Healthcare Science City St George's, University of London

Overview

With an ageing and increasingly obese population, healthcare scientists are in increasing demand. Cardiovascular and respiratory diseases are among the leading causes of premature death worldwide; in the UK alone, one in four of us will die from heart disease and one in five from lung disease. With a strong desire to identify novel therapies and improve our understanding, rapid advances in science and technology make healthcare science one of the most exciting, challenging and rewarding areas of the NHS.

During clinical placements you will come across patients with a wide range of cardiovascular (e.g. arrhythmia, heart failure, coronary artery disease, hypertension) and respiratory and sleep disorders (e.g. asthma, cystic fibrosis, COPD, sleep apnoea, pulmonary fibrosis). You will perform and interpret a wide range of cardiac and respiratory/sleep diagnostic tests on your patients including electrocardiograms (ECG), blood pressure monitoring, cardiac stress tests, assisting with invasive cardiology procedures (e.g angiography), spirometry, measurement of gas exchange and overnight sleep studies.

Healthcare scientists are involved in 80% of all clinical decisions in the NHS. The diagnostic tests that you perform, analysis and interpret will ensure patients have the correct diagnosis, medications and improve their quality of life.

Careers

By studying the Healthcare Science course from City St George's, University of London your role can develop and progress to working as an advanced practitioner, leadership and managerial roles. The services provided can range from working independently, performing and analysing complex diagnostics, such as echocardiography, cardiopulmonary exercise testing, advanced sleep studies or allergy testing, to being part of an emergency on-call multidisciplinary team in a heart attack centre. 

Accreditation

This programme is accredited by the Registration Council for Clinical Physiologists (RCCP) and the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS).