Tahmina Hussain on the IBMS and Securing Placements

By Tahmina Hussain

Tahmina shares her tips as a BMS Team Manager and Blood Sciences Training Officer at Christie Pathology Partnership, for securing IBMS placements and getting involved with the IBMS as a student.

About me

I completed a degree in Applied Biomedical Science at Manchester Metropolitan University, which involved a 12-month sandwich year placement in my third year which was an amazing opportunity to complete my IBMS Registration Portfolio to gain the IBMS Certificate of Competence, and also opened up the pathway for me to secure a job. Since then, I have completed the IBMS Specialist Diploma in Haematology and Hospital Transfusion Practice, and a Master’s degree in Haematology and Transfusion Science. Completing these qualifications has enabled me to expand my skills, knowledge and experience and have contributed massively towards my professional development and career progression. I have also completed the IBMS Certificate of Expert Practice qualifications in Training and in Quality Management. My particular interest is within Training and Education and developing students, trainees and colleagues and help them to grow in confidence.  

Advice on placements 

Based on my experience, the uptake of placements is highly competitive, therefore it is extremely important to apply for a placement if the opportunity is available. Without this, I would not have been able to complete my training and become a HCPC-registered Biomedical Scientist. The benefits of undertaking a placement are huge, as you will gain experience working in a laboratory while developing your knowledge and skills, as well as significantly improving your opportunities for employability. If you are unable to secure a placement via university, try and contact local laboratories to ask whether there are any work experience opportunities, connect with your local IBMS Branch and search for vacancies advertised for medical laboratory assistants or assistant practitioners.  

When you are searching for a placement or applying for a position as a Biomedical Scientist, you should include key points in your CV that stand out to the employer. Your CV should be about selling yourself and increasing your chances at being shortlisted for an interview. Include your qualifications, how many years’ experience you have, what skills you have developed and what training you have previously completed. Make sure you include your roles and responsibilities in a particular job and relate them to the position you are applying for. Employers will be looking for skills that relate to Biomedical Science so keep your CV clear and concise and make sure it flows well. If you have attended other courses such as mentorship or been involved in other extracurricular activities that add to your skills, make sure you include it in your CV. If you take part in or contribute to any conferences or events as a speaker or write articles, these are all valuable skills and experience to add.  

If you have been shortlisted for an interview, make sure you prepare well. Remember to sell yourself with the qualities and skills that you have highlighted in your CV and relate it to how it would fit the job criteria. Think about your strengths and weaknesses and how these can be used to your advantage. Most importantly, employers will want to know why you want the job but also what benefits you will bring.

For Biomedical Scientist jobs, most employers will ask specific competency-based questions, so be prepared to answer using past experiences. Examples of questions can be talking about your biggest achievement and why you are proud of this or how you might have handled a difficult situation. You may also be asked questions that are very specific to the discipline. For example, you may be given a scenario where a sample has been processed and an abnormal result is detected, what might the cause of this be? What condition might it be related to and what would you do? By preparing well and researching the common tests performed in the laboratory you will have a better chance at answering the questions well.

Don’t forget, although you may not have worked in a laboratory before, you can still demonstrate your knowledge in the interview, this will indicate your eagerness to learn. Take your time to answer the questions and don’t be afraid to ask your own questions. Examples of questions might include shift patterns or opportunities for career progression. When the interview has ended, thank the interviewers for their time, ask when you are likely to hear back from them and ask if they are prepared to provide feedback at the end of the process. 

Tahmina’s advice on getting involved with the IBMS 

There are other ways of getting involved with the IBMS which will help you develop new skills. Biomedical Science Day (24th June 2021) is the IBMS annual celebration of biomedical science. This day celebrates our profession and the work we do. You can get involved by promoting Biomedical Science and raising awareness to the public of our role in healthcare.

Prior to COVID-19 many of us celebrated by hosting events and exhibitions so that patients and staff in the hospital were able to come and ask questions; we also gave a tour of the laboratories! However, since the global pandemic, we were not able to celebrate in the usual way. But that did not stop us! The social media platform has become increasingly popular for promoting our profession so there’s always an opportunity to get involved and take part in increasing awareness.

