Physiology: Career areas

A 2012 HESA survey of 2011 graduates indicates that six months after finishing their course 44% of physiology graduates were in UK or overseas employment, with a further 7.8% combining work and further study.

Of these, over a quarter had gone on to work as scientific research, analysis and development professionals, 7.4% in associate professional and technical occupations and 7% had taken posts in the health sector. An additional 5.6% were working as commercial, industrial and public sector managers and the same figure as business or financial professionals. 15.9% were working in retail or catering or as waiting or bar staff.

There are three main ways you can use your physiology degree in a graduate job:

• directly - in a scientific, biomedical or related role, where your physiology knowledge and skills are essential;
• indirectly - where having scientific knowledge and specific skills, such as numeracy or data interpretation, are useful (examples include management consultancy, chartered accountancy or information science);
• in a non-scientific job where graduate qualities, such as intellectual ability, planning and organising, and teamworking skills, are essential.

Where are the jobs?

The major scientific employers of physiology graduates are:

• research centres and academic institutions;
• pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies;
• the National Health Service (NHS) - see NHS Careers  (specialist areas include cardiology, audiology, neurophysiology, critical care, respiratory physiology and gastro-intestinal (GI) physiology);
• private sector hospitals, medical centres and healthcare organisations.

The armed forces also employ clinical physiologists. For more information see Army Jobs .

Non-scientific employers include:

• management consultancies;
• law and accountancy firms;
• banks and other financial institutions;
• retail companies.

Most opportunities are available throughout the UK, although corporate headquarters and the larger pharmaceutical companies tend to be in the South of England. Biotechnology companies often appear in clusters, such as in Nottingham, Edinburgh and Oxford.

For an insight into other job sectors see:

• teaching and education - includes a range of careers within higher education, including administration and research;
• health and social care - covers careers in hospitals and other health settings;
• science and pharmaceuticals - covers careers in industrial, academic, hospital and public laboratories.

For further information on possibilities in other employment areas, see job sectors. 

Statistics are collected every year to show what HE students do immediately after graduation. These can be a useful guide but, in reality, because the data is collected within six months of graduation, many graduates are travelling, waiting to start a course, paying off debts, getting work experience or still deciding what they want to do. For further information about some of the areas of employment commonly entered by graduates of any degree discipline, check out What Do Graduates Do?  and your degree...what next?