The Institute of Biomedical Science

www.ibmscongress.com

Important Advice

Completion of the Specialist Portfolio will demonstrate specialist knowledge and skills in a chosen speciality and lead to the award of the Specialist Diploma, which is required to upgrade from the class of Licenciate to that of Member of the Institute of Biomedical Science. 

It is very important that the information and advice about training, completion of the portfolio and final assessment that is contained in the introductory sections of the portfolio (Sections 1-6) is understood by both the trainer and the person being trained. Additional advice and guidance can be found in the members section of the IBMS website.

The portfolio is to be kept intact and additional evidence should be filed and indexed in a lever arch file. The specialist portfolios are designed to cover the scope of practice expected of individuals that have gained appropriate postgraduate experience to work as a specialist practitioner. Scope of practice encompasses knowledge and competence statements that are linked to the Department of Health Knowledge and Skills Framework and Department of Health Agenda for Change Band 6.

Please note that in accordance with the Institute’s standards for approval of laboratories for training, a training programme for completion of the portfolio must be provided by the employer to enable the person being trained to receive appropriate support.  Training should be based on current practice for in-house training and continuing professional development. 

The "Internal Assessors Signature" after the Evidence of Achievement section is to demonstrate the completion of each module and associated evidence has been checked by a qualified person internally in advance of the application for the external assessment. 

On completion the portfolio should contain a completed and signed record of laboratory training in their designated speciality.

To be eligible for the assessment of their specialist portfolio, candidates must have a minimum of one year in the Institute’s corporate classes of membership since the award of their Certificate of Competence and not a currently lapsed member. Applications forms for assessment are available on the IBMS website.

The Institute will appoint a discipline specific external assessor to review the portfolio and establish confidence that the benchmark standard of specialist practice has been achieved.

Further to the assessment and successful completion of the IBMS Specialist Portfolio, a Specialist Diploma will be awarded to the candidate in recognition of their achievement.  This will give them eligibility to apply to upgrade their membership following completion of two years in the class of Licentiate.

Specialist Portfolio Assessors

If you are not already a specialist portfolio assessor and would like to take on an active role in the development of biomedical scientists, or have the opportunity to visit other laboratories and create CPD opportunities for yourself this could be for you.

Chartered Members and Chartered Fellows of the Institute who are working in an IBMS approved training laboratory and are members of the IBMS CPD scheme are invited to apply to be considered as a specialist portfolio assessor.

Mitigating Circumstances

Assessment of the Specialist Portfolios should be applied for within 3yrs from the date of issue of the portfolio.

The Institute will consider mitigating circumstances (for example extended sick leave) that prevent members from applying for their specialist portfolio to be assessed by the end of 3 yrs laboratory training. Applications should be made by the laboratory manager/training officer in writing to the Institute Education Department, stating what the mitigating circumstances are that prevented completion of the portfolio. 

In order to consider that an extension to the deadline is achievable following agreement by the Institute that mitigating circumstances apply, it will be necessary for the training manager/officer confirm that there is a structured training programme that will enable completion of the portfolio within a maximum of one additional year, i.e. four years after the specialist portfolio was originally issued. Please note this requirement to evidence support for training is in accordance with the Institute’s criteria for approval of laboratories for training.

If an extension to the time frame cannot be met the applicant will be required to reapply for a current version of the specialist portfolio to ensure their training and evidence reflects up to date practice.

For further details please contact IngridBenjamin@ibms.org