Senior Biomedical Scientist

International Day of Women and Girls in Science

I am currently a Senior Biomedical Scientist working in Haematology and Coagulation. I’ve been working in this position for the past two years, and have been a biomedical scientist since 2002. 

I am laboratory based so regularly cover the benches, performing both haematology and coagulation tests as well as training staff in these procedures.  The best thing about being a biomedical scientist in haematology is morphology – we get to look at people’s blood down a microscope. For a short moment in time we know something about our patient that nobody else knows. 

A typical day starts with a handover from the night shift and a review of the laboratory’s staffing levels. Our lab offers a 24-hour service so ensuring all shifts are covered is our main priority - we then fit staff training, quality activities and admin work around that. One of the challenges of the role is that when there are staff shortages it makes it difficult to maintain the training levels. 

Writing procedures, designing and performing staff competency assessments, stock control and procurement, external quality assurance, analyser equipment verifications are just a few of my tasks. 

As a senior staff member, I am responsible for investigating incidents and non-conformities, identifying corrective actions and implementing change. I’m also the health & safety representative for my laboratory, which requires regular inspections, audits, risk assessments and compiling safety guidance documents.  

I’m passionate about haematology - passing on the knowledge and skills required for this job is something I feel very strongly about. Training and mentoring new Biomedical Scientists (BMS) is a constant part of our job - if it’s done with enthusiasm then, hopefully, the future scientists will have the same passion for shared learning. 

I studied as a Biomedical Scientist at Wolverhampton University and qualified 23 years ago. I have also done my specialist certificate in Blood Transfusion with the British Blood Transfusion Society (BBTS). While it is possible to get a degree in biomedical science you can’t actually work as a Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC) registered biomedical scientist until you have completed a portfolio of work in a laboratory and presented it to an Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) assessor. Training is an essential part of maintaining our workforce. I was in Birmingham at the City Hospital for my training - this is a regional trauma centre as well as having a specialist haematology service so an excellent place to gain experience. 

After this I came back to Wales to be closer to home and worked in the laboratory at the Princess of Wales hospital for 18 months. I then moved over to the Royal Gwent Hospital where I was until 2011. Following that, I worked at the laboratory in the Southmead Hospital in Bristol until the end of 2022 when I moved to CTMUHB to start my first role as a senior biomedical scientist. 

My advice to any other women or young girls looking to work in this field is don’t give up. This job requires dedication but it’s worth it. If you want a job apply for it. If you don’t get the job, it’s still good experience that will serve you well in your next interview. 

In the future I would like to complete some MSc modules or a higher specialist diploma with the possibility of changing my career path towards that of a clinical scientist.