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Congratulations to Misha Folker
Misha recently became the latest AAPT member to achieve the Registered Science Technician award via the shortened route
What motivated you to pursue RSciTech registration through AAPT’s shortened route?
I wanted to continue my training and begin my RSPH Level 4 Diploma in Healthcare Science (APT) next year. I heard that I would need to apply for RSciTech before doing this and, after some research, decided I would definitely like to. I think APTs being professionally registered makes the profession more regulated and puts us more in league with other scientific/healthcare professions, when we may usually be forgotten about.
What key steps did you take to compile your application portfolio?
I began by reading all the available guidelines (on AAPT and Science Council websites) and making notes on these. I then read over the templates for both the Competence Report and Supporter Form, so I felt comfortable about what I was writing. I also attended a workshop on professional registration. I then wrote a list of everything I had to accomplish in order to complete the application, including writing notes on each section, completing each section, completing my CPD log, ensuring I had my Mentor Supporter Form and writing my CV. I then ticked off each item until the entire application was ready to be submitted.
Which part of the application was most challenging, and how did you address it?
The most challenging part was thinking of good examples to answer each of the competency questions. I had to go over my CPD log, as well as my Level 3 portfolio to find these examples and ensure I would be able to use them to answer the question in detail. I made sure to make bullet points prior to writing my answers, to ensure every part of the question was answered.
How did AAPT support you during the application process?
I did not know anyone who was a member of the Science Council, or anyone who was in the process of applying. I therefore was struggling to know if I was filling in the application correctly. I spoke to Christian Burt at the AAPT, who gave me some helpful guidance and sent over some documents with advice on completing the application. He also put me in touch with an RSciTech member who gave me specific advice about whether my examples would fulfil the briefs.
What advice would you give to others considering the shortened route?
Definitely plan it all beforehand. I underestimated how long the application would take me to complete, so definitely begin with plenty of time to get it written. Write bullet points of everything you want to include, guided by the many resources that are available on the Science Council and AAPT website. And definitely do not be afraid to ask for help! Christian was very helpful and it also really made things easier to speak to the registered assessor he put me in touch with.
How did you demonstrate the required competencies (e.g., problem-solving, safety, communication)?
I mainly looked through my Level 3 portfolio and my CPD log to find examples of good work that I had done. For working with minimal supervision, I spoke about an incident I had encountered while on-call. For problem-solving, I discussed a difficult PM case where I had to find solutions to a tricky evisceration and reconstruction. For 'using resources' I discussed the many options of equipment available to us in the PM room and why each might be best for a particular case. For each answer, it may not have been the 'perfect' example, but I made sure to tailor it specifically to what the question was asking.