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Clinical scientist, medical physics

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If you have a degree in physics and want to be involved in the latest medical technology, consider taking further training to become a medical physics clinical scientist

As a clinical scientist working in medical physics, you'll commission, develop, test, operate and maintain specialist equipment used to examine or measure what's happening in patients' bodies in order to help prevent, diagnose and treat many kinds of diseases and health conditions.

Working closely with other healthcare professionals, such as doctors and radiotherapists, you'll play a central role in developing, planning and implementing patient treatment programmes and will discuss ways of improving treatment with clinicians.

You'll also help to protect patients and healthcare staff from hazards such as radiation.

Areas of specialism

Areas of specialism within medical physics include:

  • diagnostic radiology
  • radiation safety/protection
  • radiotherapy physics
  • magnetic resonance imaging
  • nuclear medicine
  • ultrasound and non-ionising radiation
  • medical equipment management.

Responsibilities

Depending on the area in which you work, you may need to:

  • commission, assess and ensure the safe operation of specialist equipment used by medical staff in areas such as radiotherapy, ultrasound, nuclear medicine, laser technology and physiological monitoring
  • plan and supervise radiotherapy treatment in discussion with medical and other staff
  • speak with patients to explain treatment procedures and possible side effects
  • liaise closely with doctors to add technical results to patient reports
  • negotiate and agree changes to patient diagnosis techniques in response to new procedures
  • process complex patient image data
  • support clinical trials
  • develop techniques to show what's happening in the body using X-ray, MRI, laser, ultrasound and ultraviolet technologies
  • research new equipment developments and techniques, review existing local practice, advise on procurement of new equipment and compile reports to initiate changes
  • oversee the quality control of equipment to ensure that correct and consistent results or outputs are achieved and ensure that ongoing maintenance routines are followed
  • train and advise medical physics technicians on new equipment and protocols
  • lecture and train other health professionals, including radiographers, nurses and doctors, in clinical practice
  • draft and develop policies for operating equipment
  • make audit visits to hospital departments to check compliance with health and safety legislation.

Salary

  • Jobs in the NHS are usually covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates consisting of nine pay bands. Trainee clinical scientists are employed at Band 6, starting at £32,306.
  • Once qualified, you'll be employed on Band 7 - £40,057 to £45,839.
  • Salaries for principal and consultant scientists range from £47,126 (Band 8) to £108,075 (Band 9), depending on your experience and training.

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

Salary levels for clinical scientists working for private companies, universities, government bodies and other organisations may vary.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

You'll usually work a 37.5-hour week, although weekend, evening or on-call work may be required. In some areas, core hours are 8am to 8pm and staff will work 37.5 hour weeks within this core.

It's possible to work part time following successful completion of training.

Career breaks may be possible but you must keep up to date with any technical developments and you'll need to retrain on your return to work in order to meet Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) registration requirements.

What to expect

  • The job is mainly hospital-based and may involve working in different hospital departments, laboratories, clinics or in theatre with patients.
  • Jobs are available throughout the UK, although you may need to be geographically flexible to progress your career. During training, there's an opportunity to experience work in a variety of different hospitals.
  • You will need to wear protective clothing when working with hazardous substances and radiation.
  • During training you'll need to live near the place where you're working. Do your research before applying to ensure you're happy to spend three years living there. You may have to travel to other training centres to complete parts of the programme and may have to stay there for several weeks at a time. You will also travel to university as part of your training, which may be some distance away, so check commuting distances. 
  • Once qualified, you may travel between hospital sites or to other relevant places for training but are unlikely to spend prolonged periods away from home.  If you're working for a commercial company, for example a healthcare equipment manufacturer, you're likely to travel more frequently. There are some opportunities to work overseas.

Qualifications

Training to become a clinical scientist working in medical physics is done via 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.

To apply to the programme, you'll need either a first or 2:1 undergraduate degree or an integrated Masters degree in a subject that contains a high level of physics. You can also apply if you have a 2:2 undergraduate degree in any subject and have a higher degree in a relevant subject.

