What is the Career Structure and Prospects for Clinical Scientists?
An ambitious Clinical Scientist should expect to be mobile during training and indeed during his/her career. Although Grade B constitutes the ‘career grade’, progression to the top has to be merited. The most rapid career progression may be achieved by applying for a higher-scaled vacant post elsewhere. Assessors appointed by the Department of Health, representing the leading edge of the profession, advise employing authorities on all new appointments and will judge candidates on their track record, on the basis of evidence such as publication in peer-reviewed journals, active participation in local, national and international meetings, and candidates’ awareness of current developments in the NHS. It should be emphasised that Clinical Scientists training does not end when they leave the Grade A Training Scheme. As with doctors, training is expected to continue – in less strictly supervised form – until at least one further vocational qualification is obtained, while the scientist disch
