PgC Medical Imaging (Ultrasound)

Course Overview

If you are a health care professional or vascular scientist wanting to enhance your professional career, then our course - accredited by the Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education (CASE) - will enable you to pursue a career in ultrasound.

Our Pg Cert will build on your experience in radiography, nursing, midwifery or other related professions or clinical specialisms and teach you the academic knowledge and safe clinical practice to meet national standards to work as a sonographer.

Your learning will be enhanced with plenty of work-based practical learning in our skills lab, which is equipped with the latest imaging workstations and houses one of the largest MedaPhor ultrasound simulation labs in the world.

Course summary

Our expert staff will help you develop into an autonomous practitioner, who is able to undertake advanced ultrasound practice safely, by ensuring clinical competencies achieved meet national standards.

We provide a range of modules which will enable you to explore the underpinning knowledge of safe, effective and evidence-based ultrasound practice, in order to help you develop clinical skills in your own department. Teaching is also supported by specialist guest speakers who provide current, relevant course material directly related to clinical practice.

You will have the opportunity for inter-professional learning during the academic blocks (which are shared with our full-time ultrasound students) and during clinical placement. The development of critical, analytical and evaluative skills and incorporating these into the clinical environment, encouraging evidence based practice will be a fundamental part of the course.

Each module is credit rated. You may be assessed in various ways including coursework, presentations, reflective writing, verbal assessments, exams and reports. Assessment of clinical placements is a requirement of the qualification; you will be assessed to ensure you are clinically competent before you can receive the award.

You will need to organise a clinical placement in a recognised department to engage in a wide range of ultrasound examinations for the duration of the course. Unfortunately, the university cannot assist you in finding a placement.

Course study options

This course is also available as a PgD and MSc.

Graduate destinations

On successful completion of the course, you will be able to provide evidence of preparation for practice to the standards required for a first post-qualification sonographer role. We have consulted with local ultrasound service partners who have confirmed that this would allow employment of graduates in most regional NHS contexts. However, applicants from a non-health care background should note that, at present, employment in some NHS Trusts would not be possible due to the requirement for professional registration. These potential restrictions on employment will be discussed with you during the application process and you will be asked to sign a memorandum of agreement confirming your understanding and acceptance.