Haematologist : Training

To work as a biomedical scientist in the NHS you need to be registered with the Health Professions Council (HPC) . In order to become registered, you must carry out a period of in service training in a laboratory setting. A portfolio of evidence will be created over this period to show you have reached the required level of competence. This then allows you to apply for the award of Certificate of Competence which acts as evidence that you have met the HPC standard of proficiency. This in turn permits an application to become registered with the HPC.

Integrated (or co-terminus) degrees that are accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS)  allow students to meet the requirements for registration with the HPC as part of the course. Clinical laboratory placements are a compulsory part of the integrated degree and someone who completes one does not need to do the in service training.

Trainee clinical scientists continue to study and train for qualifications once they are in a post. They follow a period of structured study which can be done either full or part time alongside practical training, which takes place in various laboratories and is overseen by a regional tutor. This period of study may last for up to three years and leads to an MSc or postgraduate diploma. It also allows for entry to the first stage of membership with the relevant professional body. A Certificate of Competence from the Association of Clinical Scientists (ACS)  and registration with the HPC can be applied for once the study period has been completed and the candidate has been in post for at least four years.

A small number of specialist scholarships are available to haematologists undertaking training at different levels. Visit the website of the British Society for Haematology  for further information.

Because of ongoing developments in research and analysis techniques, it is important that haematologists continually update their skills. The Health Professions Council (HPC) has a set of guidelines on professional development that must be followed.