Mary Macdonald Bursary
About Mary Macdonald
The Mary Macdonald Prize for Achievement and Bursary were established in memory of former IBMS Council member Mary Macdonald.
Mary is remembered as an outstanding professional, colleague and mentor, who began her career as a laboratory support worker and was keen to encourage and recognise excellence in others working in similar roles through this award. Mary made a significant contribution to the Institute throughout her life, serving as an IBMS Council member and on a number of IBMS Committees.
Mary Macdonald Bursary
The IBMS Mary Macdonald Bursary is awarded to enable biomedical science support staff to undertake the IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part I or II qualification.
The bursary covers:
- the cost of the IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part I or II portfolio (£137)
- IBMS Associate membership fees for the year in which the candidate is successful
How to Apply
Candidates applying for the bursary
You will need to write a supporting statement that outlines how undertaking the Certificate of Achievement Part I or II will benefit your practice and your wider team.
Your supporting statement should:
- identify which qualification you would use the bursary to undertake (Certificate of Achievement Part I or II)
- demonstrates your understanding of what undertaking the qualification involves
- outline how completing the qualification will benefit your practice
- outline how completing the qualification will benefit their workplace/team
- demonstrate an understanding of the importance of continuous professional development/improvement
- indicate how you will take forward what you have learnt from completing the portfolio to your wider team
Candidate's Training Officer
Your Training Officer will need to write a supporting statement that demonstrates:
- your self-motivation to improve your knowledge and skills
- evidence of your self-improvement and development in biomedical science
- your enthusiasm for biomedical science and the role of the laboratory in the patient journey
- how you are completing the qualification and support from your organisation.
Please note
The laboratory where the candidate plans to undertake the qualification must hold current IBMS support staff training approval to receive the portfolio.
Submit your application
Submit both supporting statements to supportstaff@ibms.org.
Please include candidate and Training Officer email addresses with your application.
The bursary is awarded on an annual basis, all applications must be made between the 1st and 18th January to be considered. More than one application can be successful in a given year.
All entries will be reviewed by a panel and successful candidates will be notified.
Please note
You cannot apply for the bursary to retrospectively cover the cost of an IBMS Certificate of Achievement Part I or II that has already been ordered, paid for or begun.