Biomedical Science

taceistagam

Hi,

I was just wondering if anyone here has done this either as a degree or a masters and would be interested to know peoples' experiences of the course and also what the employment prospects are like out of it?
Thanks

Ange1Pho3nix

I completed my BSc in Biomedical Sciences last year at the University of Bradford and I have to say it is a very busy course! Its long hours of lectures and ALOT of reading and research but a fanastic course to do. I have been looking for a job in Ireland and there are lot within the private sector for R&D positions, however, finding one in hospital labs where I can do my registration year has, so far, been difficult.

If there is anything specific you want to know, drop me a message.

wayhey

Who do you have to register with? I never saw anything about registration in any of the prospect...i?

Would you say the subject is closer to Chemistry than Biology and if you've done it at Leaving Cert. level what aspects are particularly covered? Organic chemistry maybe?

Ange1Pho3nix

Depending on the course, you have to do a portfolio after your degree to register with the particular council, for the UK and northern ireland it is the Health Professions Council (HPC). Alot of healthcare sector jobs have to be registered with them to practice, not just biomedical scientists, for example, speech and language therapists and dieticians. For the rest of Ireland it is with the Institue of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and there is a certificate of competence to obtain. All details can be found on the websites.

Most of the course is taken up with organic chemistry, physiology and biochemistry with the option to specialise in the final year. Any reading with these areas would be a great help. There are also modules on Immunology, genetics etc. Each university differs slightly in the way the course is presented but my major modules were double credits in physiology and I chose to specialise in Biochemistry.

QuiteInterestin

Ange1Pho3nix wrote: »

Depending on the course, you have to do a portfolio after your degree to register with the particular council, for the UK and northern ireland it is the Health Professions Council (HPC). Alot of healthcare sector jobs have to be registered with them to practice, not just biomedical scientists, for example, speech and language therapists and dieticians. For the rest of Ireland it is with the Institue of Biomedical Science (IBMS) and there is a certificate of competence to obtain. All details can be found on the websites.

This information relates to working in the UK and NI as a Biomedical Scientist. To work in Ireland as a Biomedical Scientist you need to be a member or eligible for membership of the Academy of Medical Laboratory Scientists (AMLS). To gain membership you must have a degree accreditated with the AMLS for membership i.e. BSc Biomedical Science from DIT, CIT/UCC or GMIT from Ireland and degrees gained from other countries would have to be validated. See here for more information http://www.amls.ie/home In the past it was possible to become a Biomedical Scientist with a degree in Science and a years placement in a hospital lab and by sitting an exam with the AMLS (due to the shortage of scientists) but with sufficient numbers now this route is gone so these 3 courses are your main route to working in a hospital laboratory. The IBMS is the UK version of the AMLS. The CIT/UCC and DIT degree are both accreditated with the IBMS as meeting the requirements for membership so graduates of these courses can work in the UK, not sure about the GMIT degree though.