Inspiring future scientists at Barts Health
More than 150 pupils from schools across east London visited the Great Hall at St Bartholomew’s Hospital last week as part of Healthcare Science Week, exploring the wide range of careers available within the NHS.
The event was coordinated by James Malcolmson, our education lead for healthcare science, with support from teams across the Trust. "It was an inspiring venue to bring a wide variety of HCS disciplines together and generate curiosity about HCS careers in young minds," he said.
Students heard from healthcare science leaders, met specialists from across the profession and tried out real clinical equipment. They also took part in CPR training delivered by the ToBe‑Heartsafe charity team.
Dr Andrew Shah, consultant clinical scientist and head of radiation safety, said the day helped shine a light on an often unseen workforce: "Lots of staff in the NHS don’t know we exist, yet we underpin so much of the work in our hospitals."
With more than 58,000 healthcare scientists working across over 50 specialisms, the event, organised in collaboration with Healthcare Horizons, offered many pupils their first look at this vital part of the NHS.
Students particularly enjoyed being able to "walk around and talk to people at the stalls" and the chance to "view the equipment" and "explore different healthcare careers".
One pupil said the whole event "was a very enjoyable experience," while another added that the sessions were "informative and the practical activity was engaging," praising the hospitality they received.
The enthusiasm and curiosity shown throughout the day have strengthened hopes of expanding the programme next year to inspire even more young people to consider a future in healthcare science.
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