Australian Institute of Medical Scientists

About AIMS

 

The Australian Institute of Medical Scientists (AIMS) is the professional association representing medical scientists in all disciplines of pathology working predominantly in hospital and private medical laboratories in Australia. AIMS is involved in establishing and maintaining the high academic and professional standards of medical scientists and provides medical scientists with the opportunity to continually update their professional knowledge through national and state scientific meetings, a scientific journal and newsletters and postgraduate programs, such as the Fellowship.

The Institute has a minimum requirements standards document for bachelor degree courses in medical laboratory science offered by Australian universities and undertakes periodic reviews to ensure the courses meet these standards. Click here for a list of AIMS accredited courses.

The Institute also assesses the qualifications of medical scientists and medical laboratory technical officers wishing to migrate to Australia under the Government’s General Skilled Migration program.

To advance the profession of medical science in the provision of the highest quality laboratory services.

To be the pre-eminent multidisciplinary organisation to provide dynamic leadership, education and management ensuring excellent, accessible, cost effective laboratory services.

·         to promote, support and further advance the character, status and interests of medical science and the members of the Institute;

·         to promote, advance and develop scientific knowledge by means of lectures, demonstrations, discussions and debates in all branches of medical science;

·         to communicate with other scientific and research societies throughout the world.

The Institute publishes the quarterly Australian Journal of Medical Science, which contains papers in the fields of blood banking, clinical biochemistry, haematology, histopathology, cytology, immunology and microbiology as well as related areas of interest to medical laboratory scientists such as epidemiology, public and community health and toxicology. All medical scientists are invited to submit papers to the Journal. Instructions to authors is available on the AIMS website or from the AIMS National Office.

The APACE scheme is a voluntary program for medical laboratory scientists that recognises continuing education, formal courses and a wide range of professional activities that contribute to professional growth. APACE is available to members of AIMS, and also to members of the Australasian Association of Clinical Biochemists (AACB) and the Australian Society for Microbiology (ASM). APACE has been approved by the New Zealand Medical Laboratory Science Board as a recertification programme for New Zealand Medical Laboratory Scientists.

The APACE Diary (activities record form) is designed to provide an easy means of recording details of professional and CE activities. The Diary may be maintained in hard copy or electronic form, and applications for APACE accreditation may be submitted either on line or in hard copy.

The state Branches publish their own newsletters which provide members with information on upcoming meetings, workshops, scientific articles of interest etc. The Branches and Divisions also conduct scientific meetings and some offer student prizes and awards.

Each year, the Institute conducts a National Scientific Meeting, a series of state scientific meetings, workshops and numerous special interest group meetings and seminars.

Continuing education support includes the following

·         Australasian Professional Acknowledgement of Continuing Education (APACE) programme.

·         Immunohaematology Quality Assurance Programme

·         Medical Training Solutions (MTS) online.

Further professional development is available through the Fellowship of AIMS which is equated to a PhD qualification under the Health Insurance Act, 1973 for classification as a senior scientist under National Pathology Accreditation Advisory Council (NPAAC) laboratory guidelines.

The Fellowship is offered in the following disciplines:

·         Histopathology

·         Immunology

·         Virology

·         Blood Transfusion

·         Haematology

·         Cytology

·         Clinical Biochemistry

·         Microbiology

Membership of AIMS is the first step towards professional identity. The Professional levels of membership ensure that members are readily identifiable as a medical scientist in the eyes of their employer and fellow scientists. Likewise, the technical levels identify the member as a technical officer or technical assistant.

For a Membership Application Form please click here to download a copy.

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