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Biomedical scientist, Megan Hulse shares her passion for promoting careers within clinical chemistry for Healthcare Science Week

My name is Megan, and I’m a biomedical scientist here at Northumbria Healthcare.

I chose to pursue a career in biomedical science because I’ve always had a keen interest in science, and in particular laboratory experiments. I enjoy seeing how results in the laboratory are used to assess certain diseases, and the appeal of working with complex machinery is also a big draw.

I think it’s so important to promote careers in biomedical science to young people and having been a STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Maths) ambassador at college and university, I am proud to help raise awareness of the roles within STEM, and the careers that are available within the NHS in particular.

I recently took part in a video about the role of a biomedical scientist within clinical chemistry to promote Healthcare Science Week – you can find this on our trust social media channels.

My day to day role includes carrying out a range of laboratory and scientific tests which support the diagnosis and treatment of diseases, as well as maintenance of a variety of analysers and equipment to produce patient results.

The clinical biochemistry department plays a key role in investigating kidney and liver function, monitoring diabetes, diagnosing heart conditions, cancer diagnosis and more specialist testing, such as toxicology.

My role is extremely rewarding as I help to produce results which are used to care for, and treat our patients. I’m able to see how results from the laboratory are used to get patients urgent medical intervention and I take great pride in knowing that my work directly benefits the care our patients receive.

Like many departments within the NHS, the coronavirus outbreak has meant we have had to make changes to the way in which we work, including how we process and transport samples, which can affect how rapidly we can produce results. However, the whole team is working hard to adapt to an ever-changing environment and pulling together to support one another.

I can confidently say how proud I am of the resilience my colleagues have shown, and how we have adapted during these tough times. Staff morale has always been something I am passionate about, and if I can make my colleagues smile every day whilst carrying out my duties in the lab, I can leave at the end of each day knowing I’ve done a good job.