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Current and future students need to consider employability throughout and even at the start of their higher education studies to increase their chances of success upon graduation and further.
96.4% of our students and 87.4% of our apprentices progress to professional or managerial employment or further study within 15 months of graduation.
Our programmes help our learners to develop knowledge, skills, and attributes that they can apply to make themselves highly employable in a flexible and dynamic labour market.
We have extremely strong connections with our local NHS Trusts and community health providers, and vacancies are shared through their teaching teams.
Our School Director of Employability, working with MyCareerCentral, provides coordination of student employability and career management activities and resources, facilitates employability within the curriculum and develops School contacts with employers and alumni for the benefit of our students.
Every October we host an Annual Health Careers Fair where our learners can connect with national employers, discover interactive stands, and explore roles, specialties, and career paths.
Current students have access to a wealth of online employability resources via our online school blackboard site, where events and initiatives are shared with students for their involvement.
These pages give you an insight into employment options by profession upon graduation, to help you focus on your employability skills at an early stage in your studies. They include career outlines, careers services at UEA and guidance on what regional and national employers can offer you.
As a researcher you will plan and conduct research projects to increase the body of scientific knowledge on health related topics.
In health this covers a broad range of topics and your own interests may be shaped by your undergraduate degree or clinical background. Working as a research assistant after graduation is a good way to gain some experience in the field and consider the area of research you would like to specialise in. If you want a long term career in research you will need to do further study. Initially this could be an MRes or a longer PhD. A typical day in the life of a researcher is varied, including collecting data, analysing results, attending meetings and presenting the findings of your research.
To get the most out of your research you need to have a curious mind, be able to present a good case for your research and have a thorough working knowledge of the different research methods at your disposal. After completing a PhD you can apply for research positions in higher education although these are often on short term contracts. There are also research positions in industry and the charity sector. Another popular option is to apply for a lecturer post which will include a teaching element. Find out more using the links below:
My Career Central has resources on applying for a PhD
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Don’t just take our word for it that a career in healthcare is a great opportunity with excellent prospects: hear from some of our graduates on life beyond university and their aspirations for the future as a healthcare professional.
What does life look like after graduating from Health Sciences at the University of East Anglia? For many, the transition from student to healthcare professional marks the start of a fast-paced, rewarding, and deeply impactful career.
No two days are ever quite the same. Early mornings might begin with a handover on a busy hospital ward, a community visit, or preparing for a clinic list. The knowledge and skills developed at UEA—clinical reasoning, communication, and compassionate care—quickly become part of everyday practice, guiding decisions that make a real difference to patients’ lives.
Former students often find themselves juggling a wide range of responsibilities: delivering patient care, collaborating with multidisciplinary teams, keeping up with ongoing training, and adapting to the ever-changing demands of the healthcare environment. It’s a role that requires resilience, empathy, and confidence—qualities that were shaped throughout their time at university.
But the experience goes beyond the clinical setting. Whether it’s building relationships with colleagues, supporting patients through challenging moments, or celebrating small wins at the end of a long shift, being a UEA Health Sciences graduate is about applying what you learned in meaningful, human ways.
In our “A Day in the Life” series below, we explore how UEA graduates turn their education into action—highlighting the realities, challenges, and rewards of life on the front line of health and care.
