What is Biomedical Science?

From the day you were a newborn baby, a biomedical scientist will have carried out tests on your health. Anytime you have visited hospital when ill or had a sample taken from you by a doctor or nurse, these would have been analysed by a biomedical scientist without whom it would not be possible to diagnose illness and evaluate the effectiveness of the necessary treatment. Doctors treat their patients based on results of the vital tests and investigations that diagnose often serious and life threatening illnesses such as cancer, AIDS or diabetes.

Without biomedical scientists, departments such as accident and emergency and operating theatres could not properly function. The many roles include tests for emergency blood transfusions and blood grouping as well as tests on samples from patients who have overdosed on unknown substances, or may have leukaemia or are suspected of having a heart attack.

The successful performance of this key role in modern healthcare relies on the accuracy and efficiency of work by biomedical scientists because patients' lives and the treatment of illness depend on their skill and knowledge.

Cancer, diabetes, toxicological study, blood transfusion, anaemia, meningitis, hepatitis and AIDS are just some of the medical conditions they investigate. They also perform a key role in screening cervical smears, identify viruses and diseases and monitor the effects of medication and other treatments.

Scientists learn to work with computers, sophisticated automated equipment, microscopes and other hi-tech laboratory equipment. They employ a wide range of complex modern techniques.

What career opportunities are there?
Biomedical science is a continually changing, dynamic profession with long-term career prospects including management, research, education and specialised laboratory work.
Biomedical science represents an opportunity to put scientific knowledge into practical use and perform a key role within medical healthcare that offers career satisfaction for many in the profession. Biomedical scientists learn skills and gain qualifications that can be recognised worldwide.

How do I become a biomedical scientist?
Modern pathology and biomedical laboratory work involves complex and diverse investigations that require an in-depth scientific knowledge of anatomy, physiology and pathology. Like many other professions a biomedical scientist will need to complete a university degree course.
BSc biomedical science degrees are designed for students to receive basic scientific knowledge and training.

What happens next?
After graduating biomedical scientists then go on to specialise in one of the following laboratory disciplines:

Medical Microbiology - disease-causing microorganisms are isolated for identification and for susceptible to antibiotic therapy. Diseases diagnosed in this way include meningitis, food poisoning, and legionnaire's disease.

Clinical Chemistry - scientists analyse blood and other biological materials to assist the diagnose of, for example, diabetes. They carry out toxicological studies, test kidney and liver functions and to help monitor therapies.

Transfusion science - biomedical scientists support hospital blood banks and the blood transfusion service. They prepare blood transfusions and plasma fractions to administer to patients and are responsible for ensuring that the blood groups of both donors and patients are compatible.

Haematology - involves the study of the morphology and physiology of blood to identify abnormalities within the different types of blood cells. Such tests are necessary to diagnosis different types of anaemia and leukaemia.

Histopathology - tissue samples from surgical operations and autopsies are processed for microscopy using specialist techniques.

Cytology - this discipline is best known for its work in screening cervical smears but it also provides a non-gynaecological service. Like histopathology specialised techniques are used to prepare and study samples of cellular materials.

Virology - specialists test for infections such as rubella, herpes simplex, hepatitis and HIV and also screen selected populations at risk from virus disease. Rapid diagnosis is particularly important in this discipline in order to prevent the inappropriate use of antibiotics.

Immunology - deals with the conditions of the body's immune system and its role in infectious diseases, parasitic infestations, allergies, tumour growth, tissue grafts and organ transplants. This discipline is particularly important in the monitoring and treatment of AIDS.

The education and training of biomedical scientists is a process, which continues throughout their career in order to ensure that skills and knowledge are kept up to date with the ever changing and expanding role of the profession.

Scientists learn to work with computers, sophisticated automated equipment, microscopes and other hi-tech laboratory equipment. They employ a wide range of complex modern techniques.

If you like some more information then contact the Institute of Biomedical Science through their website on www.ibms.org

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