Diagnostic Radiography with Ultrasound Fundamentals

This unique course allows you to develop the knowledge, skills and confidence to become an outstanding radiographer while enhancing your learning with foundational ultrasound experience. You will benefit from an extended second year that incorporates intensive simulation and additional clinical placements with regional ultrasound providers across the healthcare sector.

Ultrasonography is usually offered through postgraduate training alone, and It is appreciated that you would still require a preceptorship year to consolidate your knowledge before moving on to postgraduate study.

• This is an unique course, giving you a foundation in ultrasonography whilst still enabling you to register with the HCPC as a diagnostic radiographer.

• Train using advanced medical imaging technology, at the forefront of modern patient care.

• Practise your clinical and communication skills in the Clinical Skills Resource Centre (CSRC) which features specially designed replicas of hospital wards and emergency rooms, with high-specification patient-simulators.

• Deepen your understanding of the structure and functionality of the human body at our Life Sciences Resource Centre (LSRC).

• Receive an ipad for the duration of your course.

• Learn from real patients from the outset, with clinical placements starting in the first semester of Year 1.

• Take part in expert-led discussions around clinical case studies and the latest medical science breakthroughs, through our structured small groups teaching approach, including enquiry-based learning. These are also a great opportunity to learn from other students’ knowledge and experience.

• Online systems support your learning including the custom-made student logbook where you can access lecture notes, online assessment systems and lecture sessions.

• In Year 1, students will study in Plymouth, with all of their clinical placements within daily commute. In Years 2 and 3, all students will complete a semester in Plymouth for the academic delivery, and then a semester on clinical placement in the South West and other locations.

You will learn what it means to be a Radiographer, the professional responsibility this brings and your contribution to frontline patient care. These skills will be supported by basic sciences, including physics and biology to help you understand patient health, disease and the variety of diagnostic imaging equipment in use today. Plymouth-based placements will be in local healthcare providing institutions where you will develop a greater understanding of your future role and the skills required to succeed. Small group, enquiry-based learning will use patient focused scenarios to help you to bring all these new skills together, whilst aiding your development of life-long learning skills.

The second year of training focuses further on applying your skills to the real world. In addition, you will learn about patient assessment alongside other healthcare professionals. Ultrasonography students receive intensive simulation and undertake additional clinical placements with regional ultrasound providers across the healthcare sector. You will also further develop your understanding and importance of the medical images you have taken. Enquiry-based learning tutorials will help you consolidate and apply these taught skills through clinical scenario discussions.

This final year is all about the transition from student to practising healthcare professional. You will learn how to deal with more complex problems during longer clinical placements and conduct an NHS quality improvement or research project, this will advance your understanding of how imaging departments are run and the challenges they face. Outside of placements you will gain a greater knowledge of patient assessment, clinical emergencies and interpretation of imaging investigations. Year 3 will also guide you in career choices beyond that of employment, where your ambition may take you in a more specialised or diverse environment.

To work as a teacher at a state school in England or Wales, you will need to achieve qualified teacher status (QTS). This is offered on this course for the following level:

• Course does not award QTS