Clinical scientist jobs

Consider pursuing a career as a clinical scientist specializing in biochemistry if you have a degree in biochemistry or a field that is closely linked to biochemistry, in addition to having great analytical and communication abilities.

As a clinical scientist specializing in biochemistry, one of your primary responsibilities will be to perform analyses on samples obtained from patients' blood, urine, or other body fluids in order to assist in the diagnosis, management, and treatment of illnesses.

The findings of these samples will typically be interpreted and validated by you when you are stationed in a hospital laboratory. You will also advise doctors and general practitioners on the appropriate use of tests as well as any required follow-up investigations.

Responsibilities

In order to fulfill your duties as a clinical scientist who specializes in biochemistry, you will need to:

Work in clinical biochemistry labs, the majority of which is computer-assisted and automated, requires careful planning and organization.

perform tests on samples taken from bodily fluids and tissues.

Carry out clinical validation by examining any anomalous findings and determining whether or not more testing is required.

examination of the use of tests as well as their diagnostic performance

determine the cause of any issues with the analytical performance and correct them.

create new tests and improve current ones, which may require a large amount of manual knowledge.

create and carry out research, whether it be fundamental or applied.

Create reports and applications for financing.

communicate with patients, as well as clinicians and other medical professionals, and maintain some level of patient interaction

Utilize your knowledge of clinical biochemistry to assist in disease prevention and to ensure that patients remain healthy.

As you go farther in your job, you will most likely:

staff education and mentoring, supervision of master's students, and lecture delivery to medical students just starting off

submit applications for funding

conduct research in clinical settings.

manage a clinical biochemical laboratory.

Salary

The Agenda for Change (AfC) pay rates, which consist of nine pay bands, often apply to jobs in the National Health Service (NHS). Clinical science trainees often begin their careers at Band 6, which has a base salary of £31,365.

When you have completed your training, you will most likely be placed on Band 7, which ranges from £38,890 to $44,503.

Depending on the individual's level of experience and education, principal and consultant scientists might earn anywhere from £45,753 (Band 8) to £104,927 (Band 9) in annual salary.

Those who live and work in London and the surrounding regions may be eligible for a high-cost area bonus that adds between 5 and 20 percent to their base pay.

Clinical scientists that work for private corporations, universities, government agencies, or other organizations may have varying salary levels depending on their employer.

The monetary amounts listed are just meant to serve as a reference point.

Time spent working

You should expect to work 37.5 hours per week on average, however there is a possibility that you will be needed to work a shift pattern that includes working evenings and weekends.

Work on a part-time basis is an option.

What may be anticipated

The majority of your time will be spent working in a hospital laboratory; however, it is possible that you could be stationed at the point of treatment, such as in clinics or operating theaters.

You will be working as part of a team with other medical experts, such as pathologists, biomedical scientists, and other clinicians, such as general practitioners (GPs), amongst others.

Employment opportunities may be found almost everywhere in the UK, notably at hospitals both big and medium-sized. During the course of one's training, they may have the chance to get experience working in a number of different hospital labs.

You could be required to visit several additional training centers as part of the rotations that are included in the program. Because the centers could be located in different regions of the nation, you might be required to spend several weeks at a time in each location. You will also be required to make the trip to the institution in order to finish the part-time master's degree program that is recognized.

After you have received your certification, you may be required to travel between hospitals, but in most cases, you won't be required to remain away overnight.

Qualifications

The NHS Scientist Training Programme (STP) is a three-year, full-time, job-based learning and training program that also incorporates academic study at the masters level. Graduates of this program are qualified to work as clinical scientists who specialize in biochemistry.

To be eligible for the program, you will need to possess either a bachelor's degree with a first or 2:1 grade point average or an integrated master's degree in the biological sciences. Relevant topics include:

biochemistry

biology

biomedical sciences

genetics

microbiology.

You are also eligible to apply if you hold an undergraduate degree with a grade point average of at least a 2:2 in any subject and a higher degree in a topic that is relevant to the position.

It is also helpful to have evidence of research experience, such as a relevant master's degree or doctorate. It is beneficial for candidates in every category to have solid academic achievements and experience in the appropriate field of employment.

Oriel is an online application site that is used for postgraduate training programs in medicine, dentistry, and public health. Applicants to the STP submit their applications using Oriel. Check out the Oriel website for further information, although recruitment is often done around the month of January. You must be successful in all aspects of the hiring process, which includes submitting an application online, taking aptitude tests, and participating in interviews.

If you are selected, you will be offered a position as a trainee clinical scientist with a fixed-term contract and a salary by an NHS Trust (or, in rare situations, by an NHS private partner or a private healthcare provider) for the length of the program, should you be successful. Before beginning to focus on a particular area of expertise in years two and three of training, students spend the first year rotating among a variety of work environments. The training consists of authorized and recognized part-time study for a master's degree in blood sciences, with a concentration in clinical biochemistry. Students get full funding for their studies.

You are eligible to submit an application to the STP as an internal candidate if you are currently employed by the NHS.

After finishing the STP with flying colors, you will be able to submit an application to get a Certificate of Attainment from the Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS). This certificate will enable you to become registered as a clinical scientist with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC)

Visit the NSHCS website for more information on the STP, as well as tips on how to apply and data on the ratio of applicants to available positions in each specialty.