National Pathology Week (4th-9th November 2021) is also an annual celebration of pathology to highlight the important roles we play and the contributions we make to healthcare. Again, there’s lot of ways to get involved! Public engagement activities such as delivering careers talks to schools and universities are great opportunities to engage people of all ages.  

The IBMS Chats also take place on Twitter on the first Wednesday of every month at 8-9pm. You can join in the chat and ask questions and network with other professionals. The IBMS Support Hub also deliver free online sessions on various topics such as completing CPD, portfolios and professional development.  

The IBMS mentoring program has been launched recently and is available for any IBMS member who would like some support in gaining skills and knowledge for career development.  

If you are looking to connect with the IBMS, there are plenty of resources available on their website which are useful for obtaining information on the different qualifications, CPD and networking with other members. For more information, visit https://www.ibms.org/home/

A practical guide to Biomedicine career planning

By Dr Sara Namvar and Aimee Pinnington

Whilst at university it is vital that you start planning your career as early as possible. The Biomedicine academic team have prepared some guidance for you! ‘How to start planning your career’ will support you in assessing where you are up to at this moment and also provide some immediate steps you can take. ‘Building a strong CV whilst at university’ is ideally suited to first and second year students who have lost of time to get career savvy!

How to start planning your career

Building a strong CV whilst at university

Your priority must always be to achieve the best possible grades. However, extracurricular activities help you build a vast range of additional skills that not only build your CV and make you more attractive to employers, but they also make you more confident and allow you to have fun! It can be difficult to select appropriate activities both (on and off campus) to suit your career of choice.

The table below is by no means exhaustive, but maps out recommended activities to support your career of choice. In addition to these, the library, SU and careers & enterprise team offer a huge range of development opportunities. You may wish to become a student rep, ambassador at open days or mentor, which will help with all careers. Ultimately there is no right or wrong and the important thing is to get involved! You must start drafting your CV from the first year and continue developing it throughout your time at university.

The Emerging Role of a Physician Associate: Interview with a PA

BY PATRICIA MEDEIROS

Dr Eugene Stead (the US chairman of the Department of Medicine) founded the physician associate (PA) profession in 1965. There was a prominent shortage of physicians and other medical providers, resulting in a higher demand for healthcare professionals¹. As a response to this, Dr Stead initiated the PA course; a 2-year medical masters with a fast-paced curriculum, similar to the 3-year medical curriculum used to train doctors in World War II². However, due to the knowledge required, potential candidates could only matriculate if they had previous health-related training. Following the graduation of the first PA cohort, other US universities incorporated the PA course in their medical schools. Numerous countries around the world have since developed their own versions of the course, including the UK.

The UK formally introduced the PA profession in 2003. The Faculty of Physician Associates (FPA) defines PAs as medically qualified professionals with a generalist healthcare background³. PAs are an emerging role in the NHS and an integral part of the multidisciplinary team. They are dependent practitioners, working in liaison with medical supervisors, these commonly being consultants and surgeons. However, with the appropriate training, PAs can work autonomously.

During the course, PA students attend a series of clinical placements in primary care (GPs) and secondary care (hospitals). These placements include a variety of medical specialties, such as, paediatrics, GP, general surgery, obstetrics and gynaecology, mental health and more. After qualifying, PAs can choose to reside in a single area of medicine, but they also have the option to move between specialties. As part of the multidisciplinary team, PAs have become increasingly prevalent within the world of medicine and more widely recognised in the healthcare sector. PAs are not doctors; the PA role was designed to develop generalist clinicians as opposed to a specialised healthcare professional. For example, Drs commonly train to become ‘specialists’ in one area of medicine and PAs train to become ‘generalists’ in many areas of medicine. PAs have obtained a previous health-related degree, whereby certain areas of that degree incorporate key components of medicine. Therefore, providing them with a subsequent generalist medical education, develops competent individuals with the ability to work in varying areas.  

