensure the safe use of expensive and complex equipment and any related substances
• have responsibility for ensuring appropriate levels of medical consumables are maintained
• clinically evaluate new technologies and manage their introduction into clinical use
• teach, train and supervise trainee clinical scientists and other members of the healthcare team
• provide advice to medical, nursing and other staff
• carry out research in addition to carrying out diagnostic tests
• undertake management tasks with responsibility for resources, such as staff, budgets or equipment.

Salary

• Jobs in the NHS are usually covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates consisting of nine pay bands. Trainee clinical scientists in England are usually employed at Band 6, starting at £37,338. â¶Ä¯â€¯
• Once qualified, you're likely to be employed on Band 7, which ranges from £46,148 to £52,809. â¶Ä¯â€¯
• Salaries for principal and consultant clinical scientists can range from £53,755 (Band 8a) to £121,271 (Band 9), depending on your skills, experience, training and qualifications. 

Those working in London and the surrounding areas may receive a high-cost area supplement of between 5% and 20% of their basic salary. â¶Ä¯â€¯

Salaries for clinical scientists working for private companies, universities, government bodies and other organisations may vary. â¶Ä¯

AfC pay bands differ across the four countries of the UK. Pay negotiation happens annually at different times, so salaries will change when each country agrees their new pay award. Check your country's AfC scales for the most up-to-date NHS salary information. â¶Ä¯â€¯

Income figures are intended as a guide only. â¶Ä¯â€¯

Working hours

You'll usually work a 37.5-hour week, although you may be required to work a shift pattern, including weekends and nights.

Part-time work is available.

What to expect

• Work is mostly hospital-based, either in operating theatres, in outpatient departments and clinics or on the wards. Some hospitals provide services to smaller community hospitals or within community settings, including patients' homes. Work is carried out as part of a multidisciplinary team alongside a range of health and social care professionals such as nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, pharmacists and porters.
• Jobs are available in most areas of the UK. However, there are only a relatively small number of jobs available, and you may need to relocate to increase your chances of career progression.
• The three-year training programme can be challenging, and you'll need to be highly organised from the very start. Make the most of any opportunities to develop your skills and make sure you keep a healthy work-life balance. â¶Ä¯
• During your NHS training, you'll work in different hospitals to get a range of experience. You may need to travel to training centres in other parts of the country as part of the programme rotations, so may have to stay there for a few weeks at a time. You'll also have to travel to university to complete an accredited part-time Masters degree. Once qualified, you may sometimes visit other hospitals and will also travel to attend or present at national meetings and events. â¶Ä¯

Qualifications

To become a clinical scientist in physiological sciences, you will usually complete the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP), a three-year, full-time, work-based learning and training programme that also includes academic study at Masters level. â¶Ä¯

Entry requirements include a first or 2:1 undergraduate degree or an integrated Masters degree in a related subject, for example, anatomy, biology or human biology, biomedical science, engineering, natural science, nursing, physiology, pure or applied physics, radiography or sports science (depending on the amount of scientific content).

You can also apply if you have a 2:2 undergraduate degree in any subject and have a higher degree in a relevant subject.

Getting good academic results, relevant research experience through a Masters or PhD, and relevant work experience is helpful for all applicants. â¶Ä¯â€¯

Applications to the STP are made via Oriel, the online application portal for postgraduate healthcare science training programmes. You will need to choose which physiological science specialty you wish to train in:

• audiology
• cardiac science
• critical care science
• gastrointestinal physiology
• neurophysiology
• ophthalmic and vision science
• respiratory and sleep sciences
• urodynamic science
• vascular science.

Recruitment takes place annually, usually in January. There is only a short application window, and late applications are not accepted. You can only apply to one specialty, so do your research before applying to ensure it's the right specialism for you. Not all specialties are recruited to each year and depend on NHS needs. â¶Ä¯â€¯

You must pass all stages of the recruitment process, which includes an online situational judgement test (JST), online application and interview. Sample questions for the JST are available at Pearson VUE.

If successful, you'll be employed by an NHS Trust (or in some cases by an NHS private partner or private healthcare provider) as a trainee clinical scientist on a fixed-term contract for the duration of the programme and paid a salary. The first year of training is spent on rotation in a range of settings before specialising in years two and three.

Training includes:

• a programme of workplace training
• fully funded, part-time study for an approved and accredited Masters degree specialising in genetics sciences
• a final assessment of competence.

If you already work for the NHS, you can apply to the STP as an internal candidate. 

Upon completion, you will receive a Certificate of Completion for the Scientist Training Programme (CCSTP) from the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS), allowing you to register with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a clinical scientist. â¶Ä¯â€¯â€¯

The NSHCS website has more advice on how to apply, including competition ratios for each specialism. â¶Ä¯

Other routes to HCPC registration as a clinical scientist are offered by the:

• Association of Clinical Scientists - Certificate of Attainment
• Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) - Certificate of Equivalence.

