Non-Accredited Biomedicine degree

I can confirm that having to take the top-up modules is hassling indeed. Just a note though, you only need IBMS accreditation if you are planning to work in the NHS or in a hospital. You don't need it for research or industry. As for the transfer process, I will defer to @PQ and @Admit-One, who are much more knowledgeable about this than I am.

So, sleep_supremacy is mostly right. A biomedical science degree doesn't make you a biomedical scientist (odd, but true). Biomedical scientist is a protected title in the UK. It means that calling yourself a biomedical scientist and/or doing the job without being on the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) register is against the law.

To get HCPC registration as a biomedical scientist you need a certificate of competence from the IBMS. Which means you need an IBMS accredited degree or a degree they have signed off on. I've never (in almost 20 years) seen a case where the IBMS signs off on a non-accredited degree without top-up modules.

If you think (or know) that you want to be a biomedical scientist as a profession, then switching now seems more sensible. If you think you'll want to go into research / graduate entry schemes / industry etc, then it's not an issue.

Top-up modules is a relatively straight forward process - you apply to the IBMS, map your degree against their requirements, and then do the modules they require to get accreditation. However, you then have to study in your own time, and pay for it when student loans are no longer available. Looking at the University of Westminster, it's currently £1500/module which is a lot.

Depending on your current course, you may not have to do the whole first year again. I'd look at what they call 'accreditation of prior learning' and you may need to spend 3 years, but not do it full time in the first one. (Then I would recommend finding your local hospital and applying to their staff bank as a medical laboratory assistant so you can get work experience and be paid for it.)

I’m currently in my first year of undergraduate Biomedicine at UEA, just started in September of 2023, come to find out it is not accredited by the IBMS and I have just found out about the massive costs of the top-up modules I will very likely need to undertake. Initially after finding out about the lack of accreditation I didn’t think it’d be a big deal, especially after speaking to my lecturers who all assured me that it’s a straightforward process, but after reading about the costs and the hassle i’ve decided that transferring universities might be a better option for me. I was wondering how I should go about this in terms of student finance, and the whole process of transferring because I believe i’d have to transfer onto a Biomedical science course as a first year again in order to not risk having to do any top-up modules.

Thanks in advance.

Thank you so much for this, I feel like I’ve just had the worst anxiety about it and all of a sudden been thrown completely off track realising the reality of studying this course. I’ve now been looking into the STP and considering possibly going down the clinical scientist route if I was to remain study of the non-accredited course at UEA, but I know this would be super competitive.

I have been told by lecturers that they are working on having an additional Biomedical science course approved, which would be an accredited version of the course I’m currently studying. I’m definitely still very confused but feel as though I need to make a decision quickly considering it’s quite late into the academic year and I’m not sure if another university would consider my transfer at a later point. But ideally i’d like to wait until UEA get a decision on implementing an accredited version of the Biomedical science course. I’m so lost🫣🫣🫣

I’m currently in my first year of undergraduate Biomedicine at UEA, just started in September of 2023, come to find out it is not accredited by the IBMS and I have just found out about the massive costs of the top-up modules I will very likely need to undertake. Initially after finding out about the lack of accreditation I didn’t think it’d be a big deal, especially after speaking to my lecturers who all assured me that it’s a straightforward process, but after reading about the costs and the hassle i’ve decided that transferring universities might be a better option for me. I was wondering how I should go about this in terms of student finance, and the whole process of transferring because I believe i’d have to transfer onto a Biomedical science course as a first year again in order to not risk having to do any top-up modules.

Thanks in advance.

Can you tell me about your interview?before you accept ?

So, if they are 'working' on getting a course approved, it could mean that they will be ready for September, it could be several years. I wouldn't hold out for it when you are considering your own future.

Also, to be quite blunt - your university lecturers are not giving you impartial advice. They (and the UEA rep above) are correct, you can convert later (at your own cost) or go down other routes. But, your university lecturers have a vested interest in you staying because if you leave it's unlikely the year 2 space, and the £9k that you pay will be replaced.

If you decide the right thing for you is to stay, then fantastic. But do it because it's right for you and get properly impartial advice from careers advisors or similar.

The STP is a route, but clinical scientists and biomedical scientists are not the same role (I am both) and so it's not a replacement. Biomedicine also isn't the best degree to get onto the STP. It's doable, but harder and some STP specialisms are very competitive.

Biomedical science is a weird one because most other healthcare related degrees don't have non-accredited options and they all lead to directly to professional registration. But yes. I would have a look at different career paths and see which one you are interested in going for. Then decide if switching and having the IBMS accreditation option is needed for you.

But - to push again - get that advice for you. Not from those who make money out of you. Because you'r the one who has to live with the outcome.

Thanks so much for all the info. I’ve booked in a guidance meeting with a careers advisor and hopefully will get this all sorted shortly. I’m feeling much more confident now and I know what kind of questions I’ll ask😊