Simon
IPEM http://www.ipem.org.uk/
might be the closest professional body to what you do. You can become a member without working for the NHS (and a chartered engineer too). I think it's fair to say that IPEM has been very physics biased although it is trying to change. I'm not sure how it would fit in to the education field.
There does seem to be an enormous gulf between AT in education and in health. In Hull we work closely with education staff (teachers, SaLTs,advisors), but still don't manage to talk to their technologists.
Participating in a working group on "independent living" recently it has been interesting to see the differing views of what constitutes EAT or even AT. It seems partly due to the very diverse & patchy services around the country. And we didn't even touch on children! I have constant difficulty in defining our AT service which deals with anything that other provision can't handle!
To answer you original question - it's very fragmented isn't it? I can't imagine how a career could be planned in any detail.
Barry Taylor, Clinical Scientist
Bioengineering Department
Tulley Medical Physics Building, Hull Royal Infirmary
Anlaby Road, Hull HU3 2JZ
Tel 01482 675928, fax 01482 675750
-----Original Message-----
From: Simon Judge [mailto:[log in to unmask]]
Sent: 25 September 2003 19:26
To: [log in to unmask]
Subject: Re: Careers in AT
Exactly! Thanks for the comments.
I am currently investigating becoming registered as a Clinical Scientist -
since this seems to be the nearest thing to a professional body. I am on
the CS payscale although not directly working for the NHS. Because of this
it looks like I wont be able to register!
I don't think that the field should be defined by the professional's
background/training/speciality. I can only think of vocational professions
where people are categorised in this way. There seems to be plenty of them
and us as it is (education/health/rehab). The profession is defined by what
service you are providing to the end users... if it is to do with AT then
you are an AT professional.
Geoff - in what way is AT professional (or variant) not a identifiable
title? Is the crux about creating a title that people can attach themselves
to? What needs to happen to 'register' the title and have the relevant
professional bodies in the different sectors recognise it (short of a
miracle!)?
RE: websites for jobs - is not FAST the kind of organisation that
could/should host this?
I didn't realise EAT didn't include powered mobility! Also - should the
field be aiming towards a state where the user interface is not dependent
on the technology the user is trying to use?
Sorry, lots of questions and blah!
Cheers.
Simon
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