Continued Professional Development

[White Cat]

Hi all

 

This is an important part of a microbiologist role - to keep up to date with new techniques and discuss problems we have and learn how others work to see pros and cons.

 

This seems like a good forum to begin discussions.

 

Anyone interested??

[Callie]

I certainly would be interested but I'm not sure I will be much help to anyone else as I'm a bit of a rubbish scientist.

 

Just for interested sake I work as a Biomedical Scientist in a Microbiology Lab in the UK. I like to think I am still new to the job but I have been working in my lab for 5 years now. I started as an MLA.

[White Cat]

Hi Callie

 

good to hear from you sorry for delay. i wasnt expecting anything to involved just general discussions of how different places work. what kits and protocols to see if we can learn from each other.

[CharonY]

Heh, that would require a bit more detail on what research or diaganostics is being done, wouldn't it?

[White Cat]

Not so sure. the health professions council doesnt prescribe what activities we need to do. just chatting like this can prehaps be deemed to fullfill their criteria.

 

so for example either of you, which chlamydia detection system do you use as routine in your labs? Why? pros cons? if you dont test in house why not?

 

the lab i will be working in is looking at using Becton Dickenson LCR sytem. which i have used in a previous job.

 

the kit is user friendly and can ultimately be run by MLAs with oversight. has highish through put does need a seperate room though and requires a lot of cleaning.

 

if fact callie there is another question you might be able to help with. How do you see the role of MLAs developing over say the next 5 yrs

[Callie]

OK first off the lab I work in doesn't do Chlamydia testing. We're a pretty small and specialised Tertiary care hospital, hence me saying that I do not think that we will be of great use for discussions!

 

The MLA question is a bit more relevant. 1 year ago the decision was made to not replace a Band 6 Biomedical Scientist with another but instead to take on 2 MLAs.

 

The justification was that our BMS staff had been putting up all the new work which was something an MLA could easily do.

 

Also our serology section was often left for a day or two so the BMS could cover another bench in times of staff absence. Now we have an MLA doing all the booking in which means we can run all our serology in an afternoon (thereabouts!).

 

From what I understand the powers that be are looking to encourage labs to employ relevant staff to the tasks that need to be completed. I don't really know how/if this works in a larger, busier lab because of the issue of supervisation. Overall it sounds like money saving excercise.

 

I would feel sorry for anyone who takes on an MLA post hoping to progress to BMS as this would reduce their chances even more.