The Institute of Biomedical Science

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IBMS in Scotland: branch reports 2011

IBMS Aberdeen report 2011

The Aberdeen Branch has had a very successful 2011 with increasing membership and increasing attendance at our various events.

During National Science Week in March, branch members helped with displays at the Suttie Centre and Concourse at Aberdeen Royal Infirmary. This was to highlight the work of all healthcare scientists in the patient pathway. There were posters from immunology, medical physics and pathology while staff wore badges 'I'm a Healthcare Scientist – ask me what I do!'

The Spring Symposium was held in May and the theme was complications of pregnancy. This was held with biomedical scientists from blood transfusion, haematology, virology, and clinical scientists from genetics, clinical biochemistry and a medical pathologist. There were 107 registrants for the symposium which reflected well on the high standard from all the speakers.  We also decided to hold the AGM during the symposium – this was well supported and has encouraged us to use this format in future.

On a more social note there was a golf outing held in June with a good attendance from branch members and guests while our annual quiz night was held in October with 65 members and guests in attendance. This was a lively evening with 12 teams competing for the Eddie Macpherson Memorial Quaich.

The Autumn Symposium was held in November and the theme was ‘To bite or not to bite’. This event was well attended with over 109 registrants, our highest number of attendees to date. Topics included Lyme’s Disease, malaria and tropical infections and the speakers were of excellent quality.

The branch helped with the National Pathology Week presentation at Satrosphere in Aberdeen in early December There were representatives from clinical biochemistry, haematology and immunology – both staff and visitors agreed that it was a good way to raise our profile. There were hands-on activities as well as posters and computer images.

Most of the Committee Members are involved with the integrated biomedical science degree at Robert Gordon University (RGU), Aberdeen. We have enjoyed our fifth cohort of year two student placements in the laboratories and in January 2011 we welcomed our year three student placements. These students represent our future biomedical scientists and indeed our future IBMS committee.

There was an excellent support for Congress 2011 with poster submissions and delegates both chairing and lecturing. All who attended agreed that the level of education, trade delegation and net working were all first class. Congratulations to the Birmingham Branch and Congress Committee who made it such an excellent event.

The Branch continues to support the IBMS in Scotland by attending the AGM and any other relevant meetings.

The Aberdeen Branch Committee is very active and forward looking – we use every opportunity to promote our IBMS to all BMS staff and to raise the profile of our professions.

Written by Jennifer Tait

IBMS Inverness and North of Scotland Branch

2011 proved to be another successful, though less active year, for the Inverness and North of Scotland Branch with committee meetings, organized local events and the IBMS conference all well attended by both committee and branch members.

Two  members from the Inverness and North of Scotland branch attended the IBMS conference in Birmingham, the Scottish AGM in Glasgow was attended by our chairman Brian Morrison and regional committee meetings have also been well attended.

Our close link with the Integrated Biomedical Sciences degree at RGU again resulted in capacity numbers of both second and third year students taking up placement training and portfolio validation at Raigmore. Feedback from both students and trainers has been positive and the student success rate remains high. Departmental training representatives continue to monitor MSC developments, and the committee’s pathology representative Ryan Cooper has been appointed chair of the NHS Highland Area Healthcare Science Forum.

Branch social and CPD events in 2011 included the branch AGM and Quiz night, which remains the most popular event on the calendar, and a number of lunchtime and evening seminars encompassing  all of the service delivery specialties across the Raigmore consortium hospitals.

Committee assists in coordinating departmental CPD and we plan to have an exciting programme for 2012.

Dennis Walker

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