The Institute of Biomedical Science

Life and Honorary Membership

Life and Honorary Membership are two of the most distinguished honours that may be bestowed on a member of the Institute.

These awards should be viewed as being equal in merit and standing, as they confer similar rights on the member concerned once awarded, they only differ in their requirements and timing of the award. Honorary Membership should, in particular, be more actively promoted by the Institute, as there are some members who do not aspire to higher levels of activity, but are often happy to undertake work of a similar intensity and quality, but only at a local level.

Life Membership

Article 25 of the Institutes Articles of Association states that:

"The Council may elect any members to be Life Members if in the opinion of the Council such members have given long and valuable service in the interests of the Institute; provided that not more than four Life Members shall be elected in any one calendar year."

Long service needs to be defined – it is suggested that this is a minimum of 10 years of reckonable activities coupled with at least 25 years (continuous) membership of IBMS.

Valuable service needs to be defined and can include some or all of the following reckonable activities:

• regional committee chairman
• regional secretary or treasurer
• other regional committee member
• regional or national council members in isolation or in conjunction with above
• professional representation as defined by PEAC
• professional nomination as defined by PEAC
• Institute examiners (Chief & Deputy Chief Examiner)
• advisory panel membership
• Specialist Advisor
• research
• book author or editor
• educational advisor
• peer acknowledged national or international expert
• other activities following assessment by MC

Life Membership may be either an 'in-service' award or a retirement award – nominations being made at the discretion of the appropriate nominating individual or group.

Honorary Membership

Article 26 of the Institute’s Articles of Association states that:

"The Council may elect any members who have retired from active professional life to be Honorary Members if in the opinion of the Council such members have given long and valuable service in the interests of the Institute or any of its branches."

Long service needs to be defined – it is suggested that this is a minimum of 10 years of reckonable activities coupled with at least 25 years (continuous) membership of IBMS.

Valuable service needs to be defined and can include some or all of the following reckonable activities:

• branch committee chairman
• branch secretary or treasurer
• other branch committee member
• branch affiliated discussion group member
• other activities following assessment by MC

Honorary Membership is a retirement award and cannot be made whilst engaged in active professional life – nominations being made at the discretion of the appropriate nominating individual or group.