There are, approximately, 30 universities in the UK offering the physician associate course. To become a qualified PA, applicants are firstly required to achieve a 1^st class (or a 2.1 honours) in a 3 to 4 year undergraduate degree. This degree has to be in a science or health-related subject. Examples of these include, biomedicine, pharmacology and medical sciences. Following this, an additional 2 years of the PA masters (MSc) or the postgraduate diploma (PGdip) is required (or alternatively, a 4 to 5 year MPAS). PAs are also required to complete a series of university exams, a national exam, assessments, OSCEs, and more in order to qualify⁴. After qualifying, PAs are then further trained in a specialty of their choosing, with many completing internship years or, alternatively, rotational posts. As with many other medical professionals, PAs must also sit a recertification exam every 6 years. This exam encompasses all areas of medicine, regardless of the area the PA is currently working in. This ensures that all PAs maintain a general knowledge of medicine for patient care and safety.   

As physician associates study postgraduate level medicine, once they qualify, they are able to: diagnose and treat their own patients; formulate management plans; perform surgical procedures; run clinics; take medical histories; carry out physical examinations and more. Currently, PAs in the UK do not; sign off prescriptions, request ionising radiation or have licenses to work in certain countries. However, PAs in other countries, such as the US, do not have these limitations. This is mainly because the PA role in the UK is newly established and currently not regulated. However, in 2022, the General Medical Council (GMC) will become the official new statutory regulator for PAs. This means that the current limitations are being re-evaluated with plans for prescribing rights, licenses to work abroad and a clear progression pathway for the role⁵. 

AN INSIGHT INTO THE PA PROFESSION: 
PA THOMAS SMYTH IN CONVERSATION WITH PATRICIA MEDEIROS 

With guest editing by Afnan Housein and Nabiha Ahmed

WHAT DID YOU DO YOUR DEGREE IN?    

“I did my undergraduate degree in sports rehabilitation at the University of Salford and graduated in 2015. Then, I completed the PA course at the University of Manchester and I did the PGdip, not the MSc, so I didn’t need to do an additional thesis at the end of the course.”  

DID YOU HAVE ANY WORK EXPERIENCE BEFORE APPLYING?

“I was in the very first cohort, in the northwest, back in 2016. As the course was quite new, I didn’t know what experiences were applicable, so I tried to make everything as relevant to healthcare as possible. Luckily, with my sports rehabilitation degree, I already had placements in the NHS setting, like working with orthopaedic surgeons in hospital. Unfortunately, a lot of students now won’t have as much experience due to COVID-19, so universities are being slightly more lenient. We do have a mentor scheme at Salford Royal called the PA Academy and there’s also the North West PA Forum so people can get in touch for an insight into the role. We understand that students are doing their best under the current circumstances.”   

WHAT TIPS WOULD YOU GIVE ON WRITING A STRONG PERSONAL STATEMENT?    

“A useful tip that I was told, was using a ‘SEE’ approach, which is a ‘skill’, then an ‘experience’ relating to that skill, then an ‘elaboration’ on that and how it applies to everyday needs. Also, always link experiences to healthcare, even if they are not directly in a healthcare setting.  Try not to waffle – whoever is reading your personal statement is trying to gain an understanding of your knowledge and experiences from a short-written piece.”

WHAT WAS YOUR INTERVIEW LIKE AND WHAT ARE INTERVIEW PANELS LOOKING FOR WHEN SELECTING A PA?

“I actually interview applicants at Manchester and the process now is different from when I applied. Back then, we had to go to Hayfield Racecourse because I think there were 500 of us and only 140 places, spread between 3 universities. We had MMI (multiple mini interview) stations and if you got through, then you got a place at one of the 3 universities based on what you scored. It was very intense, but I think interviewers are looking for students that can understand and distinguish the PA role from other allied professions. It is also good to be knowledgeable on the NHS and its core values, data protection and more.”   

WHAT MADE YOU CHOOSE THE PA ROLE, AND DID YOU EVER CONSIDER MEDICINE?

