Healthcare science roles: list

Bioinformatics and data science

Clinical scientists working in this area of healthcare science are responsible for the development and improvement of methods for acquiring, storing, organising and analysing biological data.

Healthcare scientists work across a variety of specialties:

• Bioinformatics
• Data science and modelling
• Health informatics

Life science

Healthcare scientists that work within life science specialties mainly include those specialisms based in laboratory environments within NHS Scotland. They undertake a range of roles including carrying out investigations to assist in the diagnosis or treatment of patients. Their work can include helping to diagnose and treat patients with rare diseases and cancers through genetic and genomic testing. These scientists are also responsible for the processing, manufacture and testing of blood products and research, development and innovation.

Laboratory specialties include:

• Anatomical pathology
• Biochemistry
• Blood transfusion
• Cervical cytology
• Genetic science
• Haematology
• Histocompatibility and immunogenetics
• Histopathology
• Immunology
• Microbiology
• Molecular pathology
• Reproductive medicine
• Virology

Decontamination Science also forms part of life sciences. Staff working in these services are responsible for the cleaning, sterilisation and packaging of reusable medical devices that are used in surgery and operating theatres across a range of healthcare settings in Scotland. 

Roles within life science include:

• Anatomical pathologist
• Biomedical scientist
• Clinical scientist
• Decontamination scientist
• Genetic counsellor
• Genetic technologist

Physical science and clinical engineering

Healthcare scientists that work within the physical science specialties provide scientific advice and guidance to a range of people in the healthcare setting and to the public. They are responsible for the development of new techniques and technology to measure what is happening in the body and to diagnose and treat disease.

Healthcare scientists working within clinical engineering undertake a range of roles within many of the physical science specialties. Some of these roles will involve patients.

Physical science specialties include:

• Clinical engineering
• Clinical measurement and development
• Clinical pharmaceutical science
• Clinical photography
• Imaging with ionising radiation
• Imaging with non-ionising radiation
• Medical equipment management
• Nuclear medicine physics
• Radiation physics and radiation safety
• Radiotherapy physics
• Reconstructive science
• Rehabilitation engineering
• Renal technology

Healthcare scientists working within clinical engineering undertake a range of roles within many of the Physical science specialties. Some of these roles involve patients such as rehabilitation engineering. Some roles can include the responsibility for the procurement, maintenance and operation of medical equipment.

Roles within Physical science and clinical engineering include:

• Clinical engineer
• Clinical photographer
• Clinical scientist
• Reconstructive scientist

Physiological science

Those working within a physiology related area will have direct interaction with patients. These scientists will use highly complex equipment to investigate the different biological systems within the body.

Roles within Physiological science include

• Clinical perfusionist
• Clinical physiologist
• Clinical scientist

Healthcare scientists working in this area may  also be involved in helping the patient manage their disease or be involved in the continual monitoring of a patient’s disease. They work in areas such as cardiac, respiratory and neurophysiology.

Physiological specialties include:

• Audiology
• Cardiac science
• Clinical perfusion
• Critical care
• Gastrointestinal physiology
• Neurophysiology
• Ophthalmic and vision science
• Respiratory science
• Sleep science
• Vascular science