Professional qualification
The IBMS runs a programme of post-registration training and advanced qualifications to help biomedical scientists demonstrate the required knowledge and skills to advance in their careers.
What can an IBMS qualification do for you?
Update your skills and knowledge
Science, technology and best practice are constantly evolving and the Institute’s qualifications allow you to update your skills and knowledge.
Develop and advance your career
The qualifications are carefully tailored to allow you to fulfil your potential, follow career pathways, practice in diverse roles and take advantage of professional opportunities.
Your expertise recognised
IBMS qualifications enable you to demonstrate your expertise to healthcare colleagues and employers and patients. Although they don’t guarantee promotion or salary increase they are nationally recognised as a mark of your knowledge and expertise.
Understand your profession
You will gain a deeper understanding and knowledge of your profession and will have the knowledge and confidence to become part of its future.
Why are IBMS qualifications important for the profession?
Professional development improves standards of practice, the quality of service provided by biomedical scientists and therefore patient safety.
Professional training and development contributes to the collective body of specialist knowledge and skills required to fulfil biomedical science’s roles in the healthcare of society.
What qualifications are available to you?
Early in your career
Specialist portfolios have been hugely successful in recognising the post-registration training and specialist experience of biomedical scientists in the early years of their career.
The portfolio enables you to provide evidence of training, practical skills, specialist knowledge and competency gained in the two years after registration. Successful completion of the portfolio will lead to the awarding of a Specialist Diploma.
Developing expertise
Certificates of expert practice enable you to demonstrate knowledge and skills in a highly specific area of practice within your normal specialty such as microscopy or quality management.
Experienced biomedical scientists may also wish to complete additional specialist portfolios to demonstrate broadening of their specialist knowledge into other areas outside their original specialism.
Progressing to higher practice
The Higher Specialist Diploma (HSD) is the Institute's key qualification for biomedical scientists wishing to be recognised for acquiring professional knowledge, skills and competence beyond the level of an MSc. It is designed to demonstrate readiness for promotion to a more senior level within the overall healthcare scientist career pathway. It is a benchmark, not just of scientific knowledge and interpretative skill, but also of an understanding of laboratory management, pathology service planning and professional awareness.
Read a case study on the benefits of studying an HSD
Advanced practice
Diplomas of expert practice are the consolidation of high levels of skill and scientific expertise in more traditional areas of biomedical science practice.
Advanced specialist diplomas are for roles and responsibilities in traditional areas of pathology and laboratory medicine at the highest level of clinical practice and/or consultation.
Comments on IBMS qualifications
"My practice will greatly increase thanks to the course, which will benefit my organisation."
"...although I thought I already had good knowledge, this gave me lots of new ideas."
"I will use the course notes to help me deliver more efficient training. The delivery of a quality training programme will result in a competent workforce."
"I can implement a more robust quality training regime, to ensure all staff become qualified, skilled, competent and motivated to perform their roles. This will ultimately benefit the service user."
Further information about these qualifications, such as subjects available, guidance to candidates, application forms, examination fees, etc. is available to Institute members in the members' area underneath the qualification section.
Tags: IBMS, Education and development, Professional & workforce
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