Institute of Biomedical Science

Last updated

The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) is the professional body for biomedical scientists in the United Kingdom.

Contents

History

The Institute of Biomedical Science was founded in 1912.

Membership

IBMS represents approximately 20,000[ when? ] members, employed mainly in the National Health Service, the UK Health Security Agency, and private healthcare laboratories. Other members also work in veterinary laboratories, the National Blood Authority, Health Protection Agency, Medical Research Council, and Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, as well as related commercial fields and in teaching.

Aims

The institute aims to promote and develop biomedical science and its practitioners.

Roles

The IBMS carries out a range of functions including:

The IBMS organises a diverse range of scientific and professional events including its biennial biomedical science Congress – the largest event of its kind in Europe.

Publications

The IBMS publishes two periodicals:

The gold open accessed British Journal of Biomedical Science is a peer-review journal registered with Pub Med, that carries scientific papers (as full original articles and short reports), case reports, and invited reviews. Its ISI impact factor in the summer of 2022 is 2.43. The median time to first decision after refereeing is two weeks. There are no page charges (except colour figures). The acceptance rate is in the region of 13%.

The monthly The Biomedical Scientist has news, articles, opinions, reports, diaries of events and job advertisements which is produced by Redactive publications.

The IBMS also publishes laboratory and professional guidelines, and careers information.

Biomedical Scientist registration

Registration with the HCPC is a legal requirement for Biomedical Scientists working in the UK. The IBMS assesses and accredits undergraduate or higher-level courses and qualifications for candidates seeking registration. In recognition of attaining this first level of professional competence, the institute also awards its own Certificate of Competence in Biomedical Science, which forms an important part of an individual's professional portfolio. The IBMS works with the HCPC to approve laboratories for registration training.

Chartered Scientist

The Institute of Biomedical Science has been granted a licence by The Science Council to award the designation Chartered Scientist to qualifying IBMS members. The designation Chartered Scientist is a mark of excellence awarded to scientists practising at their full professional level and who stay up-to-date in their scientific field. The designation was conferred to The Science Council by royal charter in October 2003 and adds science to the now familiar list of chartered professions such as biologist, accountant or surveyor. The IBMS is also licensed to award the designations Registered Scientist and Registered Science Technician.

Devolution and regions

A network of IBMS regions and branches in the United Kingdom, Ireland, Hong Kong, Cyprus and Gibraltar provides opportunities for members to participate locally in IBMS affairs. The 11 IBMS regions support local biomedical scientists, promote the profession, develop local networks and organise scientific and social meetings. [1]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Psychologist</span> Professional who evaluates, diagnoses, treats and studies behavior and mental processes

A psychologist is a professional who practices psychology and studies mental states, perceptual, cognitive, emotional, and social processes and behavior. Their work often involves the experimentation, observation, and interpretation of how individuals relate to each other and to their environments.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Podiatrist</span> Medical professional devoted to the medical treatment of disorders of the foot

A podiatrist is a medical professional devoted to the treatment of disorders of the foot, ankle, and related structures of the leg. The term originated in North America but has now become the accepted term in the English-speaking world for all practitioners of podiatric medicine. The word chiropodist was previously used in the United States, but it is now regarded as antiquated.

The Science Council is a UK organisation that was established by Royal Charter in 2003. The principal activity of The Science Council is the promotion of the advancement and dissemination of knowledge of and education in science pure and applied, for the public benefit. The Science Council is the Competent Authority with respect to the European Union directive 2005/36/EC. It is a membership organisation for learned and professional bodies across science and its applications and works with them to represent this sector to government and others. Together, the member organisations represent over 350,000 scientists. The Science Council provides a forum for discussion and exchange of views and works to foster collaboration between member organisations and the wider science, technology, engineering, mathematics and medical communities to enable inter-disciplinary contributions to science policy and the application of science.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">British Computer Society</span> British professional body in IT

The British Computer Society (BCS), branded BCS, The Chartered Institute for IT, since 2009, is a professional body and a learned society that represents those working in information technology (IT), computing, software engineering and computer science, both in the United Kingdom and internationally. Founded in 1957, BCS has played an important role in educating and nurturing IT professionals, computer scientists, software engineers, computer engineers, upholding the profession, accrediting chartered IT professional status, and creating a global community active in promoting and furthering the field and practice of computing.

The Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC), formerly the Health Professions Council (HPC), is a statutory regulator of over 280,000 professionals from 15 health and care professions in the United Kingdom. The Council reports its main purpose is to protect the public. It does this by setting and maintaining standards of proficiency and conduct for the professions it regulates. Its key functions include approving education and training programmes which health and care professionals must complete before they can register with the HCPC; and maintaining and publishing a Register of health and care providers who meet pre-determined professional requirements and standards of practice.

Chartered Scientist (CSci) is a professional qualification in the United Kingdom that is awarded by the Science Council through its licensed member organisations. Holders of this qualification can use the post-nominal letters CSci.

Chartered Chemist (CChem) is a chartered status awarded by the Royal Society of Chemistry (RSC) in the United Kingdom, the Royal Australian Chemical Institute (RACI) in Australia, by the Ministry of Education in Italy, the Institute of Chemistry Ceylon (IChemC), Sri Lanka, and the Institute of Chartered Chemists of Nigeria in Nigeria.

