nhs scientist training programme 2014/15

Hi Aadq, as you say it depends quite a lot on your Trust. The workplace to academic split of 80:20 is more of a guideline. For biochemistry you have a period of 4-5 weeks intensive lectures in Manchester each year which is your main academic learning. You would normally get a day a week for studying, any assignments and also to keep up to date with your online portfolio of training evidence (which is separate from the MSc). Most places will also offer you extra study leave before exams.

Thanks for your reply!

Is it normal to spend this day a week working from home or are you expected to be in the hospital?

I'm going to contact my trust to get more specific info- I just want to a get a feel for other peoples experiences before I say something ridiculous to my employer!!

Reply 1181

Pleiotropic

5

Original post by Aadq

Thanks for your reply!

Is it normal to spend this day a week working from home or are you expected to be in the hospital?

I'm going to contact my trust to get more specific info- I just want to a get a feel for other peoples experiences before I say something ridiculous to my employer!!

It's normally expected that you'll be in the hospital for your study leave, at least according to the guidelines. I've actually found it useful to sit in the duty biochemist office on that day as you actually don't get much clinical experience in biochemistry in the first year and it's interesting to listen in! Usually you'll meet your supervisor before you start and can clarify all of this, most people don't seem to start taking study leave until after Manchester anyway.

Reply 1182

Aadq

Original post by Pleiotropic

It's normally expected that you'll be in the hospital for your study leave, at least according to the guidelines. I've actually found it useful to sit in the duty biochemist office on that day as you actually don't get much clinical experience in biochemistry in the first year and it's interesting to listen in! Usually you'll meet your supervisor before you start and can clarify all of this, most people don't seem to start taking study leave until after Manchester anyway.

Thanks a lot, this has been really helpful

Reply 1183

Optimist.Prime

1

Is there any way of finding out which place within a trust I'm likely to be stationed at?
I've accepted an offer for Sandwell and West Birmingham for Clinical Biochemistry... Currently looking to buy a house with my partner and there's quite a difference between Sandwell General Hospital and Birmingham City Hospital, which are where the Clinical Biochem labs seem to be! :tongue:

Reply 1184

Nat89

1

Original post by Optimist.Prime

Is there any way of finding out which place within a trust I'm likely to be stationed at?
I've accepted an offer for Sandwell and West Birmingham for Clinical Biochemistry... Currently looking to buy a house with my partner and there's quite a difference between Sandwell General Hospital and Birmingham City Hospital, which are where the Clinical Biochem labs seem to be! :tongue:

It really depends on each trust, best bet is to contact them (probably give it a few days as they won't know what trainees they've got yet, at least they didn't know ths quick the last few years) or try to contact a current trainee. It might be that one is your base hospital and you spend time (at least in 1st year on rotatitions) in the other hospitals / possibly hospitals in other trusts.

I'm employed by the Royal Liverpool but spend most of my time at Clatterbridge on the Wirral! The engineers employed by the Royal spend most of their time there but also some time in Owswestry and North Wales!

Reply 1185

BlueSheep32

11

Original post by Optimist.Prime

Is there any way of finding out which place within a trust I'm likely to be stationed at?
I've accepted an offer for Sandwell and West Birmingham for Clinical Biochemistry... Currently looking to buy a house with my partner and there's quite a difference between Sandwell General Hospital and Birmingham City Hospital, which are where the Clinical Biochem labs seem to be! :tongue:

I visited Sandwell General last year & it seemed like they were moving their labs from City Hospital to there, but definitely contact them about it as City is the bigger hospital. I think most Birmingham trainees end up at the Womens' Hospital for the Genetics rotation.

Reply 1186

Optimist.Prime

1

Thanks for the info guys - I've emailed the NSHCS to see if they have any information about it...

Are you suggesting I just phone up each hospital within the trust and ask?

Reply 1187

Optimist.Prime

1

NSHCS told me to wait until my details had gone to my trust and they'll contact me :tongue:

guess I'll have to stop being so impatient!!

Reply 1188

Char29

Original post by Impend

Hi guys, I'm the first year biochemist at Liverpool so feel free to ask me any questions you might have too. Very well done to everyone who managed to get an offer whatever your specialty! Hope you're all happy with your places and that your hard work's paid off!
Has anyone on here been offered the place in Liverpool this time around? Interested to see who's coming in a few months.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Hi, I've accepted my offer at Liverpool for Clinical Biochemistry (my first choice!). Do you by any chance know which hospital I'll be based at?

Reply 1189

Beamish92

I just got an offer for Reproductive Science and I can't believe it! Words cannot describe how happy I am :smile:

I was a reserve, and got an email entitled 'New Offer' and I'm still in shock.

(edited 9 years ago)

Reply 1190

HEPP

Can I ask any of the people currently doing the STP when you started, we have been told September but beginning or end (roughly)? Do the start dates differ by specialism? Do they start when the university term starts or is it down to the trust you're working in. I'm currently finishing my PhD and just trying to get an idea of when I have to be finished by!

Also anyone else on here accepted a genetics place at Bristol, I think there were three going?

Reply 1191

Optimist.Prime

1

Original post by Beamish92

I just got an offer for Reproductive Science and I can't believe it! Words cannot describe how happy I am :smile:

I was a reserve, and got an email entitled 'New Offer' and I'm still in shock.

Congratulations!!! :-)

Reply 1192

Optimist.Prime

1

I

Original post by HEPP

Can I ask any of the people currently doing the STP when you started, we have been told September but beginning or end (roughly)? Do the start dates differ by specialism? Do they start when the university term starts or is it down to the trust you're working in. I'm currently finishing my PhD and just trying to get an idea of when I have to be finished by! Also anyone else on here accepted a genetics place at Bristol, I think there were three going?

I think it's the 1st September :-)

Reply 1193

Rennie

1

My husband just got offered his first choice of genetics at Oxford after being on reserve. So happy for him. At least now we know where we are going and have started looking at areas to live etc.

Reply 1194

Dee.29

Original post by Beamish92

I just got an offer for Reproductive Science and I can't believe it! Words cannot describe how happy I am :smile:

I was a reserve, and got an email entitled 'New Offer' and I'm still in shock.

Congratulations! That's amazing. Well done =)

Reply 1195

00clarky00

1

Hey did anyone get in to micro? Just wondered what background is please :smile:

and congrats!

Reply 1196

Coops12

Original post by Beamish92

I just got an offer for Reproductive Science and I can't believe it! Words cannot describe how happy I am :smile:

I was a reserve, and got an email entitled 'New Offer' and I'm still in shock.

Huge congrats :-D

Posted from TSR Mobile

Reply 1197

Pleiotropic

5

Original post by HEPP

Can I ask any of the people currently doing the STP when you started, we have been told September but beginning or end (roughly)? Do the start dates differ by specialism? Do they start when the university term starts or is it down to the trust you're working in. I'm currently finishing my PhD and just trying to get an idea of when I have to be finished by!

Also anyone else on here accepted a genetics place at Bristol, I think there were three going?

I can only really speak for biochemistry but I actually started at the end of August. I think most people started on the 1st of September and that's what I'd currently be planning for if I were you. The start date is often decided between you and your trust, but it is constrained by the university course dates (I don't know much about when genetics is) and most departments want you to work with them for at least a week before university starts.

Having said that, a lot of people in my year have overlapped PhDs and the course (mostly just the viva but also write ups and paper submissions). If you talk to your supervisor about it when they contact you they are usually very understanding.