Becoming a clinical scientist | Salary, skills, requirements

As a clinical scientist working in medical physics, you'll apply physics to healthcare, helping to ensure that the specialist equipment and systems used to diagnose, monitor and treat patients are accurate, effective and safe.

Depending on your specialty, you could help plan and optimise radiotherapy, support medical imaging or nuclear medicine procedures, or ensure that technologies involving radiation, magnetic fields, ultrasound or lasers are used safely and effectively.

You'll work closely with doctors, radiographers, technologists and other healthcare professionals to improve patient care.

Types of medical physics specialty

The four medical physics specialties available through the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) are:

imaging with non-ionising radiation, including magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasound
nuclear medicine
radiation safety and diagnostic radiology
radiotherapy physics.

Working as a clinical scientist in medical physics

Your responsibilities will vary according to your specialty. You may:

advise on what new specialist medical equipment, software and technologies are needed
configure, calibrate and test new equipment and systems before they are used in clinical care
carry out regular checks to ensure equipment works accurately and safely, and investigate faults or unexpected results
process and analyse complex images, measurements and other patient data, and provide scientific advice to healthcare teams
develop, validate and introduce new clinical techniques, software and working procedures
calculate, plan and verify radiation doses for patients receiving nuclear medicine procedures or radiotherapy
write technical reports and develop policies and procedures for the safe use of medical equipment and technologies
optimise medical imaging, nuclear medicine and radiotherapy procedures while minimising risks to patients
assess risks from X-rays, radioactive materials, magnetic fields, lasers and other sources, investigate incidents and advise on how to protect patients, staff and the public
train and advise healthcare professionals, technical staff and trainees on equipment, procedures and safety
undertake research, support clinical trials, carry out audits and evaluate services to help improve patient care.

Clinical scientist salaries

Trainees on the Scientist Training Programme (STP) in England typically start at £39,959 (Band 6 of the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates).
Once qualified, you're likely to earn between £49,387 and £56,515 (Band 7).
Principal and lead clinical scientist roles are commonly at Bands 8a and 8b, while consultant roles are often at Band 8c. The most senior service leadership posts may be at Band 8d. Salaries across Bands 8a to 8d range from £57,528 to £108,814.

NHS staff in and around London may receive a high-cost area supplement.

These figures apply to NHS England. NHS salaries in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland differ. Salaries for clinical scientists working outside the NHS vary.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

How many hours does a clinical scientist in medical physics work?

You'll typically work a standard 37.5-hour week. Some roles, however, include evening, weekend or on-call work.

Part-time and flexible opportunities may be available once qualified.

How do I become a clinical scientist in medical physics?

Training in England is usually through the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP). This is a three-year, full-time programme combining salaried, work-based training with a fully funded, part-time MSc in Clinical Science.

To apply, you'll need a first or 2:1 in an undergraduate honours or integrated Masters degree containing a high level of physics. Examples include:

biomedical engineering
mathematics
natural sciences
nuclear engineering
physics.

Your degree should meet most of the requirements for an Institute of Physics-accredited degree.

Research experience gained through your degree, employment or a relevant Masters or PhD is also desirable. You can also apply with a 2:2 honours degree in any subject if you have a relevant higher degree, such as a Masters.

Applications are made through Oriel, typically in January. You can submit only one application, choosing either one of the four named medical physics specialties or a medical physics - undefined post. For an undefined post, your specialty may be set in advance or chosen after your first-year rotations.

Recruitment involves an online application, a situational judgement test, shortlisting and virtual interview. Competition is strong, and available specialties and locations depend on NHS workforce needs.

Existing NHS staff may be nominated for the STP by their employer through the in-service route.

If successful, you'll be employed on a fixed-term contract throughout the programme. You'll complete rotations in your first year before focusing on your specialty. Some rotations may require travel to other hospitals. On completion of the STP, you can apply for registration as a clinical scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).