“Yes, I always wanted to study medicine and I did a lot of research into it and found the PA course which, honestly, really resonated with me. I did a sports rehabilitation degree, so I already knew a lot about the human body and how it functions, but I wanted to know more. I think that a key factor in studying medicine to be a Dr. and studying medicine to be a PA, is that the course itself is 2 years, but it’s a postgraduate masters, so you need knowledge from another 3-4 year degree. After that, you can then still go into any specialty whilst maintaining a generalist approach. So because we are generalists, we can transition between specialties, without restarting our training, so I really liked that flexibility.”  

WHAT SPECIALTY ARE YOU CURRENTLY WORKING IN AND WHAT WAS YOUR MOST INTERESTING CASE ?

“The apple didn’t fall too far from the tree; I went back and did trauma and orthopaedics and I just fell in love with the role at Salford Royal hospital, especially the surgical element to it. So, I think the most interesting case I’ve had was a bone transportation surgery. Unfortunately, a patient had a high trauma road-traffic accident and a large portion of the bone in their leg was missing. We have a phenomenal team of specialist surgeons called the limb recon team. So, we did a bone transportation where we physically cut a segment of the bone and transported it millimetre by millimetre each day, and you could actually see the bone regrowing, it was amazing.”

Physician Associate, Thomas Smyth (Instagram-@Thomasthepa) 

WHAT IS YOUR FAVOURITE PART OF BEING A PA AND ONE THING THAT YOU WOULD POTENTIALLY IMPROVE?   

“For me personally, it would have to be the flexibility and the work-life balance. I’m in many different places throughout the week. I’m a PA ambassador and a guest lecturer too. I’m also in theatre for surgery a lot and I run my own clinics, so I enjoy that. But I think if I was to improve anything, it would be the recognition of PAs. There are a few misconceptions about the role and it’s undervalued at the moment because it’s quite new in the UK and people don’t always know what we can do.”  

WHAT DO OTHER HEALTH CARE PROFESSIONALS THINK OF YOUR ROLE AS A PA?

“When I first started, they weren’t quite sure on what the role was, so I was often having to explain. I was also trying to fit in this huge, already well-established, medical team. But as soon as I got past that, there was a huge gap to be filled. Me and the other PAs don’t really rotate around; we’re there to offer patient continuity so we know the system. Since we’ve been there for 3 years, we’re able to teach the junior doctors that come in and get them into the system very quickly.  We can free up the ward time for the juniors, so that they can go into theatre and into clinics and get all these extra experiences, so actually, we do work very well together.” 

WHAT DO YOU THINK THE GMC REGULATION MEANS FOR PAs?

“GMC doesn’t really change my role, but it would make it slightly easier. I work in a profession where I need both ionising imaging and to prescribe, but the doctors are there for support and vice versa.  But equally, I am a bit sceptical because with the GMC regulation, PAs may become more prevalent on the wards without much support from the doctors. But overall, I think it’s a great thing because PAs can expand their scope of practice.”   

WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS?  

“Personally, I had a great experience, so choosing to be a PA was a success story in itself, I definitely recommend it. I would say though, students need a clear distinction as to which medical model they want to study, whether that’s a PA medical model or a Dr. medical model.  Any aspiring PAs are welcome to look at our mentor scheme or contact me on social media with any other questions!”

Find Thomas on Instagram:
@ThomasthePA
To find out more about the mentor scheme, visit thepaacademy.co.uk

Students at the University of Salford can join the Graduate Entry Medicine, Dentistry and Physician Associate Mentoring Scheme for guidance and mentoring with PA applications. For more information on this, please contact S.Namvar@salford.ac.uk.

