Jocelyn Pryce, IBMS Head of Registration and Training, looks at career pathways and qualifications after registration.
As progression within the profession of biomedical science becomes more competitive, so too will the necessity for further qualifications after registration.
The Education Team here is often asked for guidance on career pathways and the value of the different approaches to specialist qualifications – academic or professional. In this short article, I thought I might remind you firstly that the IBMS provides a selection of qualifications across the various career pathways in biomedical science and that there is an appropriate qualification for each step of the way.
We promote the Certificate of Achievement for our support staff, the Pre-Registration Portfolio for those wishing to register with the HCPC, the Specialist, Higher Specialist, Advanced Specialist and various Diplomas of Expert Practice for those post-registration biomedical scientists wishing to enhance their knowledge and advance in their careers. Further details can be found on the IBMS website.
Occasionally we are approached for advice on the value of postgraduate academic qualifications and, again, these have a place in many career pathways.
More recently we have been asked about the value of Professional Doctorates within biomedical science.
Professional Doctorates are recognised internationally, have been available in the UK since the 1990s and provide an alternative to the traditional PhD route. They are carving a place in the biomedical laboratory because they require an original piece of research that is driven by real-life issues which affect the profession. Their value is in identifying problems within biomedical science and investigating these. Depending on the area researched, the outcomes can facilitate major changes and affect the wider profession.
Typically they take between three and six years and are undertaken as part-time study, because they allow the student to gather data while working and are driven by need. The candidate constructs a thesis and, at the end, this will be rigorously examined by an expert. Candidates who have undertaken these qualifications invariably find that their confidence increases, benefitting both the individual and their organisation, they achieve subject expertise and a better developed understanding of context, expand their network and more freely share best practice across a wider audience. In this respect, they are no different to many of the Institute’s qualifications.
The commitment required for a qualification of this type is equivalent to that of a PhD, however, due to the research area being based on professional issues, it can enhance career and professional experience too. They are, of course, costly and require a significant investment in a member of staff, both financially and in terms of other resources. Therefore, it is imperative that commitment is required not only from the candidate but from senior management too.
It is disappointing that many highly qualified individuals in our profession do not receive the recognition they deserve when universities seek to recruit to their academic staff. However, the route to academia via a Professional Doctorate may help to overcome this barrier and enhance the academic teaching of biomedical scientists through a combination of professional experiences and academic research gained “on the job”.
For more information, visit ibms.org/qualifications