A biomedical scientist is a scientist trained in biology, particularly in the context of medical laboratory sciences or laboratory medicine. These scientists work to gain knowledge on the main principles of how the human body works and to find new ways to cure or treat disease by developing advanced diagnostic tools or new therapeutic strategies. The research of biomedical scientists is referred to as biomedical research.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Medical laboratory scientist</span> Medical professional who works in the laboratory

A Medical Laboratory Scientist (MLS) or Clinical Laboratory Scientist (CLS) or Medical Technologist (MT) performs diagnostic testing of blood and body fluids in clinical laboratories. The scope of a medical laboratory scientist's work begins with the receipt of patient or client specimens and terminates with the delivery of test results to physicians and other healthcare providers. The utility of clinical diagnostic testing relies squarely on the validity of test methodology. To this end, much of the work done by medical laboratory scientists involves ensuring specimen quality, interpreting test results, data-logging, testing control products, performing calibration, maintenance, validation, and troubleshooting of instrumentation as well as performing statistical analyses to verify the accuracy and repeatability of testing. Medical laboratory scientists may also assist healthcare providers with test selection and specimen collection and are responsible for prompt verbal delivery of critical lab results. Medical Laboratory Scientists in healthcare settings also play an important role in clinical diagnosis. An estimated 70% of medical decisions are based on laboratory test results and MLS contributions affect 95% of a health system's costs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Radiographer</span> Healthcare professional

Radiographers, also known as radiologic technologists, diagnostic radiographers and medical radiation technologists are healthcare professionals who specialise in the imaging of human anatomy for the diagnosis and treatment of pathology. Radiographers are infrequently, and almost always erroneously, known as x-ray technicians. In countries that use the title radiologic technologist they are often informally referred to as techs in the clinical environment; this phrase has emerged in popular culture such as television programmes. The term radiographer can also refer to a therapeutic radiographer, also known as a radiation therapist.

In the United Kingdom, a Chartered Engineer (CEng) is an engineer registered with the UK's regulatory body for the engineering profession, the Engineering Council. Chartered Engineers are master's degree qualified or can demonstrate equivalent work-based learning and have gained the appropriate professional competencies through education and working experience. Demonstration of competence is defined in the UK Standard for Professional Engineering Competence, assessed through professional review of academic qualifications and professional development. Formal, non-formal and informal learning can be assessed. The title Chartered Engineer is protected in the UK under law by means of the Engineering Council’s Royal Charter and Bye-laws. As of 2019 there are approximately 180,000 engineers registered as a Chartered Engineer. Chartered Engineers are registered through Professional Engineering Institutions (PEIs) licensed by the Engineering Council which are relevant to their industry or specialism.

Chartered Physicist (CPhys) is a chartered status and a professional qualification for physicists awarded by the Institute of Physics. It is denoted by the postnominals "CPhys".

A chartered professional is a person who has gained a specific level of skill or competence in a particular field of work, which has been recognised by the award of a formal credential by a relevant professional organization. Chartered status is considered a mark of professional competency, and is awarded mainly by chartered professional bodies and learned societies. Common in Britain, it is also used in Ireland, the United States and the Commonwealth, and has been adopted by organizations around the world.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Engineers Australia</span> Australian professional association

Engineers Australia (EA), known formally as the Institution of Engineers, Australia, is an Australian professional body and not-for-profit organisation whose purpose is to advance the science and practice of engineering for the benefit of the community. Engineers Australia is Australia's recognized organization for accreditation of professional engineering qualifications under the Washington Accord. As of 2022, EA has 115,000 members, which includes 31,000 students.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Royal Society of Biology</span> British learned society

The Royal Society of Biology (RSB), previously called the Society of Biology, is a learned society and professional association in the United Kingdom created to advance the interests of biology in academia, industry, education, and research. Formed in 2009 by the merger of the Biosciences Federation and the Institute of Biology, the society has around 18,000 individual members, and more than 100 member organisations. In addition to engaging the public on matters related to the life sciences, the society seeks to develop the profession and to guide the development of related policies.

The Academy for Healthcare Science (AHCS) is a United Kingdom body which brings together the UK's Healthcare science community under a common umbrella. It plays an important role in the statutory regulation of Healthcare Scientists following the completion of Modernising Scientific Careers training programme and works closely with the National School of Healthcare Science

The Institute of Science and Technology is a UK-based professional organization which is a member of the Science Council and thereby authorized to award the designation Registered Science Technician (RSciTech), Registered Scientist (RSci) and Chartered Scientist (CSci).

Registered Scientist (RSci) is a professional qualification in the United Kingdom that was introduced in 2012 as an extension to the Science Council's existing professional registers. This register extends the framework to allow professional recognition for higher technical roles. Holders of this qualification can use the post-nominal letters RSci. The Registered Scientist and Registered Science Technician (RSciTech), which was introduced at the same time, were developed with the support of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation.

Registered Science Technician (RSciTech) is a professional qualification in the United Kingdom for science technicians. It was introduced in 2011 alongside Registered Scientist as an extension to the UK Science Council's existing professional register for Chartered Scientists. the Registered Science Technician (RSciTech) was developed with the support of the Gatsby Charitable Foundation, with the aim of increasing the professionalism and recognition of those working in technical roles in science. Holders of this qualification can use the post-nominal letters RSciTech. Registration as RSciTech has been encouraged by institutions such as Imperial College London, and the UK Government's Science manufacturing technician and Laboratory technician apprenticeship standards are designed to lead to registration as an RSciTech.

Science technician is a profession involving working as a member of support staff in any science disciplines. The Science Council defines a technician as “a person who is skilled in the use of particular techniques and procedures to solve practical problems, often in ways that require considerable ingenuity and creativity. Technicians typically work with complex instruments and equipment, and require specialised training, as well as considerable practical experience, in order to do their job effectively”.

References

  1. "IBMS". IBMS. Retrieved 13 March 2024.