IBMS Mentorship Programme 2022

In 2022, our mentoring programme expanded and a total of 299 mentees benefited from the skills, knowledge and experience of 116 mentors. 

Mentee Jessica Neves explains how her mentee supported her, from interview skills and techniques to professional insight and tips. She credits the scheme with helping her find her first job following graduation and assisting her in progressing from university into practice. 

Mentor Sarah Gibson, who is supporting five mentees as part of this year’s scheme, outlines the merits of becoming a mentor and how the programme can help newly qualified Biomedical Scientists like Jessica and those already practicing.

Jessica's mentee story                                                        

During my placement year, I developed a passion for Cellular Pathology. I then decided that I would like to pursue a career in this area; however, I was still deciding which career path to pursue after graduation.

I found out about the mentoring scheme through the IBMS newsletters. This was an excellent way to network with Biomedical Scientists and get advice from someone with experience on getting into this competitive area. After looking at potential mentors, I chose Sarah Gibson as my mentor due to her ample experience as a Consultant Biomedical Scientist and in reporting. This was perfect because it matched my career goals.

Although I had a good idea of what I wanted to do, I needed to figure out where to start. However, Sarah helped me find the best places to look for jobs, keep up with developments in the profession, and keep my options open. This was useful as Biomedical Scientist jobs are not always easy to get straight out of university. Additionally, I had close to zero interview experience, so Sarah helped me with interview skills and techniques, which helped me improve my self-confidence.

I want to thank the IBMS for creating this fantastic scheme and Sarah for helping me start my career as a Biomedical Scientist and advising me on how to achieve my career goals.

Sarah was always ready to answer my questions, and her support greatly impacted how I approached the job search and interview experience. Her guidance made me well-prepared and supported me in getting offered a job as a Biomedical Scientist at the University Hospital of Wales on my graduation day!

I want to thank the IBMS for creating this fantastic scheme and Sarah for helping me start my career as a Biomedical Scientist and advising me on how to achieve my career goals.

Sarah's mentor story 

I had previously been involved in staff training and development; however, when my current role as a Consultant Biomedical Scientist took me out of the laboratory setting, it resulted in me stepping back from some of my previous training roles.

When the IBMS mentorship scheme was introduced, it was the perfect opportunity for me to become involved once again. Having worked as a Biomedical Scientist for nearly twenty years, I feel strongly about sharing my experience with others. I know it will help future and current Biomedical Scientists progress and achieve their professional goals.

I support five people through the IBMS mentoring scheme at varied points in their careers and across different disciplines. For newly qualified Biomedical Scientists like Jessica, the IBMS mentoring scheme provides impartial advice and guidance from experienced Biomedical Scientists, which is difficult to access otherwise.

I supported Jessica by exploring her career options after graduation, advising her on completing job applications, and discussing interview skills and techniques. Helping Jessica secure her first job was extremely rewarding; it's great knowing I helped someone get their foot on the career ladder.

Being a mentor is hugely rewarding, and I encourage others to sign up for the scheme. There is satisfaction in helping others to realise their potential and achieve their goals, knowing you are helping to develop the Biomedical Scientist workforce of the future.

For experienced Biomedical Scientists, impartial mentorship from someone who can share their own experiences and help individuals to explore different approaches can be equally valuable. I have personally benefitted from mentorship during my career, so if I can help others, this is a way of giving back.

Being a mentor is hugely rewarding, and I encourage others to sign up for the scheme. There is satisfaction in helping others to realise their potential and achieve their goals, knowing you are helping to develop the Biomedical Scientist workforce of the future.

The IBMS's bespoke mentoring platform makes creating and managing mentoring relationships a smooth and practical experience.

National Mentoring Day was launched to recognise and celebrate the benefits of mentoring and takes place on October 27th each year.