Biomedical science
Biomedical scientists conduct laboratory and scientific tests to support the diagnosis and treatment of disease.
You'll be critical to the running of healthcare science laboratories, A&E, operating theatres, many other hospital departments and NHS Blood and Transplant services.
Life as a biomedical scientist
Based in a laboratory, you’ll investigate a wide range of clinical conditions from blood disorders and cancer to hepatitis and meningitis, providing results critical to patient care. In NHS Blood and Transplant, biomedical scientists ensure blood, tissue and organ safety for patients.
Biomedical scientists run, develop, validate and implement new tests, undertake research and service development, make essential reagents and components and manage the testing facilities needed to provide high quality healthcare to patients.
Your work will be extremely varied and demand both analytical and practical skills. You’ll screen for diseases and be expected to identify diseases caused by bacteria and viruses, while monitoring the effects of medication and other treatments.
Confidence with technology is important as you’ll work with computers, automated equipment, microscopes and other laboratory instruments.
You will support the accreditation of the laboratory by assessing and validating new laboratory tests, developing, reviewing and contributing to the development of standard operating procedures and quality assurance systems. You’ll have the opportunity to specialise often in one of three areas, which can include molecular pathology and genomic testing:
- infection sciences
- blood sciences
- cellular sciences
Ines de Jesus
Biomedical scientist
I like liaising with the microbiology consultants to find out more about a patient’s condition. Knowing that you have contributed to a patient’s improvement is very rewarding.
How much can I earn?
There are nine pay bands and below are examples of the pay band you’ll be on, depending on your role within biomedical science:
- apprenticeship salaries vary according to employer. The minimum apprenticeship wage is currently £4.81 per hour
- trainee biomedical scientist (band 5)
- biomedical scientist (band 5/6)
- senior biomedical scientist (band 7)
- principal biomedical scientist or laboratory manager from (band 8a)
- consultant biomedical scientist – (band 8c-d)
- biomedical Scientific Director (band 9)
How about the benefits?
- make a difference
- flexible and part-time working
- high income early in your career
- work anywhere in the world
- excellent pension scheme
- good holiday entitlement
- NHS discounts in shops and restaurants
How to become a biomedical scientist
Must-have skills
- excellent communication skills
- emotional resilience, a calm temperament and the ability to work well under pressure
- teamwork and the capacity to lead multidisciplinary teams
- problem-solving and diagnostic skills
- outstanding organisational ability and effective decision-making skills
- first-class time and resource management for the benefit of patients
Entry requirements
Apprenticeship
Associate practitioner
Trainee biomedical scientist
- IBMS accredited honours degree
- IBMS accredited Sandwich honours degree
- IBMS accredited Integrated honours degree
- HCPC-approved honours degree
If you have a non-accredited degree qualification and/or professional experience beyond the level for HCPC registration as a biomedical scientist, you'll need to complete a portfolio of competency by equivalence. See the Institute of Biomedical Scientists (IBMS) website for full details of the different entry routes and requirements.
It's important to note that both accredited and non-accredited degree programmes are available in different universities, but only accredited degrees enable entry to the HCPC register after completion of a portfolio of work demonstrating the required competencies.
If you haven't completed an accredited degree programme, you could be encouraged to complete the required modules to enable full accreditation and entry onto the HCPC register while in post, but this is specific to individuals' learning requirements.
What are my chances of starting a career in biomedical science?
Where a career in biomedical science will take you
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