What’s another year for burnt out medical scientists?

Though frontline heroes of the pandemic, medical scientists have yet to see the change recommended to improve this high-pressure, low-reward career, writes Kevin O’Boyle

'Medical scientist' is the legally protected term held by the majority of scientific staff working in our hospital laboratories.

As we move into the early weeks of 2024, it feels appropriate to reflect on another tough year for medical scientists in Ireland.

Johnny Logan once famously sang “I’ve been waiting such a long time, looking out for you, but you’re not here, what’s another year.”  He probably wasn’t referring to industrial relations processes in Ireland, but I can think of nothing more appropriate to describe them, especially in the case of medical scientists.