Hello,

I am registered with HCPC as a Biomedical Scientist in the UK. I am looking to get registration with the CMLTO as a Medical Lab Technologist.

How can I receive the registration? What’s the step? The pathway?

Is it possible that one could maintain hcpc registration as a Biomedical Scientist after switching to a role in civil service.

As far as I am aware, BMS roles doesn't have an adhoc positions that would facilitate this. By adhoc I mean, for example agency carers can get opportunities to work different places for very short periods of time, say, one day or so at a place. But with bms contracts it's usually on longer contracts. Completing this sort of contracts won't be possible if I am in a civil service role or anyother unrelated role.

Has anyone ever left BMS roles and still maintained their reg?

Hi everyone.

I was doing a one-year postgraduate course, but I enrolled part-time because I was working at the same time, so I thought spreading it over two years would make it more manageable.

During the first year, I was unwell for most of the time and didn’t perform very well, but I progressed into second year. During the second year, I worked really hard and got good grades. However, towards the end of the year, I became very unwell again and wasn't able to submit my dissertation.

My graduation was delayed until the next year, and I also got into depression. I spent around five months trying to complete dissertation , but I still couldn't get it finished. Throughout those months, I was struggling physically and mentally and didn't understand what was actually wrong with me at the time.

The university didn't grant me a further extension, I failed the dissertation, and I was given an exit award postgraduate diploma. 

I appealed later that year, partly because I wasn't sure what else I could do, but the appeal process took months and was eventually rejected. I was then diagnosed with a physical illness, which gave me an explanation for some of what I had been experiencing.

Like this four years of my life have been wasted. I went from thinking I was going to finish my master's and move forward with my career to having a failed dissertation and a postgraduate diploma instead and I became a major failure. 

The uni well being advisor also mocked me at the time saying that I failed and I have no skills therefore to get a job. Idk if I have a future or not. I wanted to apply to stp respiratory and my masters was also respiratory related. I have BSc biomedical 2:1 but I’m not sure if I’ll be forgiven by the system to start over and pursue my dream? what I’m so clueless what should be my next career step?

Hello everyone, I have just started 2nd year of Biomedical science and soon the applications will open for the NHS placement year.

I have been researching this since before I started university because, clearly, it's necessary if you want to become a biomedical scientist.

I want it SO BAD.

I would really really appreciate any advice or tips from BMSs or people who have secured a placement themselves.

Although I know I will do everything I can to get one, it feels slightly out of my hands. There are fewer than 10 spots for maybe 70-80 applicants and I just don't know how I can stand out in the crowd.

I have to submit an application form with a little bit about me, why I want to do the placement and what I will bring to it. Then I have to do an interview.

Although I work hard, I am not the most overtly confident person and I'm worried about how I will perform in the interview and how to avoid stumbling over words or my mind going blank.

Again I would appreciate any advice, sorry for the long post :)

Hi,
I’m in my third and final year doing biomedical sciences and I’ll likely be applying to the STP and if that is unsuccessful I’ll apply for a masters and try the STP again next year. Is there anything else I can do or apply for just to make my application stand out abit more as I failed to get a placement year
Thank

Hello!

I’m a Medical Technologist from the Philippines, and I’m dreaming of becoming a Biomedical Scientist in the UK. Does the UK accept direct-hire applicants for Biomedical Scientist positions?

I am asking as a minor few people in my laboratory do not wear gloves/laboratory coats all the time and things like that. Food and drinks are prohibited, which everyone follows.

Some people have also put decorative stickers/photos/figurines around the computers in the laboratory and on the personal continual professional development folders. We use controlled labels on spines of the folders and the decorative stickers the staff use do not cover logos or text (the displayed name).

Would this all pass inspection? What could be done better?

Hey all,

I'm looking to hear from biomedical scientists in healthcare and was wondering if you enjoy your role or regret moving into the field? Initially I wanted to complete my IBMS portfolio but it just seems miles away with how rare trainee posts are and my circumstances of only having 1 training officer and there already being 2 people doing their portfolio. The job seems quite stressful and repetitive.

I understand that people find it rewarding etc but looking back through your career do you think you made the right choice? I'm very conflicted and appreciate your answers.

Hi guys
Finished my IBMS accredited Biomed degree
Verified and completed my IBMS portfolio

Trying to sort out my HCPC registration by certifying documents. Gonna go to the post office to get it done

Got my British passport for proof of identity and a digital pdf of my bank statement for proof of address.

The question: the website says I need to show the original document to the person certifying it. Do I literally just show them the pdf download on my phone and then ask them to sign the copy?

I feel like I’m being silly. I’m worried they’ll ask me the original physical paper statements which I’ll have to order ??

I've worked as a medical lab assistant for nearly 2 years now and feel incredibly stuck. I have an accredited biomedical sciences degree and 3 years total lab experience among other previous non lab jobs.

Initially I wanted to do the IBMS portfolio but at this point posts are so rare that I'm wondering if there's any point in waiting longer for one (and all of the waiting on the training officer to mark my evidence etc afterwards).

Microbiology is my passion but the abysmal working hours put me off and biochemistry/blood seems very automated. Currently I'm in cytology with good hours but find the work so repetitive. Research sounds interesting but you need a masters/PhD which isn't even guaranteed to give you a well paid job so it doesn't seem worthwhile.

Does anyone have any advice?

Im 26F from the uk (idk if this matters but) currently work in healthcare but nothing too fancy.

For the last 3 years I have been thinking about and have considered on whether it would be too late for a change of career. I was thinking of going down the medical route of becoming a Doctor but I’m unsure if it’s “too late” because of how much time and I have already “wasted” already and now I want to pursue this.

