Why join LabMed?

LabMed is the professional body and trade union for clinical scientists and medics working across laboratory medicine including in microbiology and infection control. Microbiology can sometimes feel like an uncertain career path, with evolving roles and variable progression routes. We support clinical scientist career progression at every stage - from STP and equivalence, through FRCPath Part 1 and 2, into consultant roles and beyond, we support your development and long-term career.
 

Shaped by microbiologists, for microbiologists

Microbiology has its own Professional Committee within LabMed that ensures microbiologists are not just represented but actively influence the direction of laboratory medicine. This group:

  • sets priorities for the specialty
  • shapes CPD and events
  • contributes to education, grants, and policy work across the organisation .

Whether you’re early in your training or considering your next step, LabMed offers a strong professional community, career support, and dedicated trade union representation to advocate for you throughout your career.
 

Our members benefit from:

Trade Union support Trade Union support

  • The Trade Union negotiates for better pay and working conditions on your behalf
  • We represent individual members at local, NHS Trust and national levels, including dedicated UK Health Security Agency and Microbiology National Officer reps who provide advice and support specific to you
  • Become a union rep and help build your leadership skills and knowledge of industrial relations in clinical science
  • It would cost significantly more to pay separately to join another union!
Trade union

 

Career development Career development

  • Connect with an online mentor in microbiology or from across wider laboratory medicine and set your own development goals
  • Join a committee, including the Microbiology Professional Committee, and build your knowledge, networks and profile
  • Get support from your regional tutor, trainees rep and trade union representatives
  • Write for LabMed news, Lab Tests Online and our website or become an author for the Learning Academy
  • Submit abstracts and articles to showcase your work or join an editorial board
  • Represent the Association on international committees and specialist interest groups
  • Support the excellent proactive work of our Sustainability and EDI Champions.

Professional practice Professional practice

  • NICE guidance responses and summaries, and contribute to UK Standards for Microbiology Investigations
  • Tools to help with method validation and verification
  • Support regional and national audits and policies to improve standards
  • High quality scientific content, resources and events
  • Work closely with colleagues across the profession, including via the Microbiology Society
  • Stay informed with LabMed News, providing insights on key topics in pathology

Accessible learning Accessible learning

  • Enhance your skills via our Laboratory Medicine Learning Academy, including cases in microbiology, our successful Clinical Interpretation and Implementation of Microbiological Sequencing Techniques course and much more
  • Free access to expert education from the EFLM Academy.

Events & prizes Events & prizes

  • Once a year chance to network with colleagues nationally at LabMedUK
  • Enrol on our popular Leadership and Management course and Audit days
  • Celebrate excellence with our awards and prizes
  • An annual programme of free regional events

Access funding Access funding

  • Grants, bursaries and scholarships to support your learning and scientific research and innovation, including the Moira Kaye education bursary specifically for members practising in microbiology/virology
  • Our Research and Innovation Grant supports high-quality, original, ethical research and innovation in Laboratory Medicine.
    Recent grants include 'Predicting Renal Transplant outcomes using Temporal Monitoring of Torque Teno Virus', 'Exploring optical electrophysiology feasibility for rapid antimicrobial susceptibility testing to enhance urinary tract infection management', and 'Development of a culture-free method for the investigation of Clostridioides difficile healthcare-associated infections using metagenomic nanopore sequencing'.

Ready to join us?

Apply today