References

1.        Longmire D. The Use of Physician Assistants for Health and Wellness in Aging Population.; 2020. Accessed February 18, 2021. https://scholarscompass.vcu.edu/uresposters/325/
2.        Brady MI. A Survey Assessing Patient Satisfaction with Physician Assistant Care at the Maple Street Clinic.; 2004. Accessed February 18, 2021. https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/48843937.pdf
3.        Reynard K, Brown R. A clinical analysis of the emergency medicine workforce crisis. Br J Hosp Med. 2014;75(11):612-616. doi:10.12968/hmed.2014.75.11.612
4.        Murphy DC, Harvey A. Jeannine Watkins is a physician associate. BMJ. 2020;371:m3858. doi:10.1136/bmj.m3858
5.        Ghadiri SJ. Physician associates: an asset for physician training and a 21st-century NHS? Futur Healthc J. 2020;7(3):e9-e10. doi:10.7861/fhj.teale-7-3

The Steps You Can Take at University to Prepare for a Career

By Prathyusha Viswanathan and Anna-Marie Grayson

The  achievement of completing a university degree is especially felt when you secure a good job. Even a small opportunity, especially as an undergraduate, can be considered valuable, as work experience will boost your career. Initially, career planning can make you feel daunted, but just as building the foundation is crucial for constructing a building, taking the essential correct steps at university plays an incredibly significant role in your journey to a career. You will be able to feel yourself developing and progressing with each of these steps you take. To start, our university’s experienced Careers and Enterprise Leader, Anna-Marie Grayson, has detailed some of the important steps students should aim to take at each level of their study. Question? Email SEE-Placements-Industry@salford.ac.uk 

• Learn to develop a good rapport with your tutors or lecturers, their wide career network can help and guide you well.
• Join societies related to your field – this will allow you to interact with other students and volunteering here will develop teamwork and leadership skills.
• Draft a substantive CV and cover letter which can be updated when required.

• Consider joining a placement to gain work experience – apply with placement providers who would be essential to your programme of study and research the placement providers you are applying for.
• Make sure to attend the career fairs and workshops conducted on campus.
• Create and update your LinkedIn profile.

• Ensure you have a planner for the year.
• Focus on applying for graduate/postgraduate schemes applicable to your course and make sure you note deadlines.
• Update your CV.
• Apply for Postgraduate or PhD courses in good time, if you don’t wish to bring an interruption to your studies.
• Ensure you rebalancing your University workload with applications.

“Apart from these useful tips, I must definitely stress that our university not only conducts career fairs and workshops on campus, but also provides students with exceptional support and guidance in approaching their career goals. A CV is the tool to start your career search, a document which must be perfectly presented to employers. Our careers and employability team ensures students have an impressive CV if you consult with them. Students can also book mock interviews with our career team experts via the platform Advantage, to help prepare them to exhibit a confident, professional attitude and overcome fear to ace any interview.

“It is highly advisable students take the utmost advantage of such accessible support services set up for them. Remaining focused and vigilant always whilst pursuing your goals counts the most! I hope all of you ensure to adopt the right steps in your career search and wish you all the best to attain success in your desired career!”

– Anna-Marie Grayson; School of Science, Environment and Engineering Careers and Enterprise Leader at the University of Salford

Where can I start looking for graduate opportunities?

Use these resources to find opportunities for work experience or work after you graduate. You may also find it useful to contact relevant people in your network and keep an eye on LinkedIn and social media for any, such as for job adverts. Don’t be afraid to get in contact with opportunity providers like hospitals about how they specifically advertise opportunities and what they might have available.

AAAS Science Careers

Known to provide excellent job opportunties in Biomedicine, translational research, preclinical development and health sciences in countries such as the UK, US, Europe and Asia

NHS Jobs

Main provider of Biomedical Scientist jobs and Medical Laboratory or Associate Practitioner jobs in Pathology departments in NHS hospitals.

Salford Students: Salford Advantage

If you are a Salford Student ensure you have signed up with the relevant mailing lists for placements and opportunities.

The Biomedical Scientist Jobs

Official job board of the Institute of Biomedical Science and exceptionally certified platform providing opportunities for all biomedical science disciplines as well as veterinary science and research. Featured recruiters include Spire Healthcare, NHS, Pure Healthcare Group

Student Circus

Provides handpicked jobs, placements and internships in all UK sectors. Some jobs and employers referred by student circus also provides a Tier 2 VISA, which may be useful for international students

Student Employment Services (SES)

A well-established platform and excellent guide for student internships or placements, if you want to gain work experience while studying. Also provides some graduate opportunities