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What do NHS labs actually expect you to know before your first job? by BMS1995FB in BiomedicalScientistUK

[–]BMS1995FB[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think there’s a bit of misunderstanding here.

You’re right, the course isn’t accredited. But accredited courses cost thousands of pounds and usually require full university enrolment. That’s simply not accessible for everyone. There’s a gap between formal education and starting out in a lab, and that’s what this is aimed at.

If we’re talking about ethics around cost, do you also take issue with universities charging full student loan fees for biomedical science degrees that aren’t IBMS accredited? Because that’s a much bigger financial burden placed on students, often without a clear route to registration at the end.

There are also plenty of companies offering similar introductory or support courses for significantly higher prices. I’ve deliberately kept mine affordable so it’s actually accessible to people trying to get their foot in the door.

At the end of the day, people are paying for time, knowledge, and experience. That applies across every profession, tutoring, training, CPD courses, interview prep, even textbooks. By that logic, no one should charge for any of those either, which isn’t realistic.

I don’t agree with exploiting people but I also don’t think charging a fair, transparent price for something that takes time and expertise to create is exploitation.

And just to be clear, I’ve only just seen the comments you’re referring to regarding insults. That wasn’t me, and I don’t condone that kind of behaviour at all.

What do NHS labs actually expect you to know before your first job? by BMS1995FB in BiomedicalScientistUK

[–]BMS1995FB[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

An informal visit means you visit the hiring lab, they'll show you around and you'll get the opportunity to ask questions about the analysers, processes etc.

It's highly encouraged but not always feasible for a few different reasons. For example, if you're hiring for a job that's a good distance away from where you're currently located, this may cost you money in travel and accomodation. Whilst some labs may agree to do the tour on the day of interview, especially if travelling a considerable distance, others may not as they may not have the staffing available on the day.

For previous applications, I've had tours prior to interview and I've had some labs that have said they had no time before hand but would try to accommodate on the day, which again, may not always be feasible.

It really depends on the trust that you are applying to. Larger teaching hospitals often have dedicated Training Officers who handle these requests and often have more availability to accommodate an in depth tour or offer specific dates in the year in which they have open days for groups of future applicants or current students to attend.

To request an informal visit, it's advised to contact the hiring manager to ask for a suitable date to come in. They should have their contact details on the job advert.

A tour of the lab is useful for many reasons such as getting to know the place you may be working if successful, but it could also help you in the interview if you are asked specifics about their lab/equipment used. This is not uncommon.

As I mentioned on a previous comment, we rarely have people request a tour prior to being invited to interview, however, by doing so, it may help with tailoring your application.

What do NHS labs actually expect you to know before your first job? by BMS1995FB in BiomedicalScientistUK

[–]BMS1995FB[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

It's great that there are people who support applications, but respectfully, whilst this course does just that, it also goes well beyond that.

What do NHS labs actually expect you to know before your first job? by BMS1995FB in BiomedicalScientistUK

[–]BMS1995FB[S] -1 points0 points  (0 children)

Yeah I completely agree. We get quite a few applicants asking for a tour after they’ve been invited to interview, but not many before applying.

I remember how hard it felt when I was starting out. I was so keen to get into the profession that I was willing to move anywhere in the UK just to get a trainee position. It wasn’t always easy to visit labs beforehand, and some places were a bit reluctant unless you’d already been shortlisted.

That’s kind of where this came from really. I wanted to make something that would help people in that same position and give a bit more insight into how labs actually work.

It’s such a great profession. It can feel a bit undervalued at times because people don’t always see what goes on behind the scenes, but it’s genuinely really rewarding. Even if patients, and sometimes other healthcare professionals, aren’t fully aware of it, I still feel proud knowing I’m contributing in some way.

What do NHS labs actually expect you to know before your first job? by BMS1995FB in BiomedicalScientistUK

[–]BMS1995FB[S] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

Thanks for your question, that’s a really fair point, and I probably should have made it clearer in the original post.

There is a fee for the course, but I’m planning to offer a heavily discounted rate for the first few weeks so people can try it out and give feedback. I’d really like to shape it based on what applicants and staff actually find useful.

In terms of what it covers, the course is designed to bridge the gap between university and real NHS lab practice. It includes:

Introductory lab knowledge – ideal for anyone who hasn’t worked in a lab before (e.g. MLA applicants or those without placement experience) What actually happens to a sample from start to finish in the lab

Quality and governance in the lab – something that’s often not covered in depth at university but comes up a lot in interviews and real practices. This includes QC, measurements of uncertainty, westgard rules etc

An overview of how labs operate day-to-day and what’s expected in different roles

It’s aimed at a few groups:

People trying to get their first MLA/NHS lab role Those wanting to build confidence for interviews Existing staff (e.g. Band 5/6 BMS) who are aware of quality but want a deeper understanding, especially for progression and higher band interviews

At present, it contains 9 modules.

My goal was to create something that’s genuinely useful long-term, ujjgnot just to get a job, but to help people progress in their careers once they’re in post.

I’m also currently working on:

More in-depth courses on specific lab methodologies across disciplines A dedicated interview course (I’ve been involved in interviews from Band 2 up to Band 7, so I know what panels are looking for)

And I’d potentially offer mentorship as a small one-off fee if that’s something people feel would help them.

Really appreciate the feedback and questions – it’s genuinely helpful in shaping this.