NHS Careers
If you’re confused about what to do after graduation, you’re not alone. That’s why NHS Careers has developed a website (www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk) for undergraduates which guides you through the range of careers available in the NHS to kick start your NHS career.
More than doctors and nurses
Many students still think of the NHS as offering more traditional clinical careers, such as nursing, medicine and midwifery and that you need to be studying for a clinical degree to work in the NHS. The reality is very different…
Today’s NHS is the largest employer in Europe and the fourth largest in the world. The NHS is made up of hundreds of different organisations which need a workforce with varying skills, qualifications and experience. As well as the thousands of clinical staff caring for patients everyday, those working behind the scenes, such as business managers, systems analysts and communication professionals, play an incredibly important part in the delivery of high-quality patient care.
Alan Simmons, careers consultant for NHS Careers says: "It is clear the NHS has a lot to do to get the message to undergraduates that to have a future career in the NHS, it doesn’t matter what degree you are studying. Graduates of every discipline are needed to fill some really crucial roles, so whether your degree is in engineering, languages or marketing, there are opportunities for everyone."
If you are a science graduate, for example, the opportunities are endless, with over 50 different scientist roles to choose from. The NHS is always going to need scientists as without them, diagnosis and treatment of disease would be impossible. However, many students aren’t aware of the breadth of careers open to them which ranges from life sciences, such as immunology, to physiological sciences like neurophysiology and posts in physical science, such as medical physicist.
If you don’t have a clinical degree, you may think that opportunities to work directly with patients are closed for you. This isn’t the case, but it may mean more studying. Take 24 year-old Sophie Edgington, a speech and language therapist. Sophie initially studied a BA in linguistics but went onto complete a MSc in speech and language therapy.
"I always wanted to work with children but didn’t want to be a teacher, and I was interested in the medical profession but didn’t want to be a doctor.
"I studied A level psychology that looked at children’s language development which I really enjoyed and when I did a careers questionnaire it pointed firmly to two things: the probation service, or speech and language therapy, so I chose this," says Sophie.
It’s not all bad
Research with undergraduates suggests there are many misconceptions about working in the NHS, such as staff being underpaid and overworked. In reality, the starting salary for graduates can be just as good as the private sector, and in some cases it can be better.
Pay is reviewed annually and you get the opportunity to increase it through skills and training. As well as the great starting salary for graduates, you can also enjoy flexible working, a great pension and there is a real commitment to training and development.
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. If you want to join the team, visit www.whatcanidowithmydegree.nhs.uk to find out about opportunities in the NHS.
Universities