Recruitment and training arrangements differ across the UK. See the relevant information for:

Experienced scientists may be able to gain registration through the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) Certificate of Equivalence or the Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS) Certificate of Attainment. The Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine (IPEM) provides guided training to support these routes.

If you don't have a degree, you could train as a healthcare science practitioner through an accredited NHS Practitioner Training Programme (PTP). This combines academic and work-based learning and leads to a BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science. If you later decide to train as a clinical scientist, and meet the entry requirements, you could apply for the STP.

Key skills for a clinical scientist working in medical physics

You'll need:

accuracy and attention to detail when calculating radiation doses, analysing images and checking the performance of medical equipment
analytical and problem-solving skills to interpret complex scientific and patient data, investigate unexpected results and find safe, practical solutions
IT and scientific computing skills to analyse data and use specialist imaging, treatment-planning and equipment-management software
organisation and time-management skills to prioritise competing tasks, meet deadlines and respond to urgent clinical or equipment-related problems
strong verbal and written communication skills to explain complex scientific information clearly to healthcare professionals, technical staff and, where necessary, patients
teamwork skills and leadership potential to collaborate with multidisciplinary healthcare teams, contribute to projects and support the development of colleagues
the ability to work independently, use your initiative and make evidence-based decisions within your level of responsibility.

Do I need clinical science work experience?

Entry to the STP is competitive, but formal clinical science work experience isn't essential. You will, however, need to understand the programme, your chosen specialty and the role of a clinical scientist.

You can develop this understanding by speaking to trainees and clinical scientists, and by attending an STP open day or careers event. You could also contact a hospital medical physics or clinical engineering department to ask about visiting or arranging work shadowing, although opportunities may be limited.

Placements, research projects and experience of data analysis, scientific computing or specialist equipment can strengthen your application. Work or volunteering in a hospital, care or other patient-facing setting can also demonstrate skills such as teamwork, leadership and communication. When applying, explain what you learned and how it has prepared you for the STP.

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

Who employs clinical scientists in medical physics?

Most clinical scientists working in medical physics are employed by the NHS. Other employers include:

companies providing diagnostic imaging, radiotherapy or nuclear medicine services
government agencies and regulatory bodies, such as the UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) and Health and Safety Executive (HSE)
medical equipment and healthcare technology companies, working in areas such as research, product development, technical support and training
private hospitals and independent healthcare providers
specialist medical physics and radiation protection consultancies
universities and research institutes.

Look for job vacancies at:

HealthJobsUK
HSCNI Jobs - Northern Ireland.
IPEM Jobs
NHS Jobs - England and Wales.
NHSScotland Jobs

University and research opportunities may also be advertised on jobs.ac.uk, while government roles can be found on Civil Service Jobs.

Where can a career as a clinical scientist in medical physics lead?

Within the NHS, you can progress to principal or lead clinical scientist roles by gaining experience and developing your specialist and leadership skills. You may take responsibility for a specialist service or team, supervise and train staff, lead research and service improvements, or progress to deputy head or head of a medical physics department. Promotion depends on your experience, expertise and available vacancies, so you may need to move between employers.

With at least 12 months' NHS employment after completing the STP, you may apply for the five-year, funded Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) programme. For medical physics specialties, this includes doctoral-level academic and workplace training and leads to a Doctor of Clinical Science (DClinSci). On completion, you'll be eligible to apply for consultant clinical scientist posts.

Continuing professional development (CPD) is essential to maintain your HCPC registration and support your career progression. You'll need to keep up with developments in medical physics, healthcare technology and your specialist area through activities such as:

attending conferences
completing courses
getting involved with professional bodies
undertaking research
workplace learning.

CPD opportunities and professional support are available through membership of IPEM.

Alternatively, you could complete a PhD and develop a career in clinical or academic research. Other opportunities include working in industry, teaching and training, and moving into advisory, regulatory or general NHS management roles.