BSc Healthcare Sciences

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BSc Healthcare Sciences
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The biological basis of medicine

• Shapes the modern agenda.

Studying healthcare science enables you to
understand the scientific basis of health
disease issues.
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Modernising scientific careers

• MSC introduced degree programme in response to
  workforce demand
• Degree combines academic learning consolidated by
  practice/experiential learning in work place
• Plymouth University expertise in providing degree
  programmes for allied health professions

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Why study healthcare science?

• You want to know how the human body works.
• You want to study the scientific basis of altered
  health states. Why do cancers develop? How do
  we fight off infection?
• You want experience of working within the NHS
• You want a biomedical career.
• You want to pursue a career in research (PhD)
• You want to pursue post-graduate entry to
  medicine or dentistry.

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NHS Laboratory based diagnostics.5 of the NHS
workforce.Provide diagnostic support to other
healthcare professionals.Career structure and
entry reviewed by the DoH in 2008.

• What do Human health scientists do?

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Healthcare sciences

• Diagnostic practice, cutting edge research and
  career specific skills.

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BSc Healthcare Sciences
Life Sciences
Physiological Sciences
Cardiac Physiology
Respiratory sleep science Physiology
Blood Science
Infection Science
Cell Science
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Life Scientists

• Blood Sciences consisting of biochemistry,
  haematology, transfusion and Immunology
• Cellular Sciences consisting of histology,
  cytology and reproductive science (basic semen
  analysis and where possible, fertility and
  assisted conception services)
• Infection Sciences bacteriology, virology
  serology and molecular methods.

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Life Scientists

• Laboratory based clinical diagnostics
• Cellular basis of disease
• Modern techniques and technology
• Clinical and research setting

Macrophage morphology
Examination of samples
Megaloblastic Anaemia Peripheral Blood
Antibody screening
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Physiological Scientists

• Full patient contact diagnostic services
• Cardiac or respiratory and sleep physiology
• Understanding of the patient journey.
• Core physiological measurements and procedures of
  either Cardiac Physiology or Respiratory and
  Sleep Physiology
• Wide range of clinical diagnostics techniques
• Additional roles, consultations in pacemaking
  clinics, outpatient/inpatient environments, data
  analysis processes, surgical support

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Physiological Scientists
Exercise stress test
Lung function test
CPAP treatment
Catheter ablation surgery
Echocardiography
Sleep studies
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Roles of Physiological Scientists

• Within NHS and private care
• Sophisticated analytical and diagnostic
  procedures relating to human health and in the
  monitoring and treatment of physiological
  conditions.
• Clinical respiratory physiologists perform highly
  skilled tests to assess all aspects of lung
  function.
• In particular sleep apnoea and intermittent
  hypoxia are associated with vascular dysfunction
  and demand for services is likely to increase.
• Cardiac physiologists multidisciplinary team
  providing
• care to heart patients from babies to the
  elderly,
• working with GPs,
• working in operating theatres
• working in critical care units

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Other career destinations of Healthcare science
graduates

• Longer term career options may include research
  science and teaching
• Openings in fields such as clinical research,
  bio-analysis, bio-informatics
• Scientific communications and media
• Medicine/dentistry
• MSc/ PhD
• Further accreditation
• Industry
• Other

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Integrated work placement during programme
Year1 10 week placement
Year2 15 week placement
Year3 25 week placement

• 1st year placement rotational - experience of
  different specialisms
• Identify specialism at end of first year
• 2nd 3rd year placement in one specialist area
• Final year project carried out during placement

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NHS Placements in the South West Peninsula
Derriford Plymouth North Devon
Barnstaple South Devon Torbay Royal Cornwall
Truro Musgrove Park Taunton Yeovil District
Yeovil Royal Devon and Exeter
Exeter Bournemouth Poole
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Course content

• Transferable skills
• Experimental methodology, design and analysis
• Professional modules
• Work placement
• Research project

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Teaching modes
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Degree structure- Stage one

• Develops knowledge and skills in key scientific
  areas.
• Graduate skills modules and assessments.
• Healthcare sciences have 10 weeks of placement in
  NHS labs
• Assessment modes lab reports, essays, oral
  presentations, practical skills, in-class tests,
  on-line tests, end of module exams.

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Stage one module structure
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Stage two HCS (Life sciences)
Blood Sciences in health and disease (clinical
biochemistry, haematology and transfusion
medicine)
BIOM2001 Evidence based practice in healthcare
science
BIOM2003 Partners in investigation
BIOM2005 Diagnostic and clinical
biomedicine BIOM2006 Methods in infection and
immunity BIOM2007 Techniques in microscopy and
molecular biology
Cellular sciences in health and
disease (Molecular biology, histopathology and
cytopathology)
Infection sciences in health and
disease (Immunology and microbiology)
BIOM2020 Workplace training in healthcare science
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Stage two HCS (physiological sciences)
Electrocardiography
BIOM2001 Evidence based practice in healthcare
science
BIOM2003 Partners in investigation
BIOM2011 Clinical physiology instrumentation and
techniques BIOM2014 Disorders of cardiovascular,
respiratory and sleep physiology BIOM2015 Princip
les of cardiovascular, respiratory and sleep
analysis
Methods in the monitoring of pulmonary function
Techniques in respiratory gas analysis
BIOM2020 Workplace training in healthcare science
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Final year

• Professional practice.
• Specialist knowledge relevant to route.
• Personal research project in work placement area.
• Clinically based real patient data.
• Allows you to put the skills you have learnt in
  the previous 2 years into practice.

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Find out more at

• http//www1.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/4
  323/Pages/CourseOverview.aspx
• http//www1.plymouth.ac.uk/courses/undergraduate/4
  281/Pages/CourseOverview.aspx
• http//www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/hea
  lthcare-science/careers-in-healthcare-science/care
  ers-in-life-sciences/
• http//www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/hea
  lthcare-science/careers-in-healthcare-science/care
  ers-in-physiological-sciences
• http//www.academyforhealthcarescience.co.uk/
• Contacts
• Admissions tutor Dr Kathryn Yuill Kathryn.Yuill_at_
  Plymouth.ac.uk
• Programme Lead Dr Lynn Mccallum Lynn.Mccallum_at_Ply
  mouth.ac.uk