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Beyond Medicine
The world of medical science is a lot bigger than you may think and not all of it occurs within the hospital environment, but there is one common underlying trait and that is that all jobs within this area will eventually lead to improving the overall health and wellbeing of the community.
Doctors and nurses have been a part of our lives from a very young age. They are the people we go to when we are in pain or need treatment. They can help us recover from illness and injury, they look after our families and friends, but how much do we really know about what goes on behind the scenes?
When you think about careers in medicine you probably think about doctors first of all - right? You may also think that in order to get a career within the health service and have a role caring for people that you need to go to medical school - right again? Well, think again. There are so many branches of medicine available and you can find out about some of these in this section. You could combine science and engineering skills to become a medical engineer designing the next artificial limb; perhaps you could help babies overcome jaundice using medical physics; or you could even work towards finding a cure for disease in a clinical trials setting - it really is up to you.
Healthcare scientists may work in a hospital or lab, they may get to travel and carry out work overseas, and they may work with a whole range of different people of all ages - there really is a lot of variation and something to suit your taste if this in an area you are interested in. Still reading...then check out some of the information below, browse the articles and imagine whether you could spend a day in the life of one of our healthcare scientists...there could be a future for you in healthcare, you just need to grab it!
Find out about the heart, how it works, and how you could base your career around it. Link
A snapshot of some of the career profiles created by the NHS in their Extraordinary You project, representing the healthcare science workforce . Link
What is diabetes? What causes it and how can it be treated? Find all you need to know here. Link
An interview with Tim, a consultant biochemist, who combines his interests in the human body and medical dramas to do a job he loves. Link
Controlling the body, experiencing emotions and storing memories - just a few of the things our brain does for us. But what happens when it all goes wrong... Link
An interview with Joana, a Biomedical Scientist specialising in histopathology. Link
Interactive game from the Institute of Physics which allows you to explore the human body and have a go at treating diseases, highlighting the importance of physics in medicine. Link
Video case studies showing how technology is used in medicine to improve human health and combat diseases. Link
Drinking and driving - we all know the risks and yet accidents still occur on the roads as a result of it. From paramedics to engineers and forensic scientists - you'll be amazed at how many professionals can be involved. Read on to find out more. Link
Ever wondered what a tsetse fly is or the damage it can cause? Well read this article to find out more and see how you could get involved in trying to treat infectious diseases. Link
We all have a microbiome but what is it, what does it do and how can it be useful in treating diseases? Link
The invention of open-heart surgery and the amazing procedures that can be carried out because of this technology. Link
Enter the lab and read about the work that goes on in this hospital pathology laboratory. Link
Find out all about IVF, how it is helping couples to have children who may otherwise not have been able, and the ethical questions that it raises. Link
An interview with Vicky, a PhD student who not only carries out her research in the lab, but also devotes a lot of time to teaching young people about the importance of sexual health. Link
An interview with Ellie, a Respiratory Physiologist, who gives you an insight into her job and the qualifications required. Link
An interview with Rebecca who combines her passions of science and engineering to do a job that she loves at the Royal Liverpool Hospital. Link
Sight is so important to us all to see the world around us, but what careers are involved in improving sight for those who are not so fortunate? Read on to find out more. Link
Medical technology has advanced so much in recent years. Check out this article on medical prosthetics and see if you could be interested in working in this area. Link
A closer look at lysosomes to see how important they are and what happens when they stop working. Link
Find out more about the human brain and how we can look at it in more detail to aid our understanding. Link
A closer look at cancer, explaining how genes are linked to cancer and why we are getting better at doing something about it. Link
An interview with Matthew who works for the NHS in medical physics. Link
