Routes through the programme — Higher Specialist Scientist Training programme

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There are two routes through the HSST programme:

Route 1 – physiological sciences, physical sciences and clinical biomedical engineering, clinical bioinformatics
Route 2 – life sciences

All trainees must demonstrate an achievement of the curriculum learning outcomes, but the means by which this is documented and assessed are different.

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Mastery of scientific content

Route	Assessment components	Assessment tools	Administrative responsibility	Component weighting
1	Professional doctorate (PD)	As required by the HEI provider of the PD	HEI	100%; must pass either the PD or FRCPath to receive the Certificate of Completion for the HSST from the NSHCS
2	FRCPath, with an option to take selected, or all, components of the PD	FRCPath	RCPath

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Mastery of clinical skills, values and behaviours

Route

Assessment components

Assessment tools

Administrative responsibility

Component weighting

Workplace-based assessment (WPBA)

Demonstration of scientific and clinical skills

Evidence of activity in the workplace submitted for assessment in the e-portfolio.

NSHCS Independent Assessment of Professional Skills (IAPS)

Workplace,
recorded and assessed in the
e-portfolio and monitored by NSHCS.NSHCS in collaboration with Medical Royal Colleges (MRCs) and Professional Bodies (PBs).

100%; must have a satisfactory portfolio of evidence of activity from the workplace showing that all of the HSSR SOPs have been met, and either gain a ‘pass’ in the NSHCS assessment or FRCPath to receive the Certificate of Completion for the HSST from the NSHCS.

WPBA

FRCPath

Evidence of activity in the workplace submitted for assessment in the e-portfolio.

FRCPath

Workplace,
recorded and assessed in the
e-portfolio and monitored by NSHCS.RCPath

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Contribution to innovation

Route	Assessment components	Assessment tools	Administrative responsibility	Component weighting
1	Innovation in Clinical Science (ICS) project	Innovation Proposal report and presentation to a lay panel.	MAHSE and NSHCS in collaboration with employers, MRCs and PBs.
2	Contribution to innovation, service improvement, patient safety or quality management in healthcare science	Complete full research project, if not using previous PhD or FRCPath Part 2 as exemption	MAHSE and NSHCS in collaboration with employers, MRCs and PBs.