"Medical Lab Technologists"

p1akuw47h5r3it

Hi,

I am just asking for a bit of advice, so this may be in the wrong forum.

But basically a "Medical Lab Technologist", as described in the link provided, is a job that would really interest me as I would like to work in a hospital carrying out some of the jobs described in the article. However I am just wondering what degree would enable me to do so. I am very interested in Biology and I am strongly considering doing Genetics and Cell Biology in DCU, would this course be suitable or would I need a degree geared more towards analytical science.

Also I'm guessing it is very difficult to get a job in such an area, would I be right?

Thanks for the advice and apologies if this is in the wrong forum

http://www.citytowninfo.com/employment/medical-lab-technologists

Tree

Biomedical science might be your best bet. The courses run in DIT, CIT/UCC and GMIT are accredited so you can fall pretty much straight out of them in to a hospital lab. You can do a masters to convert the genetics course etc into a similar qualification.

However, this is only if you want to work in a hospital lab. A lot of people love the job, but i know it is not for me, I would much prefer to do research. Fortunatly it's a pretty rounded course so even if you dont go into the hospital lab, it sets you up well for a life in the biological sciences.

(am a graduate of CIT/DIT under teh old five year course)

p1akuw47h5r3it

Tree wrote: »

Biomedical science might be your best bet. The courses run in DIT, CIT/UCC and GMIT are accredited so you can fall pretty much straight out of them in to a hospital lab. You can do a masters to convert the genetics course etc into a similar qualification.

However, this is only if you want to work in a hospital lab. A lot of people love the job, but i know it is not for me, I would much prefer to do research. Fortunatly it's a pretty rounded course so even if you dont go into the hospital lab, it sets you up well for a life in the biological sciences.

(am a graduate of CIT/DIT under teh old five year course)

Hi tree

Thanks for the reply.

Could you tell me what the masters is that would qualify me to work in the hospital lab please?

I really want to do the genetics and cell biology course as it just really interests me. I would also like to work in the hospital lab however I still want to research more into it.

Sunsh!ne

+1 to what Tree said, except for the masters bit.

To work in a hospital laboratory in Ireland you have to a member (or eligible) for membership of the Academy of Medical Laboratory Scientists (AMLS http://www.amls.ie/). The only degrees in Ireland that are accredited for membership are the degrees in Biomedical/Medical Science offered by DIT/UCC-CIT and GMIT as these incorporate the required theory and supervised academic placement, including projects etc required for membership.

Other similar degrees (such as the one you mentioned in UCD) would not be acceptable as they do not include the work placement part that is required and as far as I know, there is no masters in Ireland that will qualify you for membership (in the past, AMLS ran a graduate programme for people with suitable degrees to allow them to become members of the AMLS by working in a hospital laboratory for a year after qualifying to gain their work experience and completing projects/dissertations/exams) However as far as I know, this scheme stopped a few years ago as there is no longer a shortage (with HSE moratorium etc, there are very little jobs available). I'm not sure but a similar scheme may still exist in the UK where you could, with a general science degree, get a position in a laboratory as a trainee scientist and work to gain membership of the IBMS (UK version of AMLS) and hence be accepted as a member of the AMLS, however that would be roundabout way of doing it.

If Cell biology/genetics are what you're interested in, the BSc Biomedical Science course would also include this. Heres a link to the course site in DIT http:http://www.dit.ie/study/undergraduate/programmes/biomedicalsciencedt204/

p1akuw47h5r3it

Sunsh!ne wrote: »

+1 to what Tree said, except for the masters bit.

To work in a hospital laboratory in Ireland you have to a member (or eligible) for membership of the Academy of Medical Laboratory Scientists (AMLS http://www.amls.ie/). The only degrees in Ireland that are accredited for membership are the degrees in Biomedical/Medical Science offered by DIT/UCC-CIT and GMIT as these incorporate the required theory and supervised academic placement, including projects etc required for membership.

Other similar degrees (such as the one you mentioned in UCD) would not be acceptable as they do not include the work placement part that is required and as far as I know, there is no masters in Ireland that will qualify you for membership (in the past, AMLS ran a graduate programme for people with suitable degrees to allow them to become members of the AMLS by working in a hospital laboratory for a year after qualifying to gain their work experience and completing projects/dissertations/exams) However as far as I know, this scheme stopped a few years ago as there is no longer a shortage (with HSE moratorium etc, there are very little jobs available). I'm not sure but a similar scheme may still exist in the UK where you could, with a general science degree, get a position in a laboratory as a trainee scientist and work to gain membership of the IBMS (UK version of AMLS) and hence be accepted as a member of the AMLS, however that would be roundabout way of doing it.

If Cell biology/genetics are what you're interested in, the BSc Biomedical Science course would also include this. Heres a link to the course site in DIT http:http://www.dit.ie/study/undergraduate/programmes/biomedicalsciencedt204/

Cool thanks very much for the advice

With regards the NHS way of doing things there is a thread about in Health Science and Education sub-forum which I am looking at.

I will look into that DIT course to though