# Medical Scientist in Australia



## JoeBaltimore (Jul 29, 2010)

Hi everyone! 
First of all, I am so glad I found this forum as I am moving to Australia January 2011 (6 months) and need some advice in what seems to be a unique situation I am in. I am a 25 y/o Medical Scientist here in the US with a girlfriend who lives in Sydney. I have already bought my plane ticket and have made more than ample preparations as far as saving money, making job connections via networking with Aussie lab directors and hiring managers, and even went to our embassy in Washington DC to get information on immigration in addition to hours of web research. I've been told I need to wait until about November to apply for vacancies in Sydney hospitals (3 months out). You might think the decision to buy a plane ticket before sponsorship is a little rash, but since I am 25 I am eligible for the working holiday visa so I figured in the very least I can do short term temporary employment for 6 months @ a time and hopefully segway that into a sponsorship deal. I've been told by my PHD's, one of whom is from Melbourne, that I am going to have no problem finding work because of the nature of what I do, but getting sponsorship is that X factor I need to nip in the bud.

1. Has anyone here gotten sponsored by a NSW hospital before in any capacity i.e. scientist, nurse, doctor?

2. Has anyone gotten sponsorship from a company that they worked in during working holiday?

3. Can you get sponsorship while on another visa (like working holiday)? 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

Joe


----------



## aimz (Sep 27, 2011)

JoeBaltimore said:


> Hi everyone!
> First of all, I am so glad I found this forum as I am moving to Australia January 2011 (6 months) and need some advice in what seems to be a unique situation I am in. I am a 25 y/o Medical Scientist here in the US with a girlfriend who lives in Sydney. I have already bought my plane ticket and have made more than ample preparations as far as saving money, making job connections via networking with Aussie lab directors and hiring managers, and even went to our embassy in Washington DC to get information on immigration in addition to hours of web research. I've been told I need to wait until about November to apply for vacancies in Sydney hospitals (3 months out). You might think the decision to buy a plane ticket before sponsorship is a little rash, but since I am 25 I am eligible for the working holiday visa so I figured in the very least I can do short term temporary employment for 6 months @ a time and hopefully segway that into a sponsorship deal. I've been told by my PHD's, one of whom is from Melbourne, that I am going to have no problem finding work because of the nature of what I do, but getting sponsorship is that X factor I need to nip in the bud.
> 
> 1. Has anyone here gotten sponsored by a NSW hospital before in any capacity i.e. scientist, nurse, doctor?
> ...


Hi there! my husband and I are moving to Melbourne this Occtober . He is also a medical laboratory scientist. I just want to ask how was your job search, was it difficult or easy to land a job there. thank you!


----------



## SHIC (Jan 7, 2013)

Hey guys
I am also a medical laboratory scientist and I am still in the process of trying to get the visa. I sometimes get these panc attacks thinking 'will I be able to get a job once I arrive in australia?' It would really be nice to hear from people who have gone through the process and are actually now happily working in Oz. How easy was it to get jobs and how easy is it now? Are there lke lots of vacant positions out there and how do you go about finding a job? Thanks in advance guys for your responses.


----------



## tenten (Aug 12, 2012)

Well, I am not in a position to speak as one who has 'been there, done that' - I, too, am applying for a visa. However I do know medical scientists who have moved in the last 2 years. To summarise - job vacancies are available, you will get a job, but be prepared to sit it out for a 3- 6 months, due to lengthy recruitment procedures in Government. Private companies hire much quicker but do not have the best remuneration - your bargaining power will be almost non-existent if you are desperate for a job and have no local experience.


----------



## wastedvampire (May 13, 2013)

SHIC said:


> Hey guys
> I am also a medical laboratory scientist and I am still in the process of trying to get the visa. I sometimes get these panc attacks thinking 'will I be able to get a job once I arrive in australia?' It would really be nice to hear from people who have gone through the process and are actually now happily working in Oz. How easy was it to get jobs and how easy is it now? Are there lke lots of vacant positions out there and how do you go about finding a job? Thanks in advance guys for your responses.


This is way off topic, but I would like to ask if you have to take the medical scientist exams? I got assessed for medical technician and would like to be medical scientist before lodging my application.

Thanks for the reply.


----------



## tenten (Aug 12, 2012)

wastedvampire said:


> This is way off topic, but I would like to ask if you have to take the medical scientist exams? I got assessed for medical technician and would like to be medical scientist before lodging my application.
> 
> Thanks for the reply.


When AIMS does their assessment, and you got your degree from outside Australia, they will classify you as a technician. If , in their opinion, your study is comparable to Australia, they will also mention in the assessment letter that you are eligible to sit for an AIMS professional examination should you want to be registered as a scientist. So look again at your assessment letter - it should tell you if you are eligible to sit the exam.


----------



## wastedvampire (May 13, 2013)

tenten said:


> When AIMS does their assessment, and you got your degree from outside Australia, they will classify you as a technician. If , in their opinion, your study is comparable to Australia, they will also mention in the assessment letter that you are eligible to sit for an AIMS professional examination should you want to be registered as a scientist. So look again at your assessment letter - it should tell you if you are eligible to sit the exam.


I got the invitation to sit in the exam. However, I ask AIMS if they have specific dates for either September and March exams, they wouldn't know only until 4weeks prior to the exam date. 

My dilemma is that, the exam is not given in my country of residence and i would have to take a month's leave from work and be in Australia to be able to take the exam which in my case will be very difficult to take a month's vacation from work..

If anybody here was able to take a September or March exam and remember the date exactly. How was the exam? Was it like the one of the 2007 sample exam they have given out?

Anything inputs will be very much appreciated.


----------



## sherifat (Sep 2, 2014)

*Scientist vs Tecnician*



tenten said:


> When AIMS does their assessment, and you got your degree from outside Australia, they will classify you as a technician. If , in their opinion, your study is comparable to Australia, they will also mention in the assessment letter that you are eligible to sit for an AIMS professional examination should you want to be registered as a scientist. So look again at your assessment letter - it should tell you if you are eligible to sit the exam.


Does that mean AIMS does not classify internationally trained lab scientist as Scientist until one sits the professional examination?

Thanks in advance.


----------



## Bets (Dec 13, 2015)

Hi , have you finished the Aims exam and could you help me out with the questions. Thank you


----------

