Operating Department Practice with Foundation Year
Operating department practice is the allied health profession whose practitioners, known as operating department practitioners or ODPs, work as core members of the surgical team. They provide specialised care during the three phases of a surgical procedure: the anaesthetic phase, in which they assist the anaesthetist in preparing and supporting patients; the surgical phase, in which they work as a scrub practitioner alongside the surgeon; and the recovery phase, in which they monitor patients as they emerge from anaesthesia. The role demands both technical competence with complex medical equipment and the ability to remain calm and effective in high-pressure clinical environments.
At Birmingham City University, this full-time, four-year programme with integrated foundation year prepares you for registration as an operating department practitioner. The foundation year builds the scientific knowledge, analytical skills, and clinical awareness needed for degree-level study in an allied health profession, making the programme accessible to students who are strongly motivated to enter healthcare but who need additional preparation before the main degree. As the programme progresses, you will develop a comprehensive understanding of perioperative care, anatomy and physiology, pharmacology relevant to anaesthesia and surgery, and the technical skills of anaesthetic and scrub practice.
Clinical placements are integral, placing you in real surgical environments throughout your training. The typical entry tariff is 120 UCAS points.
Operating department practitioners are employed across NHS hospitals, independent surgical centres, and military healthcare, in roles spanning anaesthetic practice, surgical scrub, recovery, and increasingly in extended practice roles including advanced airway management and regional anaesthesia. The profession offers strong employment prospects given the essential role ODPs play in every surgical team. Career progression leads to senior ODP, team leader, advanced practitioner, and educator roles.
Postgraduate study in advanced clinical practice is available for those who wish to develop further.