BioGrad Education’s Clinical Skills course is an intensive, hands-on introduction to the essential skills and knowledge used across modern clinical practice. Covering a wide range of skills used across healthcare careers, from emergency care and phlebotomy to specialist hospital wards, this immersive 5-day course gives students the opportunity to explore how clinicians assess, investigate and manage patients in different clinical settings.
From history taking, life support and airway management to blood tests, ECGs, cardiovascular and respiratory examinations, cannulation, ultrasound, suturing and fracture care, students will develop a broad range of practical clinical skills under the guidance of experienced doctors and clinicians.
Designed to provide an authentic insight into the medical world, the course combines clinical theory with practical workshops, roleplay and simulated patient scenarios. Students will build confidence in assessing patients systematically, understanding clinical investigations and applying their knowledge to a range of medical presentations.
Clinical Skills provides an exciting introduction to the breadth of skills involved in assessing and caring for patients. Throughout the week, students will explore acute and emergency presentations alongside core areas of respiratory, cardiovascular and abdominal medicine.
Practical sessions include history taking, Basic and Advanced Life Support, CPR, airway management, blood tests, arterial blood gas analysis, venesection, IV and IO cannulation, ECG recording, blood pressure measurement, cardiovascular and respiratory examinations, abdominal ultrasound, biopsy training, suturing and plaster casting.
Sessions are delivered by experienced doctors and clinicians, giving students the opportunity to learn directly from healthcare professionals while gaining insight into different roles and career pathways within medicine and healthcare.
The Clinical Skills course runs from 9:30am – 4pm for 5 consecutive days on campus at The University of Chester. Teaching is delivered in small groups to ensure students receive close supervision, support and plenty of opportunities to practise.
All students receive their own scrubs and stethoscope to use during the week and take home afterwards.
All of our 5-day courses for 16–19 year olds can also be used as a Gold DofE Residential. Photos will be taken during practical sessions and shared with students after completing the course, providing useful content for building a professional LinkedIn presence and demonstrating their interest in medicine. Students can also opt for a personalised reference from one of our senior doctors, which can be sent to a member of staff at their school or college to support future university applications.
This course is ideal for students aged 16–19 who are interested in medicine, healthcare and clinical practice.
It is particularly suited to students considering careers in medicine, nursing, paramedicine or other allied health professions, as well as those who want to gain a better understanding of what working in a clinical environment involves.
The broad nature of the course also makes it ideal for students who are interested in healthcare but have not yet decided which pathway they would like to pursue. By experiencing emergency medicine, practical clinical procedures and core medical specialties, students can develop a broader understanding of clinical practice while gaining valuable experiences to discuss in university applications and interviews.
Day 1: History Taking, Life Support & Respiratory Medicine
Begin the week by learning how clinicians approach and assess patients. Students will explore structured history taking alongside Basic and Advanced Life Support and airway management before applying these skills through practical sessions.
Students will practise history taking through roleplay and perform CPR using training dummies. The afternoon introduces pulmonary anatomy, peak flow testing and respiratory examinations, helping students understand how clinicians assess the respiratory system.
Skills Covered:
Day 2: Blood Tests, ABGs, Venesection & Cannulation
Explore the different types of blood tests used in clinical practice and understand the role of arterial blood gases in assessing a patient's respiratory and metabolic status.
Students will then develop practical procedural skills through venesection before exploring different methods of medication administration and practising intravenous and intraosseous cannulation.
Skills Covered:
Day 3: Cardiovascular Medicine, ECGs & Trauma Management
Develop an understanding of the heart and cardiovascular system and learn how clinicians assess cardiovascular health. Students will practise taking blood pressure, recording ECGs and performing a cardiovascular examination.
The afternoon introduces the ABCDE approach to assessing acutely unwell patients before students explore its application in trauma management.
Skills Covered:
Day 4: Acute Abdomen, Ultrasound, Wounds & Suturing
Explore a range of acute abdominal presentations including appendicitis, diverticulitis, gallstones and testicular and ovarian torsion.
Students will practise abdominal examination before using ultrasound to explore abdominal structures and developing experience in biopsy techniques. The day concludes with wound assessment and a hands-on suturing workshop.
Skills Covered:
Day 5: Trauma, Fractures & Casting
The final day focuses on trauma and musculoskeletal injuries. Students will explore chest, abdominal and head trauma and develop an understanding of how these presentations are assessed in clinical settings.
The afternoon introduces different types of fractures before students gain hands-on experience applying plaster casts to stabilise injuries.
Skills Covered:
During this 5-day course, students gain practical experience and develop an understanding of a broad range of clinical skills, including:
Time is provided throughout the course for students to develop a proper understanding of each skill, with opportunities to revisit and practise techniques where additional support is needed.
BioGrad is an Approved Activity Provider for the Duke of Edinburgh’s Award. This course may be used as your Duke of Edinburgh Gold Residential Award, which can be signed off by the course leader on the final day.
Please provide your Duke of Edinburgh Award number on your registration form at the time of booking your course.
Students using this course as their Gold DofE Residential must stay in the on-site student accommodation. Please note that the course fee does not include accommodation.
Accommodation MUST be paid at least 28 days in advance of course commencement.
Find out moreThe cost of this course is £1200
You can reserve your place on this course with a deposit of just £300.00 if you are booking more than 28 days in advance. The remaining balance is due four weeks prior to the course start date
You can also choose to pay for this course in 6 instalments if you are booking more than 26 weeks in advance, or 12 instalments if you are booking more than 54 weeks in advance
Student accommodation is available on campus at The University of Chester where BioGrad Education 2027 summer schools are hosted.
Students attending summer school courses can select accommodation at the time of booking your course, the confirmation email sent after booking will contain a link for you to pay for your accommodation (at least 28 days prior to course commencement.)
Please note, accommodation is not included in the course fee. Student accommodation is available at a rate of £250 per week (5 nights, checking in on the Sunday prior to your course and checking out on the Friday your course finishes.)
Each student will receive their own private, single occupancy bedroom in either a flat or house, shared exclusively with fellow BioGrad Education summer school students. Facilities such as living space, kitchens and bathrooms are shared with a small number of fellow students.
See our accommodation page for more details
University of Chester
University of Chester, Chester, CH2 1BR
This course lasts for 5 days
9:30am - 4pm
Sorry, we don't have any of these courses planned at the moment in the next academic year.