For information on training in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, see:

• Wales - Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW)
• Scotland - NHS Scotland: Healthcare Science
• Northern Ireland - NI Direct Healthcare Scientist

If you don't already have a degree, you can apply for the NHS Practitioner Training Programme (PTP), which provides undergraduate training that leads to a BSc Hons Healthcare Science. Courses are available in some physiological science subjects, such as audiology, cardiac physiology, neurophysiology, ophthalmic imaging, respiratory and sleep physiology, and vascular science. Courses are full time (usually three years) and include both work-based and academic learning. â¶Ä¯After graduation you'll be qualified as a healthcare science practitioner. It's also possible to apply for the STP if you have a 2:1 or above.

Skills

You'll need to have:

• laboratory skills and the ability to plan and design research investigations and experiments
• manual dexterity, coordination and sensory skills
• strong problem-solving skills and the ability to use your initiative
• an analytical and investigative mind in order to assess scientific, technical and medical literature
• the ability to make judgements that impact on patients
• excellent interpersonal and communication skills, both written and spoken
• good active listening skills for communicating with patients
• good IT skills, as most laboratories are computerised
• teamworking skills in order to work collaboratively
• the ability to work independently
• the skills to lead and motivate others
• attention to detail and the ability to work with speed and accuracy
• a flexible approach to work with the ability to adapt to changing circumstances
• the ability to work under pressure and to plan and prioritise your workload
• a high level of self-motivation, emotional resilience, reliability and good self-awareness.
• commitment to, and enthusiasm for, scientific practice and its application in a clinical environment to improve patient care.

Work experience

Entry on to the STP is competitive and there are many more applicants than places available. You'll need to be familiar with the programme, the specialism you're applying to and what you'll be doing.

To improve your chances, try to get a placement in a hospital department. Arrange visits to hospital departments or make speculative applications for short-term work experience in relevant departments and clinics. If you're studying a relevant degree or Masters programme, then you may have the opportunity to complete a placement as part of your course.

Voluntary work with patients, for example, can also be useful. It's good to have a range of life experiences so you can show your range of skills. Mentoring experience is also helpful.

You may need to think creatively - being active in a university society, having a part-time job or getting involved in youth groups, for example, can also provide you with transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and time management.

If the chance arises, attend an open day for your specialism to gain a better insight into the role and STP programme. Also, try to speak to people currently on the STP programme to find out what it's like to be a trainee so you can show that you understand the role and the commitment involved.

Additional experience, such as involvement with research projects and publications during your studies, is also useful.

Find out more about the different kinds of work experience and internships that are available.

Employers

The majority of clinical scientists working in physiological sciences spend most of their career working for the NHS in hospital clinics and departments, or as part of a surgical team. Some, however, work in the community and will visit patients at home or school. There are also opportunities in the private healthcare sector in hospitals and clinics.

You could also work for a university, carrying out research. These posts are often linked to related university hospitals.

Look for job vacancies at:

• NHS Jobs (for jobs in England and Wales).
• NHSScotland Jobs
• Jobs.hscni.net (for vacancies in Northern Ireland).
• Jobs.ac.uk - jobs in higher education teaching and research.
• New Scientist Jobs

You can also check the websites of professional bodies representing different areas of the physiological sciences.

Professional development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential part of continuing your HCPC registration. You must engage in a variety of CPD activities, including:  

• work-based learning, such as in-service training, expanding your role
• professional activities, e.g. being involved in a professional body
• self-directed learning, such as reading articles and published papers
• attending conferences, workshops and lectures
• publication in peer-reviewed journals
• presenting research and papers at conferences
• undertaking work exchanges abroad
• undertaking research at PhD level
• applying for research grants.

You will usually join a professional body relevant to your physiological science specialty, such as The Association of Neurophysiological Scientists (ANS) or the British Society of Audiology (BSA). Membership provides access to training, events, resources and opportunities to network.

Once you've got experience (usually at least one year post-registration), you may apply to train to become a consultant clinical scientist via the Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) programme. This five-year funded training programme includes study at doctoral level in your physiological science specialty.

Successful completion of the HSST programme leads to the award of Certificate of Completion of Higher Specialist Scientist Training (CCHSST) issued by the NSHCS, which you can use to join the AHCS HSS Register.

You can also study for a traditional PhD and get involved in research. If you decide to progress into academic or research roles within a university setting, you'll need to get your research published in a relevant journal and present it at conferences.

Career prospects

There is a structured career path within the NHS. Once qualified, you can progress through the grades by gaining experience and completing further training, study and research. Promotion is based on merit, and you may need to move to other hospitals to make the most of available opportunities.

Career prospects vary depending on your area of clinical specialism, for example cardiac science or audiology. Within each of these areas, there is the possibility to specialise further, for example in echocardiographic techniques or cochlear implants.

As your career develops, you're likely to take on a more supervisory role with responsibility for the work of your department. Progression to consultant involves further training via the HSST programme. Promotion to deputy head or head of department is likely to involve the management of a large department or major departmental section. It's possible to gain a senior position by making a significant contribution to your area of expertise.

There are opportunities to move into clinical research, working for a university or research institute, or to get involved in training and registration assessments.

You can also develop your career by getting involved with professional bodies, taking on external professional roles or moving into advisory roles. There are also some opportunities to move into general management roles within the NHS.