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Healthcare Science (Cardiac Physiology)

Entry requirements


A level

A,B,B

A-level: ABB including a science subject (Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics). Other science based subjects will be considered. We consider all A-level subjects for the remaining grades, except general studies or critical thinking. EPQs are not considered within our scoring.

30 distinctions and 15 merits (both at level 3). This must include a minimum of 15 credits from science subjects. We strongly advise you to contact the School to discuss the suitability of your chosen Access course. We consider Access Courses to be suitable for mature applicants (21 plus) who have been out of full-time education and have had no previous access to higher education.

GCSE/National 4/National 5

A minimum of 5 GCSEs grade C or above (or 4 or above) required in Maths, English Language, and Science. The School of Medicine recognises that some applicants may have studied a more flexible curriculum, where they have been able to progress through their educational development at an appropriate rate according to their ability. Where a Level 2 (for example, GCSE) or Level 3 (for example, A Level) qualification has been taken ‘early’ the academic reference should include the reasons for this so that it can be taken into consideration by the admissions team.

International Baccalaureate Diploma Programme

34

34 points overall, including 3 higher level subjects at minimum of grade 5, one of which must be a science subject

Pearson BTEC Level 3 National Extended Diploma (first teaching from September 2016)

DDD

BTEC Level 3 Extended Diploma (QCF): distinction/distinction/distinction and must contain at least one-third science content at distinction. Health and Social Care qualifications have insufficient science content and will only be considered with an additional science A level – Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths and Physics.

Scottish Higher

B,B

BB at Advanced Higher level and AABBB at Higher level Or B at Advanced Higher level and AAABB at Higher level. For applicants without Advanced Highers, we require AABBBB at Higher level. Each of these options requires 1 science, from Biology, Human Biology, Chemistry, Maths or Physics.

UCAS Tariff

54-128

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About this course


Course option

3years

Full-time | 2024

Subject

Clinical physiology

Cardiac physiologists work in a challenging and stimulating environment, combining caring, diagnostic, analytical and problem-solving skills in order to provide excellent patient care and support. As a profession Cardiac Physiology is a fast moving and continually evolving profession providing essential services to the modern healthcare system.

Our BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Cardiac Physiology) course focuses primarily on diagnosis, assessment and treatment of heart disease. Throughout the Programme you will develop the required skills to become a practicing Cardiac Physiologist eligible for professional registration through an integrated learning approach utilising academic learning, simulated learning and workplace learning. As a Cardiac Physiologist you will use a range of procedures to support the diagnosis and treatment pathway of patients with cardiac disease.

You will benefit from our well-established network of high-quality placements, where you will receive clinical training from experienced cardiac professionals. Our students often describe their placements as the highlight of the programme as they are able to put theory into practice. Work based learning helps students to development their employability, and the degree programme has an excellent employability record.

We have over 20 years’ experience of providing cardiac physiology training and you'll be taught by experienced practising professionals. Being part of the School of Medicine links our academic expertise with world-leading research.

On successful completion of the programme, students are eligible to apply for registration with the Academy of Healthcare Science as a Practitioner.

**Why choose Leeds?**

• The only cardiac physiology course in the UK that sits within a School of Medicine.
• Use of 4D computer technology for enhanced learning.
• Work with patients from the Patient Carer Community group to help prepare you for placement.
• Clinical placements are undertaken within departments across the Yorkshire and Humber region.
• Develop your clinical skills through practical sessions utilising dedicated simulation equipment.
• Study specialist areas of interest undertaking a research project in your final year.
• Based within the globally renowned Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine means that our students have access to leading researchers and can attend and participate in academic research seminars alongside practising cardiologists and senior medical researchers.
• There are opportunities to present your research at conferences and in professional journals.

**Facilities**
The School has a dedicated cardiac physiology clinical skills area. The rooms consist of a separate ambulatory monitoring room, where students can be taught and can practise fitting, downloading and analysing ambulatory information.

There is a larger room for dedicated clinical skills teaching, with the equipment to perform ECGs, basic spirometry and blood pressure monitoring – all basic skills required for the Healthcare Science Cardiac Physiologists. The programme has also invested in cardiac catheterisation and pacing VR simulator to support student learning as well as Echocardiography simulation equipment.

**Accreditation**
The course is accredited by the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS).

Modules

Year 1

You will gain a broad understanding of the principles of Healthcare Science. Alongside this, you’ll be introduced to the theory and practice of cardiovascular, respiratory and sleep studies. You’ll also learn about professional working and will start to develop your independent and critical thinking skills.

Your skills will focus on a range of non-invasive cardiac procedures including ECG performance and interpretation, and the fitting of ambulatory monitoring equipment. You will complete clinical placements to support your learning.

Year 2

You will continue to develop key skills in a range of non-invasive procedures whilst also progressing into invasive cardiac diagnostic assessments, which will prepare you for your specialist clinical placement. Clinical skills training will focus on ambulatory monitoring report writing, functional imaging and basic coronary angiography.
These are the procedures you will train in during clinical placement. In addition, you will study the pathophysiology of cardiac and respiratory diseases.

