About This Course
Recent developments in prehospital care and retrieval medicine within the UK have led to the creation of unique roles for prehospital practitioners, involving advanced practice beyond that offered by traditional responders (for example, ambulance and paramedics).
The aim of this programme is to provide a robust academic framework for individuals who are training to become an advanced practitioner in rotary aviation medicine. The course covers both prehospital care and retrieval, including the management of critically ill patients requiring level 3 inter-hospital transfer. It is intended for experienced healthcare professionals who wish to formalise and develop their practice, and will require learners to develop within credible practice settings.
The course is intended to be challenging, and will require learners to demonstrate proficiency in targeted clinical assessment, rapid diagnostics, therapeutics, and clinical management in the prehospital environment. In addition, learners will require to be proficient in assisting with the management of level 3 patients, which means a need to demonstrate knowledge and skills in invasive ventilation, invasive haemodynamic monitoring and support, and interpretation of investigations.
Course Content
What will you study on this course?
Core modules include:
- History –taking and consultation skills
- Physical Examination and Diagnostics
- Core elements in prehospital care
- Retrieval Medicine (1)
- Retrieval Medicine (2)
Intended Programme Outcomes:
- An in-depth knowledge and understanding of specific issues at the forefront of theory and practice in students’ professional fields related to prehospital care and retrieval medicine;
- Mastery of the techniques of critical appraisal and scholarly enquiry to create and interpret new knowledge in the forefront of their professional field;
- Establish a broader perspective on clinical practice taking into consideration the wider and dynamic context/environment of prehospital care
- Effectively articulate the principles and concepts of prehospital care and retrieval medicine;
- Demonstrate higher levels of professional judgement with an enhanced appreciation of evidence-based practice relating to this area of care;
- Establish creativity, initiative and personal responsibility for continued educational, professional and research practice;
- Acquire the transferable skills and qualifications relevant to progress towards their proposed career pathway;
- Demonstrate the capacity to integrate subject-specific knowledge relating to anatomy, physiology and advanced practice skills
- Provide a level of critical thinking that develops and advances new ideas within their professional field with particular attention to the transferability of applied knowledge and skills within their chosen field or discipline;
- Demonstrate an ability to undertake advanced clinical reasoning in their professional field synthesising theoretical, empirical, professional and ethical perspectives;
- Demonstrate an ability to critically reflect on practice and to exhibit self-awareness;
- Demonstrate higher levels of thinking when challenging and questioning different sources of information
- Develop transferable skills commensurate with the professional requirements relating to HEMS;
- Mastery of the complexity of developing new knowledge in relation to advanced clinical skills commensurate with HEMS practice and management;
- Adopt high-level skills in identifying and enhancing personal and professional leadership capacity;
- Critically review and evaluate their personal ability to act as a member of the team and to promote inter-professional collaboration
Modules for the current academic year
Module listings are for guide purposes only and are subject to change. Find out what our students are currently studying on theAdvanced HEMS Practice MSc Modules page.
Course content is for guidance purposes only and may be subject to change.
Entry Requirements
Admission by undergraduate degree class:
- A 2.1 or 1st class degree is required. If you have a 2:2 degree, your suitability will based on your personal statement and reference.
- We welcome applications from mature students.
Also,
- Strong references and personal statement
- Evidence that you will have access to clinical attachments to complete core course elements.
- Confirmation from a hospital (e.g. Health Board Honorary Contract, letter from a Departmental Lead Clinician) that the you will be allowed to attend theatres/ICU to complete key critical care elements of the programme.
- Confirmation from an air ambulance service that you will have access to a clinical attachment of sufficient duration to complete key prehospital elements of the programme.
The employer’s letter of support is likely to fulfil one of the above criteria)
If selected, you will be asked to attend an interview by University academic personnel and Clinical Staff to confirm candidate suitability.
Careers
Within Wales
The Emergency Medical Retrieval and Transfer Service (EMRTS) Cymru is a unique collaborative venture providing critical care in the prehospital environment and during interhospital transfers. The service is supported by NHS Wales, and by the Wales Air Ambulance Charity.
The response model involves a mix of consultant delivered care, and care delivered by Critical Care Practitioners (CCPs). EMRTS CCPs are committed to a programme of advanced study, supported by a competency framework covering the full range of assessment and treatment in the prehospital and retrieval environment.
This programme is being developed specifically to support the requirements of EMRTS Cymru.
Outside Wales
We expect that a practitioner with this qualification will be in a competitive position to apply for employment in any HEMS service in the UK and abroad. HEMS practice is in a situation of active development currently, and employment opportunities for well-trained practitioners are numerous, but competitive.
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*The year of entry refers to the academic year in which the course begins rather than the calendar year. E.g. a course with a March 2025 start date will be shown as 'March 2024/25 Entry' because the academic year starts in September making 2024/25 the relevant academic year. Similarly, a course with a January 2025 start date will have 'January 2024/25 Entry' because 2024/25 is the academic year of entry for that course.