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Biomedical scientists are responsible for carrying out a number of different laboratory and scientific tests on human tissue and fluid samples to help clinicians diagnose, treat and manage a vast array of diseases and disease processes.
Our work as Biomedical scientists covers many medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, Immunodeficiency related disease and diseases that require regular monitoring and emergency tests for blood transfusions to name but a few! In fact nearly 80% of clinical diagnoses involve Pathology.
Biomedical scientists are generally non-patient facing, and can specialise in one of the four following areas:
As a Biomedical scientist, you will work within a team alongside other healthcare workers, support workers, doctors and nurses. Working as a team you will ensure that each patient sample is received, processed and reported within a timely and accurate manner to ensure the best possible result for the patient.
Some of your main duties as a biomedical scientist include:
Generally, you will need to complete a BSc (HONS) degree in Biomedical Science accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). IBMS accredited degrees can be offered full-time, part-time, sandwich and integrated.
You will also need to be registered with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC).
As a biomedical scientist you can progress from:
Healthcare / Biomedical Scientists have extremely variable roles, depending upon the department that they work in and their specialism.
In some areas of Pathology the work is very manual with Biomedical Scientists preparing chemicals, handling samples and using microscopes. In other areas, the processes are highly automated and the Biomedical Scientists use their skills to interpret vast amounts of data as well as monitor and maintain extremely complicated equipment. Other areas are combination of these activities.
At the end of the day however, whichever department we work in and whatever our specialist role, we all know that helping to make a fast and accurate diagnosis for each and every patient we test will improve their chance of a successful treatment and happy outcome.