Clinical scientist, audiology

As a clinical scientist working in audiology, you'll play a key role in assessing, diagnosing and managing patients with hearing, balance and tinnitus problems

You'll identify and assess hearing and balance disorders through administering and interpreting diagnostic tests and will recommend and provide appropriate treatment and rehabilitation.

Audiology is a rapidly evolving profession, with advances in technology and research providing new treatments and tools for managing hearing and balance disorders.

You'll need to combine both a scientific and patient-focused approach to your work.

Types of work

The main areas of work are:

• adult assessment and rehabilitation
• paediatrics
• research and development
• special needs groups, e.g. patients with multi-sensory impairment
• teaching.

Responsibilities

As a clinical scientist working in audiology, you'll need to:

• administer auditory tests for babies, children and adults
• interpret and report on test results
• recommend individual patient care management plans, collaborating with a multidisciplinary team which may include ear, nose and throat (ENT) surgeons and other hospital specialists, such as neurologists, speech and language therapists, physiotherapists, paediatricians and teachers of hearing-impaired people
• advise on the selection, fitting and evaluation of hearing aids
• develop and improve test techniques
• research new advances in hearing aid technology, such as digital hearing aids
• test and maintain implanted devices, such as cochlear implants
• operate audiometric equipment
• conduct research into disorders affecting hearing and balance, contributing to publications and clinical trials
• offer counselling and rehabilitation support to patients to help them adjust to their condition
• teach and train other healthcare professionals
• manage audiology services, ensuring high-quality care is provided.

Your responsibilities will vary depending on your skills and experience. As you gain more experience, you'll have opportunities to take on more advanced roles, including managing complex cases, managing audiology services and conducting clinical research.

Salary

• Jobs in the NHS are usually covered by the Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates consisting of nine pay bands. Trainee clinical scientists are usually employed at Band 6, starting at £37,338.
• Once qualified, you're likely to be employed on Band 7 - £46,148 to £52,809.
• Salaries for principal and consultant clinical scientists can range from £53,755 (Band 8a) to £121,271 (Band 9), depending on your skills, experience, training and qualifications.

Those working in London and the surrounding areas may receive a high-cost area supplement of between 5% and 20% of their basic salary.

Salaries for clinical scientists in the private sector or independent audiology clinics may vary.

AfC pay bands differ across the four countries of the UK. Pay negotiation happens annually at different times, so salaries will change when each country agrees their new pay award. Check your country's AfC scales for the most up-to-date NHS salary information.

Income figures are intended as a guide only.

Working hours

You'll usually work a 37.5-hour week. Occasional weekend work may be required.

There may be some opportunities to work part time.

What to expect

• Most clinical scientists in audiology work in hospital consultation rooms. There are also opportunities to work in research laboratories or universities if you’re pursuing an academic career.
• Working with patients requires compassion, as many patients will be in distress due to the impact of hearing or balance disorders on their daily lives.
• Jobs are available in hospitals throughout the UK.
• According to the British Academy of Audiology, there is currently a shortage of staff to meet the increasing demand for audiological services from an ageing population.
• The three-year training programme can be challenging, and you'll need to be highly organised from the very start. Make the most of any opportunities to develop your skills and make sure you keep a healthy work-life balance.
• During your NHS training, you'll work in different hospital laboratories to get a range of experience. You may need to travel to training centres in other parts of the country as part of the programme rotations, so may have to stay there for a few weeks at a time. You'll also have to travel to university to complete an accredited part-time Masters degree. Once qualified, you may sometimes visit other hospitals or clinics and will also travel to attend or present at national meetings and events.

Qualifications

To become a clinical scientist in audiology, you will usually complete the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP), a three-year, full-time, work-based learning and training programme that also includes academic study at Masters level.

Entry requirements include a first or 2:1 undergraduate degree or an integrated Masters degree in a subject related to clinical physiology, such as:

• biology (or human biology)
• engineering
• physiology
• pure or applied physics
• sports science (if the course has a significant amount of scientific content).

You can also apply if you have a 2:2 undergraduate degree in any subject and have a higher degree in a relevant subject.

Getting good academic results, relevant research experience through a Masters or PhD and relevant work experience is helpful for all applicants.

Applications to the STP are made via Oriel, the online application portal for postgraduate healthcare science training programmes. Recruitment takes place annually, usually in January. There is only a short application window, and late applications are not accepted. 

You must pass all stages of the recruitment process, which includes an online situational judgement test (JST), online application and a panel interview. Sample questions for the JST are available on the Pearson VUE website.

You can only apply to one specialty, so do your research before applying to ensure it's the right specialism for you. Not all specialties are recruited to each year and depend on NHS needs.

If successful, you'll be employed by an NHS Trust (or in some cases by an NHS private partner or private healthcare provider) as a trainee clinical scientist on a fixed-term contract for the duration of the programme and paid a salary. The first year of training is spent on rotation in a range of settings before specialising in years two and three.

Training includes:

• a programme of workplace training
• fully funded, part-time study for an approved and accredited Masters degree specialising in neurosensory sciences
• a final assessment of competence.

If you already work for the NHS, you can apply to the STP as an internal candidate.

