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Natalie Smith
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Job title:
Clinical Biochemist for NHS
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What qualifications do you have? I have a BSc in Biochemistry and Biological Chemistry from the University of Nottingham. I also have a MSc Clinical Biochemistry
from Kings College London.
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What are your main duties of work? I advise doctors about which blood tests to request in different situations and what the results of blood tests mean. I participate
in the ward round on Neonatal Intensive Care and go to clinic with my Consultant. I’m also responsible for all blood testing
that occurs outside the laboratory and is performed by nurses or doctors – called point of care testing. This involves a lot
of training and writing standard operating procedures. It is part of my job to keep up with the rapidly changing technology
in point of care testing and to investigate the validity of these new techniques.
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What are your favourite aspects of the job? Every day is different and you never know what is going to happen next. Being responsible for equipment across the hospital
means anyone can ring and say they have a problem they need sorting out. Interacting with the doctors and nursing staff is
a great way to meet lots of people and to spread the word about the laboratory and how we can help and advise staff.
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What kind of salary can a graduate expect to earn in this job?
Working for the NHS is never going to make you a millionaire. My salary is approximately £24,000 but this rises significantly
when you become state registered or pass the MRCPath exams. Most trusts will support you through exams and state registration.
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How has your degree helped you? You need a Biochemistry or Chemistry degree or PhD to get into Clinical Biochemistry. However my degree covered very little
that is specifically relevant to my job now as it is quite a specialist field, but you do need the background scientific knowledge.
A science degree will help you problem solve and analyse data. That’s why everyone has to do an MSc when they start in Clinical
Biochemistry.
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