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Medical ultrasound undergrad at university of leeds

Hi everyone,

Has anyone applied for this course or have any views on it?
It is not the traditional route to sonography usually undergrad then post grad.
I would love to do a degree firmly based on my dream career however I worry due to no HCPC it would hold me back.

Would love to hear from anyone with experience/knowledge on this!
Reply 1
This is my dream career aswell but that’s what held me back from applying to the course because of the HCPC registration.
Original post by Sonographerdream
Hi everyone,

Has anyone applied for this course or have any views on it?
It is not the traditional route to sonography usually undergrad then post grad.
I would love to do a degree firmly based on my dream career however I worry due to no HCPC it would hold me back.

Would love to hear from anyone with experience/knowledge on this!
If you want to be a Sonographer I would advise you to first do an undergraduate degree in something else. This is because sonographers aren’t protected by any governing bodies (as of now) Also, most nhs sonographer roles require you to have a previous healthcare registration. It doesn’t have to be HCPC it could be NMC (midwives can also become sonographers) but the most traditional way is doing undergrad in radiography and then moving on to the ultrasound course after some experience. Radiographers are also preferred over other health care professionals when it comes to getting a place on a trainee programme and this is the route I advise you to take if you know it’s a sonographer you want to be.
Original post by Sonographerdream
Hi everyone,

Has anyone applied for this course or have any views on it?
It is not the traditional route to sonography usually undergrad then post grad.
I would love to do a degree firmly based on my dream career however I worry due to no HCPC it would hold me back.

Would love to hear from anyone with experience/knowledge on this!


This is an interesting one. The traditional route for sonographers is to qualify as a radiographer, midwife, nurse, etc. and then, with experience, secure a training place for sonography and take a further qualification. It is extremely competitive. I think the Leeds course is very interesting as it is the first degree course of its kind and is a way to bypass the traditional route and head straight into sonography. The course is accredited by CASE (Consortium for the Accreditation of Sonographic Education) who also accredit the traditional PG qualifications.

I've quoted the following from the BMUS:

As sonography is not recognised as a profession by the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), there is no possibility of individuals practicing as sonographers to be statutorily registered. Individuals who hold a radiography qualification recognised by the HPC are legally required to register with the HCPC if they wish to practice as a radiographer (but not a sonographer) in the UK. There is no legal requirement to be 'statutorily registered' if seeking employment as a sonographer, as this is currently an impossibility. However, it is recommended that you ensure that you have appropriate professional indemnity insurance arranged, either through your employer or via an appropriate regulatory body.

So if you work as a sonographer, you can't be registered with the HCPC, even if you first qualify as a radiographer. Obviously there are many sonographers currently working in the NHS so it won't 'hold you back' if this is the career you want to pursue.

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