Medical Statistician Level 7 Apprenticeship Scheme

Help Protect Apprenticeship Funding

Please help us protect accessible access for entry level roles!

Following on from the UK government's announcement to cut Level 7 Apprenticeship funding for individuals over the age of 21, the Medical Statistician Trailblazer Group and PSI are leading a campaign to revoke the changes. 

As part of this campaign we have published two open letters to Baroness Smith (Minister for Skills and Minister for Women and Equalities):

  1. Professional Societies Letter signed by RSS and PSI - click here to view.
  2. Industry Letter signed by Pharmaceutical Companies, Clinical Research Organisations, Charities and Professional Societies - click here to view.

The proposed apprentices funding age cap would block most candidates (since they must first hold a BSc), leaving the majority of prospective students having to take personal loans to afford to study. This would disproportionately affect lower-income students, weaken diversity and inclusion, intensify existing workforce shortages, and reduce the UK’s clinical trial capacity.

We are calling on the government to distinguish between career entry and career progression and continue funding apprenticeships, regardless of age, in fields where an MSc is the minimum qualification for starting a career.   

How can you help?
  1. Sign the petition here and share it with friends, family and colleagues.
  2. Please send the Industry Open Letter to your local MP! An example template letter for your use is available here.

 

Medical Statistician Level 7 Apprenticeship Scheme


The Medical Statistician Level 7 (MSc integrated) Apprenticeship Scheme is an English government-approved programme, which enables BSc graduates to study towards an MSc in Medical Statistics whilst gaining hands-on experience and a full-time salary.
The scheme is currently only available in England. It is not offered in Wales at this time, and possibilities in Scotland and Northern Ireland are under review.

To start an apprenticeship, you must:

  • Be aged 16 or over
  • Live in England
  • Not be in full-time education

How to apply:

  • View current apprenticeship jobs advertised HERE
  • Alternatively, browse apprenticeships advertised on the PSI jobs board

For employers, visit the institute for apprenticeship website for guidance on how to register for an apprentice to join your company.

The apprenticeship is made up of:

  • An Occupational Standard (the occupation, duties, knowledge, skills and behaviours expected)
  • A Medical Statistician assessment plan (how the scheme works in practice and how it's examined)

Both documents are available on the government website above.  

 

 

 

Apprenticeship

 

How does it work?


Through the Medical Statistician Apprenticeship scheme, employers will recruit BSc graduates who would like to study towards a MSc in medical statistics . The apprentice is employed and paid by the employer, who also enrols them onto the scheme through the government website.

The employer partners with a training provider, delivers on-the-job training and allows the employee to complete off-the-job study (at least 20% of the time), with the training provided as agreed in the conditions of the apprenticeship. Funds for training provision are paid for through the apprenticeship levy scheme.

 

Steps to an apprenticeship


- Apply for a role
Find and apply to a Medical Statistician apprenticeship vacancy.

- Get hired by an employer
You’ll be employed full-time and paid a salary.

- Start the apprenticeship
Your employer enrols you with a training provider.

- Learn while you work
Gain hands-on experience, spend at least 20% of your time studying, and work towards an MSc in Medical Statistics.



- Submit interest to training provider

- Recruit an apprentice

- Register the apprenticeship via the government apprenticeship service

- Complete the apprenticeship agreement and commitment statement (for employee, employer, university & examiners)

- Agree fees & payment schedule using apprenticeship levy funds (or co-investment if required)

- Provide on-the-job experience and allow at least 20% off-the-job training


Further information about this scheme, funding and apprenticeships in general can be found at the following links:

 

Contact: Choose your preferred provider by contacting the Strathclyde: louise.kelly@strath.ac.uk (NOTE: list current as August 2023 but check government website for other providers).

Please email careers@psiweb.org if you have any questions. We are able to support a range of topics, including but not limited to, signing up as an apprentice, taking on an apprentice and signing up as an approved provider.

 

Duration of the apprenticeship


Full-time apprentices will typically spend 30 months on-programme before reaching the “gateway” stage. The gateway is achieved once apprentices have completed enough training to start their final project. All apprentices must spend a minimum of 20% of on-programme time in off-the-job training.

Before progressing to the End-point Assessment (EPA), apprentices must have:

  • Met the required occupational standard as confirmed by their employer
  • Completed 120 credits of the MSc in Medical Statistics (the final 60 credits will be attributed to the EPA).
  • Achieved English and Mathematics at Level 2

After the gateway, apprentices complete 2 EPA's, typically within 6 months:

  1. Work based project report with presentation and questioning
  2. Professional interview underpinned by a portfolio of evidence.

You can find more information about these in the expandables below:


Apprentices complete a 4-month project, producing an electronic written report of up to 12,000 words. Employers must provide supervision, resources, and at least 50 working days to support completion. The project is a significant piece of work that has real business benefit.

The project needs approval by the EPA organisation prior to starting, and may be based on:
- A specific problem
- A recurring issue
- A new idea or opportunity

Following submission, apprentices deliver a presentation on their project and outcomes to an independent assessor, followed by questioning. This assessment lasts 45 minutes, typically a presentation of 20 minutes and questioning for 25 minutes, and includes a minimum of 8 questions.


Apprentices submit a portfolio of evidence developed during their training, demonstrating their workplace experience and achievement of the required Knowledge, Skills and Behaviours (KSBs). The portfolio typically contains 12 pieces of evidence.

Evidence sources may include:
- Workplace documentation (such as SAS/R code and outputs)
- Technical writing (including protocols, statistical analysis plans, reports, posters, or papers)
- Sample size calculations
- Study design rationale

Following submission, apprentices take part in a professional discussion with an independent assessor. The assessment lasts 60 minutes and includes a minimum of 6 questions to evaluate competence against the KSBs.

 

Funding options and who is this for?


Apprentices can be new recruits or existing employees.

Employers can you manage the apprenticeship through their government apprenticeship service account, where they can:

  • Select the Medical Statistician apprenticeship
  • Choose a training provider
  • Agree a price and payment schedule
  • Pay for the training and assessment through your apprenticeship service account. 

Note: Funds will enter this account if your company declare the apprenticeship levy to the HMRC. If you aren’t eligible to pay the levy, then with co-investment, you will pay 5% of the apprenticeship costs outstanding balance for that month and the government will pay the remaining 95% up to the funding band maximum. 

Please see the following for more detail around funding: Government guidance on managing apprenticeship funds  and How apprenticeship levies work

 

Recording from a recent apprenticeship webinar


 

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