Life Sciences
Learn more about life sciences below…
What is a career in life sciences in health and social care?
Staff in life sciences play a crucial role in helping to improve our understanding of illnesses and their diagnosis. They can also be responsible for developing new treatments for common medical problems, such as infertility or allergies.
Life sciences is divided into four areas, each with its own particular focus: blood sciences, cellular sciences, genomic sciences, and infection sciences.
Most healthcare science staff who work in life sciences are primarily based in hospital laboratories, but can also work on hospital wards or in the community. They often work in a clinical pathology laboratory analysing different samples from patients and give doctors the information they need to make an accurate diagnosis.
Entry routes and pay
To work in life sciences within healthcare, you typically need a 2:1 or higher in a relevant subject, such as:
- Biomedical science (often preferred)
- Biology or human biology
- Microbiology
- Biochemistry
- Genetics
Some roles may accept a 2:2 degree with relevant experience or a higher qualification.
You must be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) after completing an IBMS-accredited degree and laboratory training portfolio.
If you have a degree in a relevant filed, you may be able to apply to NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) which will train you to work in a senior healthcare science role. For more information on the STP please click here.
Some organisations offer Healthcare Science Assistant (Level 2), Laboratory Technician (Level 3) and Healthcare Science Practitioner (Level 6 – degree) apprenticeships.
Healthcare science practitioners usually start on £29,970; trainee clinical scientists typically start at £37,338 and with further training and specialisms you could apply to higher roles up to £105,235.
Where can you work?
Community
Hospital