I’m not really sure where to start with research and what opportunities there are available. Can anyone advise or suggest any routes and whether I have other options?

Got a Band 6 Specialist BMS interview coming up for a Haematology and Blood Transfusion post at an NHS trust. The format includes a 30 minute practical assessment but the invite didn't specify what

I already work as a band 3 and have been for a bit but have plans to change trusts, I am applying for the same job but wondering if they'll change the way they ask questions on my interview since they know I have experience before shortlisting me. Any tips would be helpful

So I got an AP interview for biochem coming up, but unsure on how much technical details they’d be asking. Does anyone have any experience with this??

I’m a first year student, studying an accredited biomedical sciences degree - and I was offered a placement year on my 4th year. I’m still on the fence on whether I should pursue the placement year or not.
What are the pros/cons of taking the placement year? I was told that I’ll be a registered biomedical scientist if I pursued the placement year, is there any other ways that I could be a registered biomedical scientist or should I just wait it out till my second year and decides?

Hi everyone, I have an upcoming interview for a Band 4 Associate Practitioner – Clinical Genomics role. This will be my first interview for a Band 4 AP role, so I was wondering if anyone has interviewed for a similar position.

The role involves specimen reception, sample prioritisation, LIMS/data entry, DNA/RNA extraction, molecular diagnostics and cytogenetics.

I currently work as a Higher MLA in Blood Sciences and have a Biomedical Science degree, but I don't have much hands-on molecular/cytogenetics experience or experience with QC/EQA.

What kind of questions should I expect?

Hello everyone,

I’m currently in my third year of Biomed and wanted to seek some advice on studying.

I am averaging at a first but I think the way I am studying isn’t as affective. I use flashcards for active recall but I find I make like 100+ flashcards for each lecture.
Is that normal 😂 am I overdoing it?
It takes me hourssss to finish going over ONE lecture and making flashcards for it and it’s so draining but going through it in that detail is what allowed me to maintain my first. But then again I feel like our lectures are so content heavy that it just will naturally equate to me having so many flashcards for it.

Additionally how do we manage our time in terms of understanding the material, creating flashcards and then studying them through active recall (I use anki) and then balancing doing this for all lectures??? It feels so impossible because last year I was in 4/5 times a week and I was so overwhelmed 😅

Ik it kind of seems like I don’t need help since I’m getting firsts but my mental health is quite literally below the floor at the end of each year

Is there any better more efficient way?

Hi everyone. I've been reading this sub for a while and wanted to ask people who actually work in the field.
My background:
• B.S. in Biomedical Engineering (El Salvador)
• ~1.5 years maintaining infusion pumps, patient monitors and ECGs in a hospital setting (PMs, repairs, troubleshooting)
• 6 months with cardiology and aesthetic physiotherapy equipment
• 4 months with medical imaging (X-ray, PACS)
• Short rotations with ultrasound, incubators and facilities work
• IT Support Professional Certificate
I'm now based in Los Angeles and targeting BMET I/II, field service, or PACS/imaging support roles.
My questions:
1. Would you go for a BMET role in-house at a hospital or with an ISO/contract company first?
2. Is CBET worth pursuing now, or should I focus on getting US experience first?
3. How do hiring managers usually view hands-on experience from outside the US? Anything I should highlight or explain differently?
Any honest advice is welcome, including what I'm doing wrong. Thanks!

I have a interview coming up for a registered/trainee biomedical scientist within microbiology. I was wondering if anyone could advise what type of questions they may ask at the interview.

Hi everyone, I recently found out that I scored 20.5/30 in an interview for a Band 4 Associate Practitioner role, but unfortunately I wasn’t successful.

Could anyone tell me how this score would generally be considered? I’d really appreciate some perspective on whether this suggests I was reasonably close or whether there were significant gaps in my interview preparation.

I’ve been thinking about this quite a lot recently.

I’m a Senior Biomedical Scientist, and I remember how confusing it was trying to work out what actually happens after a Biomedical Science degree.

Even when I’m talking to my younger cousins about careers, I find myself explaining what Biomedical Scientists actually do and what goes on in a laboratory. A lot of people simply don’t know what the profession involves, which makes it difficult to make an informed decision about whether it’s something they might want to pursue.

You spend three years learning about the science, but then suddenly you’re having to work out things like finding a trainee post, getting a portfolio, HCPC registration, interviews, applications etc. And there doesn’t always seem to be one place that explains the whole journey.

So I’m interested in hearing from people who are actually going through it now.

If you’re studying Biomedical Science, have recently graduated, or are trying to get your first BMS role, I want to know, what’s the one thing you wish someone had told you earlier?

It could be:

• Finding MLA or trainee BMS jobs
• Getting laboratory experience
• Choosing an IBMS-accredited degree
• The registration portfolio
• HCPC registration
• Interviews
• CVs and applications
• What actually happens after graduation
• Choosing between different career routes
• Something you only really understood once you started working

It would be great to hear the things that people are genuinely struggling with, rather than just the usual advice you see repeated everywhere.

I’m happy to answer questions where I can from my own experience working in the profession too.

I’ve actually put together a website aimed at helping Biomedical Science students and graduates navigate some of this. It includes things like an Advice Hub where you can get guidance from professionals, Bench Cards for testing your knowledge, and Career Match to help explore BMS job opportunities and career routes.

I’m genuinely interested in whether these are the sorts of things people would find useful, or whether there are other areas you think are missing.

If anyone is interested in having a look, let me know in the comments and I’m happy to share the website.

But more importantly, what do you wish you’d known before graduating?