Is Biomedical Science worth it?

If you want to work as a biomed scientist you have to work your way through the NHS. This takes time and is hard work. Getting the degree doesn't guarantee you a job. Generally you can do pretty much anything that uses your transferable skills.

Reply 2

Sandra1

Original post by SHBKhan

I am set to take on a Bsc in Biomedical Science this year, with the placement year it is approved by the HCPC with the sandwich degree it is also IBMS accredited. Will there be many opportunities for me as a Biomedical Scientist and what career opportunities will I have in general? Is the course? Are jobs mainly lab based?
Thank you.

Yes you can do many things with the degree...

Teaching- secondary,college or even become a lecture
Work in various labs research,pathology,microbiology the list goes on
Transfer to other courses audiology,nursing,medicine,pharmacy,optometry
Also can become a manager in these labs
You can also own your own lab if you want

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Reply 3

UCLScienceMan365

9

yes i agree with alleycat393 and Sandra1

I did Biomed Sciences at UCL (which is not IBMS accreditted) and it is giving me a lot of options within biological/medical/scientific research in general; but also in teaching; and in clinical lab practice as a 'biomedical scientist' (via NHS or private)

As for you, many options/careers choices which are available, and if you are interested in specific things, commit to these and work hard (in terms of your studies and practical work experience) - youll then be more likely to get the jobs you want

best wishes

Reply 4

UCLScienceMan365

9

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(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 5

A fair bit if false information in this page already.

The below info is directed at becoming a registered BMS.

The IBMS accreditation of a degree simply means, as far as it matters, that you will be eligible to complete a HCPC portfolio for registration of as a BMS. Without your registration it is actually illegal to call yourself a BMS, even if you have a BMS degree.

You do not have to work your way up if you have your registration, a registered BMS is eligible for a band 5 bms role. Without registration you will start at band 2.

I severely recommend the NHS practioners training programme. It is a degree that will gear you the best to become a BMS, hence why it was created by the department of health.

Reply 6

Original post by TraineeBMS

A fair bit if false information in this page already.

You do not have to work your way up if you have your registration, a registered BMS is eligible for a band 5 bms role. Without registration you will start at band 2.

Not sure what you're referring to with regards to false information. I appreciate that there are some things that one is eligible to apply for with certain qualifications but the reality is that not everyone with those qualifications will be able to successfully apply so having options is always good. Everyone has to work their way up the career ladder in their chosen profession and NHS biomeds are no exception.

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(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 7

Original post by alleycat393

Not sure what you're referring to with regards to false information. I appreciate that there are some things that one is eligible to apply for with certain qualifications but the reality is that not everyone with those qualifications will be able to successfully apply so having options is always good. Everyone has to work their way up the career ladder in their chosen profession and NHS biomeds are no exception.

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Mainly the working your way up.

Of course, that is the route if you decide to do a degree that doesn't involve HCPC registration as you will have to enter via a Band 2 role and gain registration.

The PTP is designed to allow graduates to enter at Band 5 and it does that as such. Haematology at the hospital I am at have just hired their PTP student as a full-time BMS. He hasn't worked his way up to the Band 5 role in the way I believe your post read in terms of gaining a Medical Laboratory Assistant role first. Of course, beyond that then it does come down to working your way up.

Working your way up from an MLA was, until recently, the only option. The PTP was designed to remove this since, as Microbiology at my hospital are having this issue at the moment, they hire an MLA with a degree and within 12 months they've left for a BMS role. It lead to an incredibly high staff turnover and they cannot turn away them simply because they have a degree because within the NHS they use a scoring system during the interviews that doesn't allow it.

Reply 8

Original post by TraineeBMS

Mainly the working your way up.

Of course, that is the route if you decide to do a degree that doesn't involve HCPC registration as you will have to enter via a Band 2 role and gain registration.

The PTP is designed to allow graduates to enter at Band 5 and it does that as such. Haematology at the hospital I am at have just hired their PTP student as a full-time BMS. He hasn't worked his way up to the Band 5 role in the way I believe your post read in terms of gaining a Medical Laboratory Assistant role first. Of course, beyond that then it does come down to working your way up.

Working your way up from an MLA was, until recently, the only option. The PTP was designed to remove this since, as Microbiology at my hospital are having this issue at the moment, they hire an MLA with a degree and within 12 months they've left for a BMS role. It lead to an incredibly high staff turnover and they cannot turn away them simply because they have a degree because within the NHS they use a scoring system during the interviews that doesn't allow it.

