Biomedical Science/Pathology funding (undergrad)

satankidneypie

Hi does anyone know if you can get any NHS funding for the above degree course. Any other funding even? I cant get a student loan as I've already done a degree.

I've looked on the NHS bursary website and its doesnt say explicitly. Im not sure how to take the "other medical".

Has anyone done this course or know about the funding system? I'd ideally like to go to Durham.

MrsManda

What precisely is the degree?
If it's a normal Biomedical Science BSc it's not an NHS funded course.
Depending on what your existing degree is you may be able to transfer credits to the OU and do your degree that way. Funding for OU degrees is different to that of other universities so you may be able to get some funding through them.
Plus as it is distance learning you will be able to work whilst studying to top up your income.

Impet_Limpet

To work in an NHS lab as a registered biomedical scientist you MUST do a degree course accredited by the institute of biomedical sciences (IBMS) Durham is accredited.

You can get funding for the course only if you apply and get a student biomedical sciences post within the NHS, these are far and few between nowadays (I just did a national search on NHS jobs and there's none!), but are great if you get one because you work full time and go to university on day release. The advantage of this is rather obvious (pay and you get to start working towards your HPC (Health professions counil) registration.

I was originally studing (self funding) for a biomedical sciences degree part time while working in pathology as a medical laboratory assistant 4 days a week. It depends on how much you want to do it and if a student/trainee post does pop up you may have a chance!

There is a possibility that some credits for your previous course may count (depending on what it is).

The OU is great but not suitable for BMS work as there is very little relevant laboratory time now and is more likely to require significant post qualification study to need IBMS requirements.

satankidneypie

My initial degree is a BSc Hons in Music Technology. I got a high 2.1. I dont think that much would be relevant to the Biomed course. I work as a music technician, so I've actually put it to good use. But if im truthfull I dont find the job rewarding and it doesnt stretch me enough. There is no room for promotion, so I basically fancy a career change. When I was at uni last time I really enjoyed the more scientiffic aspects of the course (theres quite a bit on physics and the auditory system).

I fancy doing some lab work but I have no idea how to get into it? Virology looks very interesting from an outside perspective.

(Impet Limpet) Do you have any ideas how to get into lab/pathology work? I wouldnt actually mind funding the degree myself If I was working in the feild, as its probably easier to understand the career path that way.

glider3560

satankidneypie wrote: »

(Impet Limpet) Do you have any ideas how to get into lab/pathology work? I wouldnt actually mind funding the degree myself If I was working in the feild, as its probably easier to understand the career path that way.

If you know someone who works in a lab or at a hospital, they may be able to arrange a short period of unpaid work experience for you.

I assume you have A-Level Biology (and presumably Chemistry)?

Char_pdc

satankidneypie wrote: »

I fancy doing some lab work but I have no idea how to get into it? Virology looks very interesting from an outside perspective.

The lab work environment is, in my experience, very different from other work environments. I would also second getting some experience working in a lab before you start, so you can see if you are suited to this environment

satankidneypie

glider3560 wrote: »

If you know someone who works in a lab or at a hospital, they may be able to arrange a short period of unpaid work experience for you.

I assume you have A-Level Biology (and presumably Chemistry)?

No I dont. But I'm in the process of working out how to rectify this situation. Even if I can get into a Uni on "alternative" qualifications, I dont want too, I want to have a level playing field if/when I started a degree.

When I left school I done an Advanced Modern Apprenticeship in Engineering

satankidneypie

Char_pdc wrote: »

The lab work environment is, in my experience, very different from other work environments. I would also second getting some experience working in a lab before you start, so you can see if you are suited to this environment

In what respects? I think it would be foolish to enter any profession without having a taster, work is an environment you have to attend most days, so from my perspective I'd want to enjoy it.

I have 2 friends that work in Labs. One lives a hundred miles away and is a Hemetologist, one lives in the USA and has a high profile job prior to which she was working at Stamford Uni. They are both really similar, black humour, no desire for a family. Is that what you mean?

I've done the following and this is what I thought.
Engineering - Killed my brain, 99.9% of people in this industry I despised.
Handy Man - I liked the fact I didnt have to come into contact with people often, killed my brain too. But it was a means to end (student job)
Sound Engineer - My favourite job, loved the creativity, urgency and pressure. Didnt like the amount of people that people that tried to blag that job (they soon disappeared). I didnt mind working nights, but I didnt enjoy working constant nights. Working self employed was less than amusing (amount of folks trying not to pay your fee).
Music Technician - Its OK, just not very rewarding. No promotions etc. I find working in the public sector quite strange, for instance if at another company we needed to order something you could get it in a few days if you followed proceedure. But in this college it can take 3 months (thats without mistakes).

Back on topic. Yeah i'll ring around some hospitals and ask if i can do some work experience. Thanks for the advice.

DizzleUK

My story...

I'm 33, spent most of my working life in retail, ended up hating it and wanted a career change.

Last May I found a job at my local hospital as an Assistant Healthcare Scientist (aka Medical Laboratory Assistant), a band 2 position that requires only GCSEs. The work is in the Clinical Chemisty section of the Pathology department. There are 7 sections within the Pathology lab here...

Clinical Chemistry
Haemotology
Microbiology
Immunology
Histology
Blood Transfustion
Cytology

My section is something akin to working in a factory environment. Blood samples are received from GPs and are barcode labelled by a team and the accompanying forms are entered onto the computer system. Some samples are spun, separating the serum from the red cells. The samples are then loaded onto specialist analysing equipment. The work is repetitive, and urine and stool samples are handled also, but you learn so much about different illnesses, treatments, drugs and therapies etc.

I enjoy my job immensely. The other AHCS's are a varying bunch. There are middle-aged women who do the work simply for the money. There are others who work full time and are working on their own (self-funded) degrees in Biomedical Science, and there are one or two others who have their degree funded entirely by the trust. They work full time and do their degree as Distance Learning, and are allocated a half day of study time each week.

Other staff are working on NVQ 3, and NVQ 4, also funded by the trust. You need to be working there for a year first though.

It is worth pointing out that due to the government's austerity measures, a lot of the education funding has been reduced recently, but there are still some opportunities.

If you want to start at the bottom (at any age) and have an aptitude for the job, there is no reason why anyone can't work their way through the qualifications until they become a fully qualified BMS and beyond.

I will be one of these people.

If you don't have a degree in Biomedical Science, then my suggestion is finding one of these posts (starting salary is now £13,903) and proving your worth and working your way up.

Impet_Limpet

Randomly have you ever fancied working as an audiologist? It's a branch of healthcare sciences, which is still distantly related to your previous degree. (Some hospitals also have staff that work as assistant practitioners in audiology).

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=231

Definitely get some work experience in whatever discipline you choose. Consider not just the NHS but vet labs, food testing laboratories, or water (that's how I started in lab work).

You can write to or contact NHS laboratories and ask to spend some time with them, bear in mind that it's possible you may not get to do any "hardcore" lab work due to the nature of the samples (it's pretty difficult having to explain that a sample needs retaking because it was accidently destroyed!)


I've found histology and microbiology most interesting as you get to "see" more - cultures grown on plates, biopsies etc, but each discipline has it's merit and we would benefit from seeing each of them that Dizzle has mentioned above.

Impet_Limpet

Here's an indicator of payscales and roles
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=237


Also I was browsing the OU website yesterday. It depends on what level you are aiming for in the NHS but there are more foundation degrees that they offer to enable you to progress to band 4 but you must be supported by your employer.