Did you know that there are over 350 different careers in the NHS? There is the perception among many students that the NHS only employs doctors, nurses and paramedics, but in fact there are many other professions that you could explore that involve working directly with patients. If you’re good with your hands, then roles such as a physiotherapist or occupational therapist might be for you, where specialist knowledge of muscle and bone structure is needed for treatments that often involve manipulation and guiding people through exercises. Or if you’re good with words and love writing or talking, a career as a psychotherapist or a speech and language therapist might suit you.
 |
|
An expert knowledge of science is essential for many careers, such as medicine, dentistry and many allied health professions. It is also an important to a healthcare science career. With over 50 healthcare scientist roles, such as clinical scientist or biomedical scientist, to choose from, the variety and extent of science used in the NHS is impressive.
Almost every aspect of care given to patients depends in some way on the work done by healthcare scientists. As a part of the whole healthcare team, they help to save lives and improve the quality of care for millions of people. They play a key role in diagnosing illness, monitoring the progress of treatment and managing long-term care. Healthcare scientists even help to create life.
Some might say, they are the unsung heroes of the NHS.
|
|
Health informatics is used widely throughout the NHS. Most staff will come into contact with computers, however there are some specialist careers where computers are used regularly and to an advanced level in the management of information. Health informatics brings together careers which include systems analyst, network manager and clinical coder.
Working for the NHS is not all highs but the majority of staff say that the biggest bonus of a career in the NHS is the satisfaction you get from knowing that you have made a difference to someone’s life. Alan Simmons, Careers Consultant for NHS Careers agrees. “I speak to a wide range of NHS staff regularly in my job and the feedback I get is that even when things get tough, they know they are doing a job that is having a huge impact on the health of an individual and the nation.”
If you’re confused about what to do next, you’re not alone. The great thing about the NHS is that it welcomes and supports everyone. Whatever you’re studying, with over 350 different careers to choose from, there are opportunities in the NHS for you no matter what your interests, skills or qualifications are. To help you decide which NHS career may be for you, check out www.stepintothenhs.nhs.uk. It’ll help you work out how your interests and experiences could be used to their best effect, and give you all the information and ongoing support to get you into your ideal job.
NHS Careers has also developed a website (www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk) where you can find out about the many graduate career opportunities available in the NHS. As well as food for thought on careers you may be interested in, based on the degree you’re studying or wish to study, the website offers careers information and practical tips on applying for a job in the NHS. You’ll also hear from real-life graduates talking about their exciting and challenging roles. The website links directly to NHS Jobs where you can find thousands of current job vacancies where you’ll also have the option to sign up for job alerts delivered straight to your inbox.
|