Right I think you've missed the point of my posts and are taking them a bit literally. Yes there are subtle differences between the degrees in terms of when you complete your portfolio and what band/role you can enter the NHS (I expect the OP to have worked this out for themselves because it can be done by doing just a basic Google search). Either which way having a degree doesn't guarantee you a job and you will not stay at that band/role for the rest of your life. You have to work your way up! And if you're unsure of what you want to do after your degree we always advise that you do something broader (I.e an accredited biomed degree in this case) rather than something specialist and somewhat vocational in this case so you can explore your options and develop your interests. It's great that you're such an advocate for one career path and know so much about it but others offering different perspectives are not 'wrong'. At the end of the day the OP will hopefully weigh up their options and do what's best for them.

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Reply 9

Original post by alleycat393

Right I think you've missed the point of my posts and are taking them a bit literally. Yes there are subtle differences between the degrees in terms of when you complete your portfolio and what band/role you can enter the NHS (I expect the OP to have worked this out for themselves because it can be done by doing just a basic Google search). Either which way having a degree doesn't guarantee you a job and you will not stay at that band/role for the rest of your life. You have to work your way up! And if you're unsure of what you want to do after your degree we always advise that you do something broader (I.e an accredited biomed degree in this case) rather than something specialist and somewhat vocational in this case so you can explore your options and develop your interests. It's great that you're such an advocate for one career path and know so much about it but others offering different perspectives are not 'wrong'. At the end of the day the OP will hopefully weigh up their options and do what's best for them.

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Doing the HCS route does not limit you to that career as the modules are practically the same as a BMS course.

Reply 10

Original post by TraineeBMS

Doing the HCS route does not limit you to that career as the modules are practically the same as a BMS course.

Not quite. We teach an IBMS accredited biomed course and it's very different from some of the healthcare science courses I've looked at. It's much broader for a start and there's more basic science than the more applied healthcare science courses.

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Reply 11

Original post by alleycat393

Not quite. We teach an IBMS accredited biomed course and it's very different from some of the healthcare science courses I've looked at. It's much broader for a start and there's more basic science than the more applied healthcare science courses.

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For a correct comparison you need to conpare them at the same uni. Look at Bradford for example who run both, the year 1 and 2 modules are identical.

Reply 12

Original post by TraineeBMS

For a correct comparison you need to conpare them at the same uni. Look at Bradford for example who run both, the year 1 and 2 modules are identical.

This really is a pointless argument. Every uni will do it differently within the remit of the accreditation and what they're trying to achieve. I think the OP has their answer regarding what they can do with either degree.

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Reply 13

Sandra1

Original post by TraineeBMS

A fair bit if false information in this page already.

The below info is directed at becoming a registered BMS.

The IBMS accreditation of a degree simply means, as far as it matters, that you will be eligible to complete a HCPC portfolio for registration of as a BMS. Without your registration it is actually illegal to call yourself a BMS, even if you have a BMS degree.

You do not have to work your way up if you have your registration, a registered BMS is eligible for a band 5 bms role. Without registration you will start at band 2.

I severely recommend the NHS practioners training programme. It is a degree that will gear you the best to become a BMS, hence why it was created by the department of health.

Tbh not everyone wants to work in NHS lab alot of i know people who study bms want to work in private lab or industry lab which don't urge you to have completed the portfolio.They are likely to allow you to complete the portfolio whilst your working there if you want.However these private labs have to be registered and approved.

Don't get me wrong it would great to have the portfolio and will make life much more easier too.

Remember guys its not a must to work in the NHS plus they pay poorly 🤔

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(edited 7 years ago)

Reply 14

Original post by Sandra1

Tbh not everyone wants to work in NHS lab alot of i know people who study bms want to work in private lab or industry lab which don't urge you to have completed the portfolio.They are likely to allow you to complete the portfolio whilst your working there if you want.However these private labs have to be registered and approved.

Don't get me wrong it would great to have the portfolio and will make life much more easier too.

Remember guys its not a must to work in the NHS plus they pay poorly 🤔

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Yes, if you are adamant that you do not want to work in the NHS, registration is unnecessary, of course. However, the PTP programme, as you seem to understand, does not rule out a non-NHS route, it is just some extra work to allow it to be an option. It also wouldn't exactly look bad on a CV, your portfolio proves your competency as a BMS.

Many go off to various careers, even non-science careers from a BMS degree.You can go work in private labs yes, not as a BMS since BMS is a protected title and you have to be HCPC registered to use that title, but a similar job.

Reply 15