Check out the Workforce, Education and Development Services if you want more information about STP training in Wales (WEDS). There are distinct training programs for scientists available in:

NHS in Scotland Clinical Scientist Working in Scotland (Life sciences)

Healthcare Scientist in Northern Ireland provided by NI Direct

Other opportunities to get registered with the HCPC as a clinical scientist may be found through:

Clinical Scientists Association of North America

AHCS - equivalency assessment procedure.

Skills

You'll need to make sure you have:

abilities in the laboratory as well as the capacity to organize and carry out research

excellent problem-solving abilities

a mind that is capable of analysis and investigation

superior abilities in both verbal and writing communication

expertise in information technology, since the majority of labs are now heavily computerized

the capacity to act independently and without prompting

careful attention to detail

the capacity to contribute successfully while serving as a member of a group

the capacity to guide and inspire others around you

a self-driven and self-assured attitude to work, in order to make the most of training assignments in crowded hospital departments

a desire to stay up with the most recent findings in clinical biochemistry, both scientifically and medically, and act on those findings.

Practice in the workplace

There is a great deal of competition for spots on the STP. Familiarity with hospitals and clinics is essential, therefore before applying, attempt to schedule a visit to the clinical biochemistry or chemical pathology department of your local hospital, and see if you can work shadow a clinical scientist who works in biochemistry.

It would be beneficial to have expertise in this field; thus, you should look into the potential of gaining some temporary laboratory work experience at a biochemistry department. Get in touch with the consultant or senior clinical scientist in biochemistry at the local NHS Trust hospital where you are seeking employment to explore career options and possibilities for experience.

Attend an open day for your specialisation if you have the opportunity to do so in order to obtain a better understanding of the position and the STP program. It is helpful to have additional experience, such as participation in research initiatives and publishing of findings.

Find out more information on the many types of work experience and internships that are currently offered.

Employers

The majority of clinical scientists who work in biochemistry find employment at hospitals, namely in departments that deal with clinical biochemistry and chemical pathology.

Because positions may be found in a variety of locations and there is no guarantee that there will be an open position at the healthcare facility in which you completed your training, you may find that you have to switch employers in the early stages of your career.

There is a possibility of finding chances in manufacturing enterprises, notably in pharmaceutical, diagnostic, and biotechnology businesses.

Try looking for employment opportunities at:

Employment.ac.uk – for jobs in academia

Positions for New Scientists - both in terms of recruiting for the STP and jobs after candidates have qualified

NHS Jobs

Recruitment for the NHS in Scotland

Improvement of one's profession

Continuing professional development, more often abbreviated as CPD, is an important component of maintaining one's registration with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). You are required to educate yourself on the most recent advancements in the field in which you specialize, in addition to enhancing your abilities in the laboratory and in management.

CPD activities may be anything that helps you learn and improve, and examples of some of them are as follows:

learning on the job, such as extending your position or participating in in-service training

activities related to one's career, such as membership in a professional organization

studying on one's own initiative, such as through reading articles and papers published elsewhere

Participating in events such as workshops, conferences, and lectures

published in publications that are examined by experts in the field.

presenting one's findings, papers, and research at conferences

participating in job exchanges in other countries

doing out research at the doctoral level

making applications for funding to support research.

You are eligible to apply to the Higher Specialist Scientist Training (HSST) program after you have gained sufficient experience (typically at least one year after you have been registered), at which point you will be trained to become a consultant clinical scientist. This individualized workplace-based training program lasts for five years and involves doctoral-level study conducted at a quality comparable to that of medical specialty training. In addition, in order to successfully finish the HSST program, you will be required to earn Fellowship from the Royal College of Pathologists (FRCPath).

If a student is able to successfully complete all of the requirements of the HSST program, they will be eligible to receive a Certificate of Completion of Higher Specialist Scientist Training (CCHSST) from the NSHCS. Please refer to the HSST routes for more information.

Those who are studying for the FRCPath might benefit from becoming members of the Association for Clinical Biochemistry and Laboratory Medicine (ACB) since it provides possibilities for networking as well as access to professional guidance and training.

Prospects for one's career

There is a well-defined promotion system in place within the NHS. Once you have obtained your qualification, you will be able to advance through the grades by accumulating experience, as well as undertaking further training, study, and research. If you want to make the most of the chances that are open to you, you may have to transfer to a different hospital. Promotion is based on merit.

You may become an expert in a certain field, such as endocrinology, toxicology, immunology, or molecular biology, after you have sufficient amount of experience in that field.

As your professional life progresses, you will most likely have a more managerial function, in which you will be responsible for the work carried out in the laboratory. To advance to the consultant level, you must complete further training via the HSST program. It is expected that those who are promoted to deputy head or head of department will be responsible for managing a large department or a significant sector within the department. When you make a substantial contribution in your area of expertise, you increase your chances of being promoted to a senior position.

There are openings available for anyone who are interested in moving into clinical research or being engaged in training and registration evaluations. You may also advance your career by being active in professional organizations, taking on professional responsibilities in the outside world, or moving into advising positions. You could also move into general management roles within the NHS or into the diagnostics and pharmaceutical industries.