Clinical scientist, GI physiology — Carly Bingham

Carly studied a Masters in engineering, followed by the MSc in Clinical Engineering at King's College London before taking up the role of paediatric clinical scientist in gastrointestinal (GI) physiology at Evelina London Children's Hospital

How did you get your job as a clinical scientist?

After completing my initial degree, I joined the NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP), having been introduced to the scheme by an alumni mentor.

I spent three years in clinical training, rotating across a variety of departments and doing a part-time Masters in clinical engineering, before qualifying and taking up my current role.

What does the role involve?

I'm responsible for investigating why children are having problems with their digestive system. I perform investigations of the oesophagus and bowel to measure how the muscles are moving compared to the muscles of a healthy individual. This involves inserting catheters with very sensitive sensors into the oesophagus and rectum to build data of the muscles in motion and then analysing this data to figure out where the problem might be.

When I'm not on the ward with my equipment or analysing the data, I teach on the Clinical Science MSc at King's College London, train placement students from across the country to perform paediatric investigations and do research.

I'm also a STEM ambassador and volunteer with the national working group for paediatric GI motility investigations.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

The variety of my work - one day I can be in the office presenting results to my colleagues in a multidisciplinary meeting and planning a child's ongoing care, and the next I'm on the ward performing multiple different procedures on children from babies to teenagers. Even when you think you know what’s going to happen on a particular day, young people always find a way to surprise you.

Tell us about two challenges facing the healthcare sector today.

Across the healthcare service, we're still feeling the effects of the pandemic - in waiting lists, in the availability of beds and in staffing levels. It's important to ensure that current staff are valued, and new staff are recruited and supported in their roles, so we're always able to do the best for our patients.

The changing technological landscape also presents a challenge to healthcare. We're more connected than ever and people expect the NHS to have the best technology available to them. For example, we made big strides toward remote healthcare in the pandemic, but we now need to step back and assess, to ensure that these changes remain positive.

In what ways are your Bachelors and Masters degrees relevant?

My first degree (MEng Engineering) covered a huge variety of engineering topics and I use so much of this background knowledge to support my role. The equipment I use relies on electrical and pressure principles to measure muscles in a relatively non-invasive and pain-free way. The data analysis and statistical training also helped significantly in making the most of my role and enabling me to contribute to our team's research portfolio effectively.

My Masters in clinical engineering, as part of the STP, provided a lot of knowledge in human anatomy and applying engineering principles to the human body that underpins my role.

How has your role developed and what workplace issues are you most passionate about?

My role didn't exist when I started, so it has developed significantly in the five years I've been here. There was just a single consultant performing one investigation every six months and a waiting list over a year long. The service has grown since then and we now see more than 250 patients a year, as well as adding the research, equipment management and teaching components to my role.

I'm passionate about making sure clinical scientists are recognised as an essential part of the workforce - the pandemic has raised awareness of clinical staff beyond doctors and nurses, but there's still limited understanding of the role of a clinical scientist and the wide range of jobs they perform across the healthcare sector.

What are your career ambitions?

I'm currently in the process of applying to join the Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) programme to become a consultant clinical scientist. This involves completing a Doctorate and expanding my clinical skills to become a leader in the paediatric gastroenterology field.

Outside of that, my goal for our service is to keep growing - more staff, more patients, more equipment and more available procedures. The more we can offer in one place, the easier it is for our complex patients to get the care they need in the most connected way with having to be under the care of multiple hospitals.

What advice do you have for others interested in becoming a clinical scientist?

• Explore your options prior to graduation - have a look at the different types of clinical scientist on Prospects, check out the National School of Healthcare Science (NSHCS) website to find out more about the application process, requirements and the different curriculums available. You should also check out NSHCS/hospital open days to see if there's anyone you can talk to in person about the programme.
• Once on the STP, take advantage of being a trainee to discover as much as possible. Ask if you can help on projects in your department, talk to other trainees on your stream to see if you can visit their departments and always be open to taking new opportunities.
• Always be kind - you can learn all the skills to perform your role, but it's much harder to learn how to manage people. Patients are often frightened and worried - they don't always understand why a test is happening, or what the end result will be, but as long as you are kind and patient with them, their experience will be a more positive one.

Find out more

• Explore the role of a clinical scientist (physiological sciences).
• Consider other graduate jobs in healthcare.
• Read about the NHS STP.