Help your child to find the right health course
By Rachel Cockburn
Published: 03 July 2007
If your son or daughter is looking for a healthy option after A-levels, they will find a baffling array of courses. Careers in health encompass so much more than doctors, nurses and dentists. There are over 300 different careers within the NHS, and many more health related options with employers in the public and private sectors.
Choosing a course
Dr Judy Donnelly, senior lecturer in sport, health, leisure and nutrition at Leeds Trinity & All Saints, advises prospective students and parents to visit as many institutions as possible: "At the open days you will be able to see the facilities for yourself, meet the staff and talk to current students. You'll know when a place feels right."
Donnelly highlights some of the issues for students to take into account. The area of health is constantly developing so consider the modules on offer - are they topical and up to date? What are the assessment methods - exams or assignments? How much practical work will be required?
Consider what opportunities students have to enhance their CVs during the course, with work placements and other practical experience. At Leeds Trinity, for example, all undergraduate degrees include periods of work placement which put students ahead of the game on entering the graduate jobs market. In some cases, the placement leads directly to a job offer, and at the very least, students have tried out different career areas and discovered what suits them and what doesn't.
What courses are available?
For prospective students who are unsure what area of health they want to work in after graduating, there are many general degree courses offering experience of different aspects of health.
The BSc in sport, health, exercise and nutrition (SHEN) at Leeds Trinity is a degree which provides broad based experience but also allows students to specialise later as their interests develop.
Niamh McGrane graduated from the course in 2006, and is working as a teaching assistant at Leeds Trinity before training as a dietician.
"The course gave an overview of the health sector which helped me to define my career goal. Having started the course determined to become a PE teacher, I soon became enthused about nutrition," says McGrane. "Professional work placements in school and in a sports camp focusing on weight management confirmed to me that nutrition was my real interest."
For certain health related occupations, candidates will be required to undertake postgraduate training after an undergraduate degree, while others involve learning on the job and perhaps part-time study.
Careers in health
A great place to start researching the full range of health related occupations and entry requirements is the graduate careers website www.prospects.ac.uk. For career opportunities within the NHS visit www.nhscareers.nhs.uk. Careers in health fall into these broad categories:
* Medicine
* Nursing
* Health support specialisms, including dieticians, physiotherapists, art and music therapists, scientists, psychologists
* Health promotion with the NHS, local authorities or community groups
* Health service management and administration
* Mental health professions, including nursing, social work and support roles
* Alternative therapies
Commercial opportunities exist with private healthcare providers and fitness companies, and in manufacturing for professionals such as food scientists. Other occupations where health graduates can use their specialist knowledge are teaching, research and journalism.
Rachel Cockburn is marketing officer at Leeds Trinity & All Saints
STUDENT PROFILE
Callum Smith, 20, Level 2 SHEN student
"I enjoy the wide variety offered on the sport, health, exercise and nutrition (SHEN) course at Leeds Trinity & All Saints, which will open up a great range of career options to me.
The Hollybush Healthy Walking project in Leeds offered me a professional work placement which led to vacation work. I got involved in all aspects of the project, from researching and leading walks, to publicity and administration, which hopefully will prove invaluable experience if I decide to go into the field of health promotion as a career."
GRADUATE PROFILE
Claire Parker, 29, SHEN graduate
"At school I was interested in health, but wasn't sure which route to take until I spotted an advert for a BSc (Hons) in SHEN at Leeds. The first year gave me a good feel for the career path I wanted to follow, and thereafter I chose relevant modules such as community health and nutrition topics. My professional work placement with Bradford 5 A DAY helped me get my first job after graduating, on a project raising awareness of healthy eating.
I love working in public health, and now run a community project for Bradford and Airedale Primary Care Trust, supporting individuals at risk of type 2 diabetes by helping with lifestyle changes such as dietary habits and physical activity levels."
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