Sophie Smith

Why did you choose to study at the University of Birmingham?

I chose to study at UoB due to its excellent reputation, close proximity to home and more importantly previous positive experiences of myself and friends. I had completed standalone modules before undertaking this MSc and had always found the teaching great.

What made you choose your course, and what interested you most about the subject?

Having worked as a nurse for the past 10 years, I wanted to progress clinically and the MSc in Advanced Clinical Practice is allowing me to achieve that. I currently hold a Trainee ACP role in cardiology, and the course is providing me with the academic framework and grounding to support my advancing role. It's an interesting course and includes elements of leadership, education and research alongside clinical modules.

What do you enjoy most about your course?

The thing I'm currently enjoying most about the course is meeting fellow students and sharing experiences. Coming from a range of backgrounds and roles, it's very interesting to exchange knowledge and support each other through the masters journey! I really have made friends for life.

How would you describe the teaching, learning environment, and support from your lecturers?

The university utilises a range of learning styles including lectures, interactive case study groups and online sessions. I've enjoyed the variety and have found it particularly helpful in the clinical modules to have the time working in smaller groups after lectures, putting the theory into practise using case studies.

How has your course helped you develop the knowledge and skills you'll need for your future career?

The course has put a real emphasis on helping us to achieve 'masters level' work, focusing on developing our critical appraisal and writing skills to a higher level. This has been helpful to meet requirements in our job- for example, where working at a higher-level calls not only for using evidence based practice, but critiquing the quality of the evidence to justify its use when making clinical decisions. The course has also provided knowledge and skills from a clinical perspective, including interpretation of a variety of imaging required by many practitioners across the healthcare setting.

What are your career goals after graduation, and how has your course prepared you to achieve them?

After graduating, I will be able to progress up the career ladder as a qualified band 8a Advanced Clinical Practitioner within my speciality. I'd love to stay within the cardiac speciality and drive service improvements within heart failure and palliative cardiology. The course has provided me with a variety of skills to advance my career, including leadership and management capabilties required for managing a team or advancing quality improvement projects. I would recommend UoB to anyone who is considering a masters in Advanced Clinical Practice!