The Biomedical Scientist

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The Biomedical Scientist

• Christine Bullmore
• Biomedical Scientist Grade 2

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THE BIOMEDICAL SCIENTIST

• These Healthcare scientists are employed in every
  major hospital in the UK.
• They work in 4 main disciplines
• Haematology/Blood Transfusion
• Histology/Cytology
• Biochemistry
• Microbiology

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The Working Day

• Examination of agar plates.
• Interruptions!
• New work.
• Urgent work.

• Identification and sensitivity testing.
• Phone-calls, inquiries .
• Specimens from all sites cultured/tested.
• Advance warning for rapid culture/staining.

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Skills Required.

• Communication.
• Manual dexterity.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• Computer skills.

• Colleagues,medical staff,G.P.s,other departments.
• Handling samples, equipment.
• Daily deadlines.
• Work on HISS.

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Why do we do it ?

• Job satisfaction.
• Not the wonderful pay!
• A Graduate starts on approx. 16,000.
• The NHS is generally a good employer.
• Redundancy almost never!
• An excellent pension.

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Why I did it.

• Had A Levels ,but not good enough for medicine.
• Rather vague notions of being a scientist.
• Wanted to do something useful.
• Quite liked people.

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Disadvantages!

• Being stuck in the lab.
• Staff shortages.
• Working weekends,out of hours.
• Institutionalisation!
• Not terribly well paid.

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How to become a Biomedical Scientist.

• A Health Professions Council (HPC) recognised
  Degree is necessary for State Registration,which
  is essential to practice in NHS laboratories.
• It is up to the student to find out if his/her
  degree is suitable.
• Top-up of an unsuitable degree may be possible
  with part-time extra study.

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The Future.

• Co-terminus training

• University and lab. Training run together.
• Generic degree
• Multidisciplinary then specialisation.