Year 3

You will learn about a range of advanced invasive cardiac diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, and explore more deeply a wide range of cardiac disorders and the options available to treat and manage these conditions. You will also conduct a research project in one particular area of cardiology whilst continuing to develop your practical skills both in the on-site clinical laboratories and in your dedicated final clinical placement. Within your 3rd year there will be a focus on supporting your transition from being a student to being a graduate Cardiac Physiologist.

Throughout the programme, you will develop the skills necessary to become a cardiac physiologist, whilst also gaining more general skills such as critical thinking, problem solving, independent learning, scientific enquiry, professional working and reflective practice.

Assessment methods

We use a range of assessment methods to assess your clinical and professional skills. A range of assessments are utilised to reflect the range of learning outcomes in the programme and specific modules. This enables you to demonstrate your capabilities and achievements and take into account individual assessment strengths. Academic assessments across the three years include presentations, group assessments, unseen examinations, practical skills examinations, seen examinations, along with essays and clinical practice profiles of evidence.

You will need to demonstrate the knowledge and application of standard concepts, information and techniques relevant to the discipline, as well as your emerging abilities, skills and competencies. You need to be able to draw on a wide variety of material and be able to evaluate and criticise received opinion.

The Uni


Course location:

University of Leeds

Department:

Leeds Institute of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Medicine (LICAMM)

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What students say


We've crunched the numbers to see if overall student satisfaction here is high, medium or low compared to students studying this subject(s) at other universities.

75%
Clinical physiology

How do students rate their degree experience?

The stats below relate to the general subject area/s at this university, not this specific course. We show this where there isn’t enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Anatomy, physiology and pathology

Teaching and learning

80%
Staff make the subject interesting
81%
Staff are good at explaining things
77%
Ideas and concepts are explored in-depth
82%
Opportunities to apply what I've learned

Assessment and feedback

Feedback on work has been timely
Feedback on work has been helpful
Staff are contactable when needed
Good advice available when making study choices

Resources and organisation

80%
Library resources
94%
IT resources
76%
Course specific equipment and facilities
55%
Course is well organised and has run smoothly

Student voice

Staff value students' opinions
Feel part of a community on my course

Who studies this subject and how do they get on?

100%
UK students
0%
International students
17%
Male students
83%
Female students
93%
2:1 or above
6%
First year drop out rate

Most popular A-Levels studied (and grade achieved)

B
B
B

After graduation


The stats in this section relate to the general subject area/s at this university – not this specific course. We show this where there isn't enough data about the course, or where this is the most detailed info available to us.

Anatomy, physiology and pathology

What are graduates doing after six months?

This is what graduates told us they were doing (and earning), shortly after completing their course. We've crunched the numbers to show you if these immediate prospects are high, medium or low, compared to those studying this subject/s at other universities.

£22,000
med
Average annual salary
97%
low
Employed or in further education
75%
med
Employed in a role where degree was essential or beneficial

Top job areas of graduates

18%
Health associate professionals
12%
Natural and social science professionals
10%
Business, finance and related associate professionals

What about your long term prospects?

Looking further ahead, below is a rough guide for what graduates went on to earn.

Anatomy, physiology and pathology

The graph shows median earnings of graduates who achieved a degree in this subject area one, three and five years after graduating from here.

£26k

£26k

£34k

£34k

£37k

£37k

Note: this data only looks at employees (and not those who are self-employed or also studying) and covers a broad sample of graduates and the various paths they've taken, which might not always be a direct result of their degree.

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This information comes from the National Student Survey, an annual student survey of final-year students. You can use this to see how satisfied students studying this subject area at this university, are (not the individual course).

This is the percentage of final-year students at this university who were "definitely" or "mostly" satisfied with their course. We've analysed this figure against other universities so you can see whether this is high, medium or low.

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This information is from the Higher Education Statistics Agency (HESA), for undergraduate students only.

You can use this to get an idea of who you might share a lecture with and how they progressed in this subject, here. It's also worth comparing typical A-level subjects and grades students achieved with the current course entry requirements; similarities or differences here could indicate how flexible (or not) a university might be.

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Post-six month graduation stats:

This is from the Destinations of Leavers from Higher Education Survey, based on responses from graduates who studied the same subject area here.

It offers a snapshot of what grads went on to do six months later, what they were earning on average, and whether they felt their degree helped them obtain a 'graduate role'. We calculate a mean rating to indicate if this is high, medium or low compared to other universities.

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Graduate field commentary:

The Higher Education Careers Services Unit have provided some further context for all graduates in this subject area, including details that numbers alone might not show

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The Longitudinal Educational Outcomes dataset combines HRMC earnings data with student records from the Higher Education Statistics Agency.

While there are lots of factors at play when it comes to your future earnings, use this as a rough timeline of what graduates in this subject area were earning on average one, three and five years later. Can you see a steady increase in salary, or did grads need some experience under their belt before seeing a nice bump up in their pay packet?

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