Medical Ultrasound

Entry requirements

• Applicants should hold at least 2:2 degree in allied health subject or bachelor of medicine or bachelor of surgery or relevant qualification such as anatomy or sports medicine degree.
• Eligible applicants will be interviewed with international students being interviewed via skype or teams.
• Recognition of Prior and Work Based Learning in accordance with University regulations may be available.
• A detailed admissions procedure will be forwarded on application.
• IELTS: Score of at least 6.5 or equivalent.

Months of entry

January, September

Course content

Study in your own time and at your own pace as you aim to start a career in ultrasound. Our Medical Ultrasound MSc, PGDip and PGCert courses are designed for students and for those already working in healthcare.

The course is taught by highly experienced clinicians in our School of Medicine’s state-of-the-art facilities, using the latest equipment and phantoms, as well as via online learning.

The flexible nature of this course means that you can tailor your study to your Continuing Professional Development (CPD), your personal goals, and your professional needs.

For example, if you work in physiotherapy, rheumatology, orthopaedics, pain therapists or rehabilitation medicine, you may wish to focus on musculoskeletal modules while GPs, acute physicians and emergency medicine trainees might select PoCUS modules.

WHY STUDY WITH US

• We place an emphasis on you acquiring a sound understanding of the physics underpinning ultrasound and on you gaining excellent clinical skills.
• Learn key skills such as how to interpret findings from a patient ultrasound examination to determine the need for further investigations or suggest urgent speciality referrals. You’ll also learn how to communicate findings and conclusions from the practice of diagnostic ultrasound to peers, colleagues and patients.
• Build up a comprehensive knowledge of principles of ultrasound, artefacts, normal variants and knobology, as well as a systematic knowledge of the relevant anatomy and pathology of a chosen speciality, plus their ultrasound appearances.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• You will have the opportunity to select an optional professional placement module and gain real patient experience in a busy healthcare environment.
• Hands-on sessions will take place in clinical skills suites with the latest ultrasound equipment including: a GE Logiq P9 ultrasound machine, GE VScan Extend hand held portable ultrasound machines, GE Logiq-E ultrasound machines, a range of high and low frequency transducers including hockey stick transducer for MSK, and, trans-abdominal phantoms and vascular access simulators so that you can learn vascular access and placement of central lines.
• WiFi ultrasound transducers are available to connect to personal smart phones or iPads for scanning, storing and sharing ultrasound images from phantoms.

LEARNING ENVIRONMENT AND ASSESSMENT

Teaching consists of lectures, tutorials, group discussions, case presentations and practical hands-on sessions on ultrasound phantoms with volunteer patients.

There will also be keynote lectures from guest speakers including Radiologists, Cardiologists, Emergency Medicine Consultants and Anatomists.

We emphasise continuous formative assessment throughout the modules and at the end of each block of learning.

Summative assessment includes a variety of methods suitable for the needs of diverse learners and includes both written and practical components to assess knowledge of ultrasound in the speciality.

Theoretical knowledge assessment includes but is not limited to case discussions, diagnosis and report writing from video clips, short essays and MCQs.

Practical assessment includes assessment of professionalism, hands-on skills and knobology, communication skills, safety issues about ultrasound, and performing the scan in accordance with National occupational standards.

OPPORTUNITIES

There is a national shortage of sonographers both in the NHS and privately. Graduates of the Medical Ultrasound, PGDip/PGCert can head for a very rewarding career with a generous starting salary of more than £30k.

Sonographer or Ultrasound Practitioner are not protected titles in the UK. You are NOT eligible for registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) if you complete the medical ultrasound programme on its own.

Some employers require HCPC registration and as such, employment may not be possible in certain NHS trusts and some private sector organisations. Although many organisations already employ sonographers from non-traditional backgrounds, there no guarantees and the University cannot advise on employment issues.

Details on employment for sonographers can be found at the SCoR website.

You may wish to take student membership of the Society & College of Radiographers (SCoR) whilst in training. We also advise applying for registration with the SCoR's Voluntary Register of Sonographers on completion of your course.

INDUSTRY LINKS

Staff teaching on the course are experienced in Medical Ultrasound and have many years of experience in education. Each staff member delivers modules within their area of expertise.

They are involved in research within their clinical and/or academic field and are encouraged to disseminate their knowledge at both local, national and international events. Research relevant to your modules is shared with you.

We also bring in experienced, practising ultrasound specialists with current expertise. This enables us to blend academic expertise and clinical knowledge with current clinical experience.

PATHWAYS

The traditional route allows students to get an ultrasound qualification (PGCert, PGDip, or MSc Medical ultrasound) by selecting abdominal and ObGy modules.

The PGCert is awarded for any 60 credits of study from the Medical Ultrasound framework (including compulsory Fundamental Principles of Ultrasound Imaging module).

The PGDip is awarded for 120 credits of study from the Medical Ultrasound framework (including compulsory Fundamental Principles of Ultrasound Imaging and Professional Placement module).

The MSc is awarded for 180 credits of study and has a dedicated pathway after PG Diploma by selecting either MB4066 OR MB4060 and MB4022 OR MB4003. Full module details are available on the course page on our website.

A student will be able to achieve exit awards at either PG Certificate or PG Diploma level through different pathways.

DBS CHECKS

This course will involve you working with vulnerable groups of individuals, including children. In order to ensure that the University offers places on their programmes to suitable candidates you will all be required to obtain a satisfactory Enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service clearance (formerly termed CRB). We will be able to guide you through this process once you have been offered a conditional place of study at the University of Central Lancashire.