Allied health professions are a diverse range of health professionals, whose designated titles are protected by law, and who are regulated by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). There are also other healthcare professions which are regulated by a number of regulatory bodies.
CAREERS
Other Registered Health Professionals
Registered Health Professionals
Allied health professions
Regulated by the HCPC
Arts Therapists (Art, Music and Drama)
Biomedical Scientists
Chiropodists / Podiatrists
Clinical Scientists
Dietitians
Hearing Aid Dispensers
Occupational Therapists
Operating Department Practitioners
Orthoptists
Paramedics
Physiotherapists
Practitioner Psychologists
Prosthetists / Orthotists
Radiographers (diagnostic and therapeutic)
Speech and Language Therapists
Regulated by other bodies
Chiropractors (General Chiropractic Council)
Healthcare Scientists (HCPC or Academy for Healthcare Science)
Non-Medical Public Health Speciality Trainees (Faculty of Public Health), Specialists and Consultants (UK Public Health Register)
Optometrists and Dispensing Opticians (General Optical Council)
Osteopaths (General Osteopathic Council)
Pharmacists and Pharmacy Technicians (General Pharmaceutical Council)
Social Workers (Social Work England)
Spotlight on ...
Dr Aileen Barrett,
How did you get involved in clinical education research?
Undergraduate/pre-registration
Entry to these professions is now through an undergraduate degree, although degree apprenticeships are becoming available for some professions. Qualification allows an individual to apply for entry level clinical positions (subject to regulatory body approval), or to start a career in their own private practice. Opportunities to engage in ClinEdR are likely to be limited at this stage of training.
Within pharmacy specifically there may be opportunities through your degree to engage with ClinEdR, for example through dissertation or research project topics, elective modules and summer placements or internships.
Post-qualification/registration
Once qualified and registered, you can undertake a higher degree, which may be clinically or educationally focused, and will usually involve a research component. This can be an opportunity to develop research skills.
NIHR fellowships are available for AHPs to undertake formal research training through the HEE-NIHR Integrated Clinical Academic Training programme which offers programmes from internships to post-doctoral level. Bridging awards are available to support doctoral or post-doctoral award proposals, and ICA award holders (at either doctoral or post-doctoral level) can access the ICA mentorship scheme.
For pharmacists a first step to getting involved in ClinEdR is often through the supervision and teaching of Foundation Trainees and other health professionals. There may be additional opportunities via Schools of Pharmacy to engage as teacher practioners, opening the door to a future within ClinEdR.
Unfortunately, there is currently a scarcity of professional roles with a substantive research requirement. Entering an academic role, as teacher/lecturer or researcher, can mean the suspension of a clinical career as joint clinical/academic posts are not routinely available for these professions.