Evidence of research experience through a relevant Masters or PhD, for example, is also desirable. For all applicants, getting good academic results and relevant work experience is helpful. 

Applications to the STP are made via Oriel, the online application portal for postgraduate healthcare science training programmes. Recruitment takes place annually, usually in January. There is only a short application window, and late applications are not accepted. 

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

You can only apply to one specialty, so make sure you 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, so you should check before applying that your specialty is available. 

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.

You may be allocated to a medical physics post that has a predetermined relevant specialism, e.g. radiation safety and diagnostic radiology, radiotherapy physics, nuclear medicine or imaging with non-ionising radiation, or one in which your specialism will be decided after the first year of training.

Training includes:

  • a programme of workplace training (using an online e-portfolio) 
  • fully-funded, part-time study for an approved and accredited Masters degree in clinical science (medical physics)
  • a final assessment of competence.

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

On successful completion of the STP you will be issued with a Certificate of Completion for the Scientist Training Programme (CCSTP) by the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) and can apply for registration as a clinical scientist with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC).

For full details on the STP, advice on how to apply and information on competition ratios for each specialism, see the NSHCS.

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

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

If you don't already have a degree, you can apply for the NHS Practitioner Training Programme (PTP), which provides undergraduate training leading to a BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science in radiotherapy physics, radiation physics or nuclear medicine. Courses are full time (usually three years) and include both work-based and academic learning. The PTP is also available as a Level 6 apprenticeship, which combines paid work with part-time study for a degree.

After graduating, you're eligible to apply for Professional Standards Authority (PSA) Accredited Voluntary Registration via the AHCS as a healthcare science practitioner. If you have a 2:1 or above you could also apply to the STP.

Skills

You'll need to have:

  • an interest in healthcare and the functions of the human body
  • an analytical and investigative mind
  • excellent oral and written communication skills
  • strong team work skills as you'll be working as part of a multidisciplinary team, including doctors and other healthcare staff
  • the ability to work independently and use your initiative
  • laboratory and management skills
  • good IT skills, as most laboratories are highly computerised
  • meticulous attention to detail
  • the ability to solve problems and research alternative solutions
  • the ability to work under pressure and to plan and prioritise your work load
  • the skills to lead and motivate others
  • project management skills
  • a flexible approach to work with the ability to adapt to changing circumstances, new technologies and techniques
  • a self-motivated and confident approach to work, to gain the most from training placements in busy hospital departments
  • a commitment to lifelong learning and keeping up to date with the latest scientific and medical research in medical physics.

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 and get some work experience within a hospital medical physics or engineering department. Arrange a visit to a department in your local hospital to find out more about the role and see if you can work shadow a clinical scientist working in medical physics. Direct experience with patients can also be useful.

If you're studying a relevant degree or Masters then you may have the opportunity to complete a placement as part of your course.

Lab work can be difficult to obtain, so voluntary work with patients can also be useful. Mentoring experience is also helpful. It's good to have a range of life experiences so you can show your range of skills. Additional experience, such as involvement with research projects and publications, is useful.

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 on the programme to find out what it's like to be an STP trainee so you can show that you understand the role and the commitment involved.

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

Employers

Although the majority of clinical scientists working in medical physics are employed in the NHS, you can also work for:

  • private hospitals
  • medical equipment manufacturers - helping to design and develop medical equipment
  • nuclear medicine companies - working to protect the workforce and local environment from radiation exposure
  • regulatory authorities
  • the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) - independent regulator for work-related health, safety and illness
  • universities and research organisations
  • research and development laboratories.

Look for job vacancies at:

Professional development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential part of continuing registration with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). You must keep up to date with the ongoing developments in your area of expertise, as well as building on your laboratory and management skills. 

CPD activities can be any activity from which you learn and develop and may include:

  • 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.

A programme of conference, study days and workshops is offered by the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM). Members can also access online training resources.

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.

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's 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.

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 in your area of expertise.

There are opportunities to move into clinical research either in academia or industry 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. You could also move into general management roles within the NHS.

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