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Biomedical science

Is biomedical science a good degree financially?
I just adore biology and would love to do Haematolgy. But I was wondering if the pay is good, I'm being realistic here I don't expect to live in a huge house or become mega rich but just live a comfortable life.
Yes you will be comfortably off but bear in mind that a degree doesn't guarantee you a job and you will need further training.
Reply 2
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Vanny17
19
Original post by Matilda612
Is biomedical science a good degree financially?
I just adore biology and would love to do Haematolgy. But I was wondering if the pay is good, I'm being realistic here I don't expect to live in a huge house or become mega rich but just live a comfortable life.


Won't advise you to, to be honest. Except you have a place that will take you on for training to complete your portfolio for you to be HCPC registered, which will be extremely hard to find. Starting salary is within £18,000 to £21,000. The knowledge you will gain from it will be great, but the pay is rubbish.

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(edited 7 years ago)
Original post by Vanny17
Won't advise you to, to be honest. Except you have a place that will take you on for training to complete your portfolio for you to be HCPC registered, which will be extremely hard to find. Starting salary is within £18,000 to £21,000. The knowledge you will gain from it will be great, but the pay is rubbish.

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Getting a laboratory to take you on isn't hard, you just have to do the degree (Healthcare Science) that includes a placement and your portfolio. Unfortunately there's so much misinformation that a lot don't realise this. Secondly, a BMS once registered starts on £21k, this goes up about £1k a year roughly but once the person has completed their Specialist Portfolio it jumps to about £28k with a Band 6 role and will rise eventually to about £35k. More senior roles are available.
Reply 4
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A321
20
Original post by TraineeBMS
Getting a laboratory to take you on isn't hard, you just have to do the degree (Healthcare Science) that includes a placement and your portfolio. Unfortunately there's so much misinformation that a lot don't realise this. Secondly, a BMS once registered starts on £21k, this goes up about £1k a year roughly but once the person has completed their Specialist Portfolio it jumps to about £28k with a Band 6 role and will rise eventually to about £35k. More senior roles are available.


Your the first person I've come across that thinks it isn't hard to get a lab to take you on. I disagree. Unfortunately uni placements are very limited, they only take on a handful of students. As for the rest of the students they usually end up going through other routes for different careers or work as laboratory assistants. You also very rarely get trainee BMS posts where they will allow you to do the registration portfolio. To be honest I usually advise people not to do a biomed course unless they are willing to look at the different job options available later as well as have a backup plan. Its not really worth it.

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Original post by A321
Your the first person I've come across that thinks it isn't hard to get a lab to take you on. I disagree. Unfortunately uni placements are very limited, they only take on a handful of students. As for the rest of the students they usually end up going through other routes for different careers or work as laboratory assistants. You also very rarely get trainee BMS posts where they will allow you to do the registration portfolio. To be honest I usually advise people not to do a biomed course unless they are willing to look at the different job options available later as well as have a backup plan. Its not really worth it.

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It's very hard if you do a biomed degree, it's why i would advise anybody who wants to be a BMS not to do a biomed degree.
Reply 6
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A321
20
Original post by TraineeBMS
It's very hard if you do a biomed degree, it's why i would advise anybody who wants to be a BMS not to do a biomed degree.


Maybe I've misinterpreted what you said, but you DO need a biomedical science degree to become a BMS. Without it you cant get further than a assistants role.

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Original post by A321
Maybe I've misinterpreted what you said, but you DO need a biomedical science degree to become a BMS. Without it you cant get further than a assistants role.

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No, you need an IBMS accreditted degree, which BSc Healthcare Science is. It's run side by side with BSc BMS but includes placements alongside the course so you only study for 3 years and do your portfolio at the same time. You graduate more qualified than a BMS graduate by far. A BMS graduate is qualified for a band 2 post whereas a HCS graduate is qualified for a band 5 post.
Reply 8
Avatar for A321
A321
20
Original post by TraineeBMS
No, you need an IBMS accreditted degree, which BSc Healthcare Science is. It's run side by side with BSc BMS but includes placements alongside the course so you only study for 3 years and do your portfolio at the same time. You graduate more qualified than a BMS graduate by far. A BMS graduate is qualified for a band 2 post whereas a HCS graduate is qualified for a band 5 post.


I wasn't aware that the HCS allowed people to become BMS's. Back when I was applying for university they were considering combining health care courses one of which I remember was Audiology. I'm assuming thats the same HCS course which of course does seem like a better option!

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Original post by A321
I wasn't aware that the HCS allowed people to become BMS's. Back when I was applying for university they were considering combining health care courses one of which I remember was Audiology. I'm assuming thats the same HCS course which of course does seem like a better option!

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There's a few variations, but Healthcare Science (Life Science) will allow you to register as a BMS during the course and allow you to specialise in infection science, blood science, cellular science or genetics.
Original post by TraineeBMS
Getting a laboratory to take you on isn't hard, you just have to do the degree (Healthcare Science) that includes a placement and your portfolio. Unfortunately there's so much misinformation that a lot don't realise this. Secondly, a BMS once registered starts on £21k, this goes up about £1k a year roughly but once the person has completed their Specialist Portfolio it jumps to about £28k with a Band 6 role and will rise eventually to about £35k. More senior roles are available.


I did Biomedical Science, not Healthcare Science, so our experiences will differ. Well, it is hard getting a lab to train you, especially in London, as they all require experience outside of the University lab environment. A NHS BMS lab scientist trainee starts on £18,000, not £21,000, check NHS jobs for more info. And you only stop being a trainee after you acquire your portfolio, which requires one to have experience to take on the role as a trainee BMS. Do tell me where I can apply to be started on £21,000 without experience? and I would be grateful. Thanks.
Original post by Vanny17
I did Biomedical Science, not Healthcare Science, so our experiences will differ. Well, it is hard getting a lab to train you, especially in London, as they all require experience outside of the University lab environment. A NHS BMS lab scientist trainee starts on £18,000, not £21,000, check NHS jobs for more info. And you only stop being a trainee after you acquire your portfolio, which requires one to have experience to take on the role as a trainee BMS. Do tell me where I can apply to be started on £21,000 without experience? and I would be grateful. Thanks.


By doing the HCS route. As i said, you start at band 5.
Original post by TraineeBMS
By doing the HCS route. As i said, you start at band 5.

Well, I am a graduate of Biomedical Science, not HCS. HCS start on band 5 compared to BMS graduates.
Hi everybody, (please read lol)

I am currently trying to decide what to do at university-
I really love biology so I am looking at biological sciences, natural sciences (where I would go down the biology route),and recently came across biomedical science! The reason it appealed to me was because my favourite parts of biology are really all of the human bits (immunology, defence etc)
But I also don't want to go into research, I want to go to university to study a subject I enjoy (biology!) and excel as an academic, but don't plan on going into the bio industry. Rather, I am interested in investment banking!

ANYWAY- I was wondering what anybody would recommend- biological sciences vs biomedical science? Would it maybe be better to go with biological sciences as it is a bit more broad? Just a bit confused and I have to decide ASAP

Thank you so much if you read all of this, any advice would be much appreciated!!
Hey, I'm in the same, I don't know whether the study medicine or biomedical sciences. I'm also not sure about work experience as I've only really had experience for medicine.


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