The Pathology Department at Noble’s Hospital is successfully attracting graduates to return to Manx shores and enabling them to develop their careers close to home.
A total of six trainees are currently employed across four areas: Microbiology – Polly Rogerson (who joined in 2015), David Watt (2016); Haematology – Ronan Davies (2014); Biochemistry – Ben Kelly (2016), Nicola Alston (2017); Blood Transfusion – Bethan Pilley (2017).
And they work alongside colleagues who have completed their training and are now established staff members: Microbiology – Craig Pownall (2009), Histopathology – Gemma Sutton (2011); Haematology – Andy Quirk (2012).
Graduates are able to enter the department with an accredited Biomedical Science degree, following which dedicated training officers spend two to three years taking them through registration and specialist portfolios, and helping them become registered with the Health and Care Professions Council.
The department also provides placements for undergraduates studying in the UK, allowing many the option of gaining experience in the workplace as well as offering them the chance to prove themselves as competent future colleagues. There is, however, currently only facility for one student per year, with the current undergraduate being Paul O’Dea.
Pathology manager Steve Doyle said:
‘Recruitment and retention of the right calibre of staff has for a long time been problematic, and by employing young local graduates and undergraduates we are hopefully guaranteeing the future staffing requirements for the department.
‘On top of this, having trainees within Pathology reinvigorates our established staff and challenges their own knowledge of science. We talk to local schools and encourage students to think of a future in science on the Isle of Man.’
Trainee biomedical scientist David Watt said:
‘I feel fortunate to be able to apply scientific knowledge and skills gained at university in a career at home on the Isle of Man.
‘I first contacted the Pathology department while studying as an undergraduate, and the support and advice I received enabled me to progress from higher education into what should now be a lifelong career in an intellectually-stimulating role as a Biomedical Scientist.’
In addition to creating a successful career pathway for budding scientists, the Pathology department has in recent years provided training to enable local workers Dave Ingham and Mark Gorman to become qualified Anatomical Pathology Technicians within the mortuary.
For further information on the Pathology Department and the criteria required to gain a student placement, contact the training officer, Hillary Gale, on +44 1624 650652.
Image: From left, specialist biomedical scientist (BMS) Gemma Sutton, BMS Ben Kelly, trainee BMS Bethan Pilley, senior BMS/training manager Hillary Gale, BMS Pollyanna Rogerson, pathology manager Steve Doyle, trainee BMS David Watt, trainee BMS Paul O'Dea and specialist BMS Ronan Davies
