Course summary
Physiological Practitioners have key scientific and clinical support roles within the current and future NHS workforce. Roles span across the disciplines of cardiovascular physiology, respiratory and sleep physiology, providing the crucial backbone of clinical diagnositics and monitoring within the NHS and support disease prevention and treatment strategies. This degree is delivered in partnership between Plymouth University and NHS trusts in the south west where work placements will provide experiential learning in all three years of the course.
The Modernising Scientific careers agenda underpins the initiation of the Practitioner Training Programme providing highly skilled and qualified professionals for modern and future clinical diagnostics in biomedicine. Students will undergo training as part of the National School of Healthcare Sciences. Graduates from this accredited programme will be eligible for direct entry onto the highly sought after Scientific Training Programme (Masters level).
Physiological scientists investigate the functioning of body systems to diagnose abnormalities, providing key scientific and technological roles in the prevention, diagnosis and monitoring of disease. Using specialist equipment, advanced technologies and a range of different procedures in the course of their work, physiological scientists provide therapeutic intervention and long-term patient management and care.
Our integrated healthcare science (HCS) degrees are the principal education and training route for Healthcare Science Practitioners (HCSP) in England and are delivered through a collaborative partnership between Plymouth University and NHS laboratories, who will provide work placement training in each of the three years of the course. Degrees focus on the pathobiology of normal and disease processes. Students will gain expertise from specialist tutors and NHS workplace educators to allow merit in professional competencies required within modern and future healthcare practice. First year introduces foundation knowledge and integrates rotational placement within core disciplines. Students will specialise within year two gaining knowledge in applied, complex and advanced investigations and apply their learning to a research project in year three.
For work in the division of Physiological Sciences we offer the following degrees accredited by Medical Education England: BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Individual awards subject to availability of NHS training places)
Cardiac Physiology – To work in clinical cardiovascular physiology
Respiratory & Sleep Physiology – To work in clinical respiratory and sleep physiology