Medical Engineering Level 2

The Level 2 Healthcare Science Assistant apprenticeship is an ideal start for those learners who wish to gain a recognised qualification and begin their academic journey, all whilst working within a relevant healthcare science related industry.  

The Medical Engineering pathway is specifically designed to support those learners working within a Clinical Engineering or Electronic Medical Engineering department, both within the NHS as well as within the private sector.

No previous work experience within Medical Engineering is required however learners will benefit from having a basic understanding of the role.

The start of the course will see the introduction of the core units where you will be welcomed into a remote online classroom with other L2 learners from a variety of specialist pathways. All learners will study the same core elements no matter the pathway they are on, this really helps promote a sense of multidisciplinary work as best practice is discussed freely as learners network within the taught session. 

There are seven core sessions in total, and these include topics such as: 

• Principles & Practice of Patient Care 
• The Role of the Healthcare Scientist 
• Health & Safety in the HCS Environment 
• Health & Disease  

As you gain mastery in the core units, learners will then move towards the specialist unit that relates more to the department the learner is working in. The specialism is an all-encompassing unit that will help develop the knowledge, skills, experience and attitudes needed to work within a medical engineering workshop setting.

This course is designed to be the very starting point in academic study within your chosen workplace pathway and many learners who choose to start with this often have not studied academically for a prolonged period of time. 

Upon completion of the level 2 course, you may wish to progress onto the level 4 course if there is an opportunity to do so within your workplace. All our qualifications are scaffoldable and there would be a recognition of prior learning (RPL) if you progressed onto the level 4 course as long as it was within five years of completing your level 2 qualification. 

Most learners who progress onto a level 4 course are often seeking promotion or taking on a more senior role within the department. This could also include moving into another department and retraining in a different specialism to continue your development, some learners would move onto Level 4 Medical Physics for example.

Over the last 10 years there has been huge technological advances within medical devices, and this really came to the forefront during the COVID pandemic due to the increasing need in managing complex health issues.

According to the Institute of Physics and Engineering in Medicine there are: 

• Approximately 3,000 FTE (Full Time Equivalent) scientific and technical posts, including Clinical Scientists, Clinical Technologists, Clinical and Medical Engineers, and Medical Technicians. 
• Recruitment remains difficult as experienced medical engineers are in short supply and only 28% of departments feel that have sufficient staff to provide a safe and effective service. 
• The clinical and medical engineering departments support both in-hospital care as well as community care which means they are an essential service. 

We operate a remote teaching format where taught sessions are delivered once a month, followed by a 4-week period to complete the relevant assignments. 

Learners will build an ongoing portfolio of evidence throughout the duration of the course and are expected to showcase their practical competencies via remote assessment.  

Witness testimonies from peers will ascertain how the learner meets the behaviours expected of an apprentice and continued professional development from within the department logged as off the job training.

Within the core sessions learners really get to understand a patient’s journey and why the service is needed. Throughout the course learners are encouraged to build their portfolio of evidence that really showcases the learners working environment. 

There is a great addition of the health and disease unit which gives a fundamental understanding of the complexities of the human body and what can go wrong with it! These units are great for those departments who might not be patient facing but who still play an integral part of healthcare science. 

By delivering the training remotely, learners can work around the constraints of shift patterns within the department and find time to explore the underpinning knowledge of their industry.