Health and Wellbeing
If you’re passionate about caring for people and making a difference to people’s lives - then a career in healthcare could be for you. The range of jobs within healthcare goes beyond doctors and nurses – there are opportunities for accountants, chefs, software designers and more.
There are 269,900 people currently working in the healthcare in scotland. Between 2021 to 2024, a further 28,000 people will be needed to fill job openings.
At UHI
- Our BSc Nursing offers exciting placement opportunities in a wide range of hospital and community settings across the NHS Highland and NHS Western Isles areas
- Our BSc (Hons) Optometry programme – one of only two in Scotland - is aligned to the requirements of the General Optical Council (GOC) and provides clinical placements across all years of study, helping to consolidate learning and enabling early and continuous exposure to real patients
- You can study our BSc Oral Health Science at state-of-the-art training units at the Centre for Health Science in Inverness, Dumfries Dental Centre and Western Isles Dental Centre in Stornoway, Isle of Lewis. On successful completion of the course you will be able to register with the General Dental Council as a dental hygienist and dental therapist

Emily MacNeill, BSc Adult Nursing
“ I have gained so much experience working on medical, surgical and rehabilitation wards at the Western Isles hospital. I have been out with the community nurses and have had placements in a local care home and hospice. Our class is quite small, so we are all close and always help each other if anyone ever needs it. If you’re thinking about it just go and do it. Although I was worried at the start of the course that I wouldn’t be able to manage, I’m now in my third year and it has been an incredible experience for me. ”

Laura Gordon, BSc (Hons) Integrative Healthcare
“ I progressed from the HNC and HND Complementary Therapies to the degree and as its an online course with two residential weeks, I am able to continue in self-employment as a Complementary Therapist. The course content is relevant and wide-ranging and the enthusiasm and passion of the teaching team is inspiring. It takes time to adapt to online learning but once you get yourself in a routine it is much easier to manage. I would like to integrate with primary care in my local area receiving referrals from healthcare professionals. My particular area of interest is mental health. ”

Kyle Anderson, BSc Oral Health Science
“ I'm now beginning my last 6 months as a student and am both excited and a little apprehensive of going back out into the world. I wouldn’t have got through the last 3 years had it not been for the support of the teaching and support staff. This university has given me the opportunity to advance my career in a comfortable, relaxed location linking in through VC to the Highlands and Islands. I have loved every part of my 3 years as a student on this course and the university has given me the confidence to know I can do more and be more. ”

Aniéle Viljoen-Steele, BSc (Hons) Psychology
" I won the Citation for Excellence Award from the British Psychological Society for my dissertation which explored positive psychology and tourism at an outdoor winter festival. By continuing with my PhD studies here, I’m helping to shape this young university’s reputation and contribute to changes that may benefit residents. For the next three years, I will be working on the project: ‘Physical Activity in Older Adults with Visual Impairment.’ The Studentship is funded by the European Social Fund and Scottish Funding Council as part of developing Scotland’s workforce in the Scotland 2014-2020 European Structural and Investment Fund Programme with additional part funding from the University of the Highlands and Islands. ”