Upon completion, you will receive a Certificate of Completion for the Scientist Training Programme (CCSTP) from the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS), allowing you to register with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC) as a clinical scientist.

The NSHCS website has more advice on how to apply, including competition ratios for each specialism.

For information on training in Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland, see: 

• Wales - Health Education and Improvement Wales (HEIW) 
• Scotland - NHS Scotland: Healthcare Science 
• Northern Ireland - NI Direct Healthcare Scientist 

Other routes to HCPC registration as a clinical scientist are offered by the:

• Association of Clinical Scientists - Certificate of Attainment
• Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) - Certificate of Equivalence.

If you don't already have a degree, you can apply for the NHS Practitioner Training Programme (PTP), which provides undergraduate training leading to a BSc (Hons) Healthcare Science (Audiology). Courses are full time (usually three years) and include both work-based and academic learning.

A number of universities are also providing (or developing) a Level 6 healthcare science degree apprenticeship, which combines paid work with part-time study for a degree.

After graduating, you're eligible to apply for Professional Standards Authority (PSA) Accredited Voluntary Registration via the AHCS as a healthcare science practitioner. If you have a 2:1 or above you could also apply to the STP.

Skills

You'll need to have:

• a strong scientific background and an interest in audiology
• excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, to explain complex scientific concepts to patients and colleagues
• patience and empathy to support patients through what can be a distressing diagnosis and treatment process.
• the skills and confidence to use complex audiology equipment and new technology
• a high level of analytical and investigative skills to interpret complex test results
• the ability to work independently and as part of a multidisciplinary team with other medical professionals
• meticulous attention to detail
• time management skills and the ability to remain calm and focused under pressure
• a creative approach to problem solving and finding alternative solutions
• self-motivation to gain the most from training placements in busy hospital departments
• the ability to lead and motivate others
• a willingness to keep up to date with the latest scientific and medical research in audiology.

Work experience

Entry on to the STP is competitive and there are many more applicants than places available. You'll need to be familiar with the programme, the specialism you're applying to and what you'll be doing.  

To improve your chances, you could:

• arrange a visit to an audiology department to find out more about the role
• work shadow a clinical scientist in your local hospital audiology department
• get some direct experience with patients to build up your patient-centred skills
• complete a placement as part of your degree or Masters course
• get involved in research projects and publications during your studies
• attend an open day for the audiology specialism to gain an insight into the role and STP programme
• speak to people on the STP programme to find out what it's like to be an STP trainee so you can show that you understand the role and the commitment involved. 

You may need to think creatively - being active in a university society, having a part-time job or getting involved in youth groups, for example, can also provide you with transferable skills such as teamwork, communication and time management.  

It's good to have a range of life experiences so you can show your range of skills.

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

Employers

Many clinical scientists working in audiology are employed in ear, nose and throat (ENT) clinics or audiology departments in NHS hospitals. There are opportunities to work in private hospitals and in the independent sector.

Opportunities are also available with manufactures of hearing technology, such as cochlear implant companies, or in universities as a lecturer or researcher.

Look for job vacancies at:

• British Academy of Audiology (BAA)
• Jobs.ac.uk - for jobs in academia
• NHS Jobs
• NHSScotland Jobs
• Jobs.hscni.net - for vacancies in Northern Ireland.

Professional development

Continuing professional development (CPD) is an essential part of continuing your HCPC registration. You must engage in a variety of CPD activities, including:

• work-based learning, such as in-service training, expanding your role
• active participation in professional bodies such as the BAA
• self-directed learning, such as reading articles and published papers
• attending conferences, workshops and lectures
• undertaking work exchanges abroad
• applying for research grants.

Membership of the BAA provides opportunities to network with fellow professionals, as well as access to advice and support, and CPD events and conferences. Courses cover areas such as:

• adult hearing loss
• deafness awareness training
• implantable hearing technology
• leadership
• paediatric assessment
• tinnitus adviser training.

Once you've got experience (usually at least one year post-registration), you may apply to train to become a consultant clinical scientist via the Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) programme. This five-year funded training programme includes study at doctoral level in an area of audiological sciences.

Successful completion of the HSST programme leads to the award of Certificate of Completion of Higher Specialist Scientist Training (CCHSST) issued by the NSHCS, which you can use to join the AHCS HSS Register.

You can also study for a traditional PhD and get involved in research. You'll need to get your research published in a peer-reviewed journal and present it at conferences if you want to move into an academic career.  

Career prospects

The NHS offers a structured career path, with opportunities to specialise in areas such as:

• auditory rehabilitation
• bone-anchored hearing devices
• cochlear implants
• paediatrics
• tinnitus management.

You can progress through the grades by gaining experience and completing further training, study and research. Promotion is based on merit, and you may have to move to other hospitals to make the most of available opportunities.

As your career develops, you will take on a more supervisory role with responsibility for the work of your department. Progression to consultant involves further training via the HSST programme. Promotion to deputy head or head of department is likely to involve the management of a large department or major departmental section. It's possible to gain a senior position by making a significant contribution in your area of expertise.

There are also opportunities to move into research and teaching, working for a university or research institute, or to get involved in training and registration assessments.

You can also develop your career by getting involved with professional bodies, taking on external professional roles or moving into advisory roles. You could also move into general management roles within the NHS or into industry.