Read on Twitter
Let's try this a little more optimistically. What could a Medical Scientist be? Please note, it can be this way. @HSELive and @roinnslainte have the power to change. https://twitter.com/kevoboyle/status/1271069561387958272
Medical Scientists are highly qualified when entering the workforce, with education in the general sciences -genetics, physiology, biology, anatomy -as well as specialised, cross-disciplinary training in biochemistry, haematology, microbiology, transfusion science and histology.
Recognition of this highly educated and skilled young workers would involve pay parity with equivalent grades, but also equal opportunity to avail of further education and promotional posts. This would allow Medical Scientists use their training to fully benefit our patients.
Guaranteed study leave to pursue a recognised MSc course, which is required for promotion beyond basic grade, would encourage these young graduates to commit to the profession they have chosen. Currently, almost half will decide to seek another career.
Once a level 9 MSc has been achieved, Medical Scientists could be encouraged to continue the advancement of their role through a formalised clinical training scheme leading to Fellowship of the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath).
An FRCPath qualification would entitle the holder to independent clinical practice at Consultant level. Many Medical Scientists have already gained this qualification on their own, but no Consultant Medical Scientist post exists for them.
An FRCPath is an extremely difficult qualification to achieve. Anyone who has managed to achieve one is an major benefit to laboratory services, to the healthcare system, and to the patients that we all serve.
Recipients of the FRCPath are trained in research, in clinical practice, in scientific publication, in laboratory management and, indeed, in every facet of providing a world class laboratory service. These people should be treasured.
The majority of Medical Scientists are female. They are a shining example of "women in STEM" which could be held up as an example to encourage schoolgirls to enter the sciences. I can think of many such examples which I am proud to call my colleagues.
Currently, options for advancement involve management roles. But Medical Scientists are, generally as a calling, Scientists. They want to do science, research, clinical practice. Yet our best and brightest are drawn to human resource duties, rostering, service planning etc.
Not that there's anything wrong with that, it's important work, but it's not what Medical Scientists are best at. Clinical and Scientific advancement would be infinitely more beneficial to laboratory services.
No-one understands laboratory results better than Medical Scientists. Advanced Practice, though a formalised training scheme, would empower Medical Scientists to advise on testing options, on patient care and on treatment options to a greater extent than at present.
What I'm saying here is nothing new. @MedLabAssoc and @ACSLM1 have been campaigning for this for years. It is congruent with the integrated care which Slaintecare seeks to promote, it is standard practice abroad, there is even a model for such a career within @HSELive
There are a small number of Biochemists in Ireland, possibly about 80 I think. They have similar qualifications to Medical Scientists at entry point and work alongside them in one laboratory department - Biochemistry. Their career structure is exactly as described above.
In other laboratory departments, there are no such opportunities. Consultant posts for Biochemists are important and beneficial in the Biochemistry department, yet such posts are not available in other laboratory departments where they are just as vital.
This makes no sense to me. There is nothing special about the Biochemistry department. If this career structure was available to all 2600 Medical Scientists in Ireland, across all laboratory disciplines, it would completely transform laboratory services.
Graduates would be attracted to the profession, services would improve and patient outcomes would benefit immensely. Medical Scientists would feel valued and empowered. The current disparity between Medical Scientists and Biochemists is a major barrier to all of this.
Plus it breeds discontent. When a small group are treated preferentially, both in terms of pay and career opportunities, it will always be so. Medical Scientists just want to be treated equally, to feel valued and to be allowed to serve our patients to the best of our abilities.
End.
