Newsletter Draft November_07.pub

Jc160320

Description

Newsletter Draft November_07.pub

Informations

• Publié par: ykijarac
• Nombre de lectures: 131
• Langue: Français

Extrait

November 2007

Volume 2 Issue 9

The Official Newsletter of the School of Veterinary and Biomedical Sciences

Date for

your diary:

November 24

Federal election

Inside this

issue:

Gotcha!

Elusive croc

caught in

School trap

2

Wins for

Parasitology

PhD students

2

Melina returns

from her stint

in France

3

School news

3

Photos from

the BMS&MLS

Masquerade

Ball

4

Meet…

A/Prof Heinrich

Korner

4

Pets win prizes 2

Program helps graduates find the right fit

Many people in Queensland live in

rural townships miles from anywhere.

Falling ill in these areas often means

a substantial road trip to the nearest

health centre.

Medical scientists in these centres help

provide a diagnostic pathology service

which may be affected in the event of

the scientist being absent due to illness,

emergency or recreational leave.

To ensure that these diagnostic

pathology services remain intact and

thus continue to provide a quality

service to regional people, Pathology

Queensland, part of Queensland Health,

runs the Relieving Scientist program.

The Relieving Scientists are a team of

multi-disciplinary (haematology, clinical

chemistry, transfusion and microbiology)

Medical Laboratory Scientists who

rotate around the state’s 33 labs –

spanning Thursday Island down to the

Gold Coast and west out to Mount Isa -

covering maternity leave, long term sick

leave and other extended absences.

“People in rural and remote parts of

Queensland pay their taxes like

everyone else and they deserve the

same services,” said Glen Lynch, who

co-ordinates the Relieving Scientist

program from the Royal Brisbane and

Women’s Hospital. “This system helps

ensure equity for those tax payers by

providing acute diagnostic pathology

services to regional people in remote

areas at an accredited standard.”

Glen visited James Cook University’s

School of Veterinary and Biomedical

Sciences to speak to two final year

Medical Laboratory Science students

who had expressed an interest in the

Relieving Scientist program.

“I came to JCU in August as part of a

special presentation to Med Lab

Science and Biomedical Science

students. I told them all about the

p r o g r a m ,

i t s

attractive

career

prospects

and

what

kind

of

people

we

are

looking for. These

two

students

contacted me after

that.”

After a further chat with Glen about the

program, Lisa Campbell and Rachelle

Corstiaans (pictured) hope to begin the

application process.

“Our recruitment method is to approach

universities which offer an accredited

Med Lab course, talk to the students,

and then see who steps forward,” said

Glen. “Those who express interest are

then screened for the type of

personalities we are seeking.

“It’s not just about scientific ability.

Emotional intelligence plays a big part in

this job. Ideal applicants are non-

reactive problem solvers and because

they will be working in a small lab

environment

they will need to

h a v e

g o o d

interpersonal

skills. An open

mind and the

ability to adapt

a

r

e

a

l

s

o

paramount.”

JCU’s Med Lab

Science course co-

ordinator Dr Jeff Warner

said that the degree is the only AIMS-

accredited course in our tropical region.

“It is designed for students who come

from and are willing to work in regional

Australia,” he added. “It is logical that

JCU grads would make great Relieving

Scientists. It is nice that PQ is

i

n

c

r

e

a

s

i

n

g

l

y

recognising this.

“This is a great

opportunity

for

our students and

demonstrates

that our guys are

well prepared for

a career after

university.”

Glen

said

that

canvassing

the

Relieving

Scientist

program

at

accredited

institutions like JCU helps bridge the

gap between employers and

employees. So that both parties can find

the right fit. “Square pegs in square

holes, if you will,” he added.

There are also multiple benefits for the

scientist.

“On graduating university many people

want to travel, gain a bit of life

experience and basically have an

adventure,” said Glen. “In this job they

get to do that but at the same time

utilise their degree to the fullest extent.

This makes them very desirable

employees because of their adaptable

and multidisciplinary skill base. It’s also

a great way for them to try before they

buy and get a taste of what they are

trained to do.”

Before being released into the labs, the

scientists take part in 12 weeks of boot

camp where they are trained in the

basic relevant fields. The scientists are

then ready to enter the system.

Participants are encouraged to spend at

least two years in the program, where

there will be opportunity to gain

scholarships, work on case studies and

produce papers for publication.

“Often, the rewarding nature of

diagnostic pathology in helping people

replaces the desire for superficial

trappings of modern living and often the

Relieving Scientist maintains their latter

careers with some kind of working

relationship with regional pathology

centres.”

Medical Laboratory Science graduates

interested in the Relieving Scientist

program can contact Glen at

[e-mail]

“I like the idea of travelling around, going to different labs and working

with different people. I was born in Townsville and have lived here my

whole life,” she said. “I graduate at the end of the year and it will be the

best chance for me to get out there into the wider world before I get a

house and have kids.

“I imagine the smaller, rural labs will also give me a bigger picture

sense of how a medical laboratory scientist fits into the health care

team. There’s more of an opportunity to have contact with patients

because you’re not just hidden in a room in the back.”

Lisa Campbell, 21, on her reasons for applying for the Relieving

Scientist program.

“It feels like I have been in Townsville for

thousands of years. I want to see different

places.

“I’ve applied for a Relieving Scientist position

in the Northern Territory as a sort of test run

to see if it’s the job for me.”

Local girl Rachelle Corstiaans, 21, on her

hopes for the future.