KEY POINTS:
Qualification: Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science level 7.
Where: AUT.
Contact: Ph 0800 AUT UNI (0800 288 864); email: courseinfo@aut.ac.nz; web: www.autuni.ac.nz.
Entry requirements: NCEA university entrance (or equivalent), with 14 Level 3 credits in each of Biology, Chemistry and Statistics.
English requirements: Non-native English speakers who haven't studied at Year 13 in New Zealand have other specific English language requirements.
Application closing date: November, but applications stay open until 35 places are filled. Part-time options are available.
Medical laboratory scientists prepare, analyse and report on blood and other samples.
A major issue with medical laboratory recruitment is people applying with a BSc - which is not the appropriate route, says Maree Gillies, LabPlus microbiology section technical head at Auckland City Hospital.
"The Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science is the vocational training programme leading to direct registration with the Medical Laboratory Science Board," Gillies explains.
"The Health Practitioners Competency and Assurance Act requires all medical laboratory scientists are registered and hold an annual practising certificate issued by the MLSB."
AUT, Massey and Otago University offer the four-year medical laboratory science degree.
The degree develops students' skills in acute observation, collection and recording of test results. The first two years at AUT introduce the specialist areas of haematology, histology, immunology, medical cytology, medical microbiology, transfusion science and clinical chemistry.
In the third year, students major in two specialisations and in their fourth year, they complete two work placements in New Zealand or Australia. Graduates must do a minimum of six months' lab work to qualify for registration.
GRADUATE
Seema Kanade, 32
Medical laboratory scientist at LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital
Completed degree in 2007
I came to New Zealand in 2001 from India where I'd done a science degree, plus a medical laboratory science diploma and worked in a large hospital laboratory.
In New Zealand I could only get technician work in a small laboratory. I enjoyed the work but wanted to upgrade to the more interesting and responsible role of scientist, so I enrolled in AUT's medical laboratory science degree.
I was able to cross-credit some of my previous qualifications and went straight into third year, majoring in microbiology and histology. Initially, because of my past qualifications, I thought it would be a formality, but it was much more. It really lifted my techniques, theoretical understanding and ability to do my work effectively.
My second placement was in microbiology at LabPlus. We spent about 30 hours a week at the lab, the rest doing assignments. I got offered a job after I finished, which was wonderful. I've been here about 14 months now.
Microbiology is working with bacteria, fungi and viruses. The swabs we work with could come from anywhere around the body. In microbiology you have to learn an enormous amount of material about things like fungi and parasites and the clinical significance of important bacteria and ways to diagnose these.
EMPLOYER
Maree Gillies
Technical head of microbiology, LabPlus, Auckland City Hospital
When Seema was on placement at LabPlus we could see she had good theoretical knowledge, was interested and enthusiastic about microbiology and was a nice, pleasant person. So when a vacancy came up around the end of her placement, we offered it to her. In this section we have about 10 technicians and 50 scientists. On a day shift, we have 25 to 30 scientists working. Afternoon shifts require four or five and just one person from midnight to 8am.
The Bachelor in Medical Laboratory Science is a good blend of theory and practice. It gives people three years of learning and practice in a university environment and then a fourth year in two 14-week placements in two lab disciplines in real work environments, which means they become productive pretty quickly.
Seema's route is the most common into her role. There is a postgraduate diploma course for those with other science degrees, but you must be working in a laboratory to do it and those roles aren't easy to come by.
A technician role can be a starting point, for example, but there are not as many technician roles in hospital laboratories.
A medical laboratory scientist in my section needs to have good theoretical knowledge about microbiology; about organisms in health and disease.
We deal with small volumes, so good hand-eye coordination is important. You need to be able to work quickly and be able to prioritise, especially in hospital settings where you have allocated work but also receive urgent samples to deal with.
A lot of the work is computer-based, so you need good IT skills. You also need good communication skills. A series of people can contribute to one result for one patient so you need to do your part, then explain and communicate clearly to others when you hand things over.
You're also continually communicating results to medical staff.
