University lecturing (NHS professional) - how?

Miss_Moneysaver

Hi,


I have, next year, 20 years experience in my profession within the NHS and I have been thinking of trying to get a lecturing post/or something related to the course of interest. I was approached by a university many years ago, via management, who asked if I would do some teaching but I felt that I didn't have enough experience so I didn't do it. Nowadays, I feel like I could and would like to 'get into' this area rather than progress into management within the NHS.


Is anyone on here a lecturer (NHS background)?


I have a Masters and I am thinking of doing a part time PGCE (HE). I still work in the NHS and, I presume, will have to carry on to keep my name on the HCPC register. I would like to do both.


I am lucky that I live within commuting distance of 3 universities that offer the course for my profession.


Any ideas/help would be great.

agrinnall

The good news is that you don't need a teaching qualification to be a University lecturer, so there's no necessity to do the PGCE.

I would make some sort of informal contact with the relevant heads of department at the local universities to see what they think your prospects would be. They may be able to offer a self-employed role that would allow you to carry on with your current NHS job.

GwylimT

My wife lectures nursing students before they start placements on cancer wards. She was a nurse herself, but during her own time at university while studying her masters she used to run non health related lab practicals. Just doing that got her foot in the door.

Voyager2002

Informal contact with the relevant departments is the way to go... that should get you a few hours per week of relevant teaching. You would not be self-employed but would be on the payroll as a part-time employee with tax and NI deducted...

Incidentally, there is now a system of training in teaching methods for HE, but this is through the Higher Education Academy rather than a PGCE. This is something that might well be offered for you to do in your 'spare time' along with the offer of some teaching.

Note that this is unlikely to lead to a full-time position as a university lecturer: that is a different career path, founded on a PhD, where getting a job and getting promotion depend quite strongly on your research record. While there are a few 'teaching only' lectureships, these tend to be unusual and offered on poor terms.

shortcrust

I'm an AHP in the NHS and our local uni department email us with suitable vacancies. They also ask us on a fairly regular basis to help out with things like interviewing, open days etc. I guess it's just a case of forging links. Get in touch and express an interest and keep an eye on uni websites for vacancies. You'll probably find you already meet the criteria for lots of positions.

Sandy75

I second informal networking with the academic department. They will have public lectures etc which you could use to meet academics and, over time, perhaps raise the possibility of guest lectureing or something.

Miss_Moneysaver

Thanks everyone. You have given great advice. I will see what I can do :-)

Paully232000

Miss_Moneysaver wrote: »

Hi,


I have, next year, 20 years experience in my profession within the NHS and I have been thinking of trying to get a lecturing post/or something related to the course of interest. I was approached by a university many years ago, via management, who asked if I would do some teaching but I felt that I didn't have enough experience so I didn't do it. Nowadays, I feel like I could and would like to 'get into' this area rather than progress into management within the NHS.


Is anyone on here a lecturer (NHS background)?


I have a Masters and I am thinking of doing a part time PGCE (HE). I still work in the NHS and, I presume, will have to carry on to keep my name on the HCPC register. I would like to do both.


I am lucky that I live within commuting distance of 3 universities that offer the course for my profession.


Any ideas/help would be great.

We have quite a few people in our university who do some clinical hours and have kept their HCPC/NMC registration. In addition, some lecturers registration is kept up to date through full-time lecturing so you can do it both ways.

I would second what others have said, make connections with local universities (does your trust have connections with them already that you could use). Again, our university has connections with the local health board which I have used to do the PhD I am currently undertaking, so that might be an option.

I first started lecturing through doing a few hours visiting lecturing, as a favour for someone I know, and built it up like that. Started by doing a few days, and then working up to full modules, marking essays, and then dissertation supervision and marking.