Module Gynaecological Ultrasound

Program Overview

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Gynaecological Ultrasound

Course Overview

The overall aim of this module is to enable you to develop a thorough knowledge and understanding of the fundamental anatomy and physiology the pregnant (early pregnancy – below 10 weeks) and non-pregnant female reproductive system and the theoretical principles and applications of the routine imaging techniques applied to this area.

Course Details

• Location: Lancaster
• Duration: Part-time, 1 Year
• Start date: November yearly
• Entry Requirements: Programme specification (PDF)

Programme Delivery Update

We have adopted an online ‘blended’ learning approach to teaching on the ultrasound programme and our modules are taught in block release. Our suggestion is therefore that you are given this time by your placement to access the learning materials and tutorials on the scheduled module dates/times in a location that is best suited for you to learn, e.g. in a suitable quiet location at your placement site, or at home.

Most modules will have an element of live virtual tutorial type sessions using Blackboard Collaborate or Microsoft Teams, which you will be expected to engage with. You will need a suitable laptop or PC with speakers and a webcam and adequate internet access/broadband speed to work remotely on-line. Some modules may also have a campus based clinical skills element to the teaching.

The delivery of your modules may vary from tutor to tutor, module to module, so please always follow the guidance of your module leader and module Blackboard site. Please understand this approach to module delivery is new to us as well, so please try to be patient and understanding, we are doing our very best to ensure you remain supported throughout your learning.

Module Elements

Year one

• HMSU7065 Gynaecological Ultrasound (Theory)
• HMSU9065 Gynaecological Ultrasound (Clinical Practice)

(Please note both elements must be studied together)

Programme Specification

Programme specification (PDF)

Assessment, Feedback, and Teaching and Learning methods

Full details are available in the programme specification.

Timetables

The teaching timetable should be available from the end of August. Access to the timetable is through the Student Hub – you will be able to access the Student Hub after you have completed online registration. The teaching day is 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday; please keep your other commitments open until confirmation of your teaching timetable, and bear in mind that many courses will offer placements or fieldwork which sometimes extends into the evenings and weekends.

Entry Requirements

• 1st or 2nd class honours degree in a science or healthcare subject.
• Students with other qualifications may be admitted to the course, please contact the Enquiry Centre for further details. Accreditation of Prior Learning (APL) may be considered for relevant prior learning at the same academic level.

Selection Criteria

• This module is only available for stand-alone study, where applicants can prove underpinning relevant previous study, such as an existing CASE accredited ultrasound award from this or another UK academic institution or successful APL against the minimum core modules for PGCert.
• You must have organised and secured access to a suitable clinical placement, mentor and patient case load for a minimum of 15 hours per week, for the duration of the module. If your placement is terminated for any reason, the university cannot assist you in finding another placement. If a suitable clinical placement cannot be found in these circumstances, you will be required to withdraw from the course.
• Applicants should be eligible for registration by their respective UK professional or regulatory body e.g. Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC), General Medical Council (GMC), Nursing & Midwifery Council (NMC), Society of Vascular Technologist (SVT). You will also need to provide one reference in support of your application, from the department offering a clinical placement who can confirm your suitability to train in ultrasound.
• Overseas students can only be considered if they are able to secure a suitable placement in the UK or Ireland. Regretfully the university are unable to assist in this process.
• You will be required to pass an element of pre-course assessment, carried out in the department sponsoring you. It is the sponsoring department’s responsibility to facilitate this assessment and this will be carried out to ensure that you show an aptitude for Ultrasonography. You will need to undertake a preliminary practical assessment to demonstrate the relevant psychomotor skills such as hand-eye co-ordination, pattern recognition and spatial awareness. The assessment will be of an informal nature, carried out by experienced practitioners in your clinical placement, who will then provide a written reference to confirm your suitability.
• Before being accepted onto the course, all applicants will be interviewed, usually by telephone. Interviewers from the course team will, amongst other attributes, be looking for a commitment to further study, an understanding of content and standard of the course and interpersonal skills.

Application Information

Applications should be made online directly to the university via the apply button above. If you need more details or guidance, please contact the Enquiry Centre. There is no official closing date but we would encourage you to apply as early as possible, as many courses are competitive.

We like all our applicants to demonstrate an understanding of what the role of a sonographer involves and a clear rationale for applying for this award. Applications cannot be considered without a suitable clinical placement being secured. This must be in place before commencing the course.

Please email a completed copy of the pre-course checks document to accompany your application to the Enquiry Centre.

Student Finance

We have a wide range of scholarships, bursaries, grants and funds available to support you throughout your studies with us. This includes the Cumbria Bursary - a non-repayable bursary designed to support first year students with a household income of less than £25,000.

Fees

The tuition fees for CPD and short courses vary based on the intensity and length of the course. Visit our finance page for more information.

Resources and Facilities

We officially opened our high-tech ultrasound skills hub, one of the largest installations of its kind in the world, last year.

The skills hub is equipped with revolutionary ultrasound simulators which will enable students to gain basic skills by experiencing lifelike, hands-on training before entering the busy clinical environment of sonography.

With a UK-wide shortage of sonographers being identified by the government, this half million-pound project was funded jointly by the university and a grant from Health Education North West.

The University of Cumbria has responded to the sonography workforce gap by expanding its portfolio of ultrasound courses to meet the needs of an increasingly pressured health care system. This advanced virtual-reality technology has facilitated the provision of a new accelerated route to a medical ultrasound postgraduate degree, aimed at students from non-clinical health and sciences backgrounds.

Emma Timperley (24), from Lancaster is one of this first cohort of full time postgraduate sonography students at the university. She says:

“My first degree was in biomedical sciences, but this postgraduate course will allow me to become a trained sonographer in two years. I had the opportunity to use this new technology for a few weeks before going out on my first placement and it’s been invaluable.

It not only gives you a real feel for the orientation of the ultrasound, but also provides all the basic information about anatomy that you need at this stage.”

Professional lead for medical sciences at the university, Charles Sloane, says:

“Students at the University of Cumbria are very fortunate to have access to this world-leading ultrasound skills development facility”.

“It will enable us to help address the shortage of sonographers that currently exists and ensure patients can continue to access the services they need to get a quick diagnosis of potentially life-threatening conditions, such as cancer.”

ScanTrainer, created by MedaPhor, is a specialist ultrasound skills training simulator made using ‘real feel’ technology which gives students a chance to learn what it feels like to carry out a real-life scan, preparing them for what they’ll experience in a clinical environment. In addition, its ‘virtual tutor’ technology means students are in control of their own learning, both in and out of class time.

Iain Dunbar, International Sales Manager at MedaPhor, comments:

“The new skills lab signals that the ultrasound education industry in the UK, and across the world, is finally responding to the demand for sonography skills as ultrasound grows in popularity as a diagnostic modality. The university’s approach is truly pioneering and we are delighted to be at the forefront alongside them.”

The new ‘Ultrasound Skills Hub’ at the university’s Lancaster campus was officially opened on 17 March 2016 by the then university vice chancellor Professor Peter Strike. An audience of invited guests from the healthcare professions was also given a demonstration of the new scanning equipment by postgraduate students.