[DrFantastic]

Wrong thread

[kog]

Heya, if you're currently planning on applying to become a biomedical scientist, but want to work for the NHS/in a hospital after the degree, as apposed to research, you need to be sure to apply to a course that is `IMBS accredited`, I've gone down this route as well, and various universities do it a bit differently, they all have a very simialr course when they're IBMS accredited, as the IBMS are very specicif, but some universities offer a `sandwich degree` where you have a year in a work, and can fill in your portfolio during that year.

2 examples of such universities would be Cardiff Met (or Cardiff UWIC, whatever you want to call it) and Liverpool John Moores (but they're slowly phasing the sandwich year out the course, unless you arrange it yourself and notify the university during your second year)

Personally, I didnt want to do a sandwich course, and my portfolio will be filled in as I do the course (via my work that I have to do as part of the degree), being as its IBMS accredited, Universities I applied to are; Reading, Cardiff (not accredited! But uncase i changed my mind and thought i'd do research insteadof NHS wrk), Queen Mary University of London, Liverpool John Moores and Oxford Brookes. I got offers from all of them, and have firmed Reading.

I di have work experience last year in a hospital and all the staff there told me the importance it is to ensure you go to a university which is IBMS accredited if you want to work for the NHS, and gave me a big leafleat on all the universities that do the course, and their normal offers, If you want I can try and hunt for this leaflet over the weekend (after my exam tomorrow) and pm a sca of it to you?

Any more questions, feel free to ask, it is rather unnerving picking your universities I find

As for you not being to choose between pharacology and Biomedical Science, get work experience asap! for both, just phone up your local hospital or a careers liason fo the NHS, explain the situation you cant decide between the two and would appreciate some work experience on both within a hospital, to get an idea of the courses, it'll look great on your personal statement anyway! I think the only reason i got an offer from QMUL was my personal statement, as my grades were very `meh` you'll probably need to fill in a confidentality form and a some more bits of paper

Good Luck!

[kog]

(Original post by DrFantastic)
I have plenty of work experience in 2 pharmacies, pharmacy distributors, doctors surgery, library and volunteering and possibly a hospital so I'm not too worried about that.

If you could scan the leaflet and pm that would be great thank you.

It's just I can't decide at the moment, everything is so confusing. I saw Biomed as a good degree but then lots of people are using it for entry to Medicine so it may become under valued. Also read that slowly Biomed jobs wont be there as machines are doing most automated tests.

I also decided on Pharmacology but theres really not much you can do with it according to what I've read.

I saw BioChemistry. Is that a worthwhile degree?

Thanks for your help!

BioChemistry is pretty interesting as well, my work experience was several days covering the biomedical labs and biochemistry labs, biochemistry was basically analysing drugs for certain compounds, and analysing blood samples for certain things (hormones/compounds etc), it was a lot more `short preperation` then `place in big machine` than biomedical science, there were more practical aspects in the biomedical labs i found, especially in the microbiology part, and i enjoy practical work,so it suited me


People are using biomed as entry into medicine, thus why it's important to make sure your course is IBMS accredited.

But jobs are out there, the hospital I went to, the 3 newest people to have been employed in the last year graduated from Cardiff UWIC, Liverpool John Moores and Durham. But it's hard to get a job without some experience i've been told, 2 out 3 of those people had spent a year in industry already, thus they had suitable experience. I'm not sure if I want to go down the medicine route yet, it's vaguely possible with an undergrad from Reading, but i'd need to do a lot of extra curricular stuff I imagine, and it's nice to keep all your options as open as possible

I think though, any degree is gonna be hard these days to get a graduate job from after university, so you're best bet is to apply to the course that interests you, and pick a wide spectrum of universities offering different grades. You `could` apply to two different courses, but you can only write one personaly statement, so it's abit of a gamble, as it may be hard writing a personal statement without mentioning the course by name, so the tutors dont know you've applied to different courses, imo, i'd just choose one course, somehow :P

To get a very very rough iea of employability of various courses from different universities, this website is handy

http://unistats.direct.gov.uk/

but *dont* take that website as word of god, like my career advisor at school does, it's just for a basic idea

[kog]

(Original post by DrFantastic)
Is BioMed a kind of dumping ground for medics? People that wish to get into medicine?

If so I think Biochemistry might be the best course for me as I enjoy chemistry and problem solving!

Your opinion?

I wouldn't say that as such, it's still a degree, but a ot of people who dont get into medicine, opt for biomedical science, some universities like Newcastle, even offer a transfer into medicine after the second year.

Go for whatever you feel comfortable with, if ya like chemistry, then go for it :P just do some research into it first, maybe chat with a careers advisor to get some links to others to talk about . Good Luck!

[kog]

(Original post by DrFantastic)
Yeah thanks

Lots of people are saying that a Bsc. in Bio sciences is useless? Is that true as I don't want to do a degree with very little job prospects?

Bio sciences is something different completely

With all degrees there's gonna be the problem of getting employed straight after tbh, but Biomedicine at the unis ive applied to, seems to have a high employabiliy rate, I couldnt say for sure if anyone is guaranteed a job, no one can, jobs keep changing :P

It certainly isn't a mickey mouse degree though

[WhatTheFunk]

(Original post by DrFantastic)
Is BioMed a kind of dumping ground for medics? People that wish to get into medicine?

If so I think Biochemistry might be the best course for me as I enjoy chemistry and problem solving!

Your opinion?

They say that, but it is pretty different. The Biomed students at SGUL wouldn't like hearing that. Some parts of the course at some uni is pretty much lifted or shared with the medics, and other parts are for biomeds only and then a few modules thrown in, we did a lot on drug design. Its not "easy" nor is it dump down, it is a degree in its own right and at some uni a degree to train biomeds to work in the NHS.
People use it to get into medicine because some uni offer that rare transfer or because course has common ground. Plus a few uni do use some good sales tricks to get those in who have just missed out on medicine.

Have alot around on uni websites there are some cool courses out their that you may not even know about

[callum9999]

(Original post by WhatTheFunk)
They say that, but it is pretty different. The Biomed students at SGUL wouldn't like hearing that. Some parts of the course at some uni is pretty much lifted or shared with the medics, and other parts are for biomeds only and then a few modules thrown in, we did a lot on drug design. Its not "easy" nor is it dump down, it is a degree in its own right and at some uni a degree to train biomeds to work in the NHS.
People use it to get into medicine because some uni offer that rare transfer or because course has common ground. Plus a few uni do use some good sales tricks to get those in who have just missed out on medicine.

Have alot around on uni websites there are some cool courses out their that you may not even know about

It's most definitely a respected degree in it's own right, but that doesn't mean it isn't a dumping ground for failed medics. During the induction period in my first year they did an informal show of hands for people who had originally applied for medicine - virtually everyone in the room raised their hand. I'm sure it varies by university but I get the impression that's the norm!

[WhatTheFunk]

(Original post by DrFantastic)
To work in the NHS you need to be accredited with the IBMS right? Any idea how to do that and how to go about it?

Do a accredited degree, there should be a list on the IBMS website, get a placement year this will give you at least a year training and you will be paid tax free

(Original post by callum9999)
It's most definitely a respected degree in it's own right, but that doesn't mean it isn't a dumping ground for failed medics. During the induction period in my first year they did an informal show of hands for people who had originally applied for medicine - virtually everyone in the room raised their hand. I'm sure it varies by university but I get the impression that's the norm!

It is common at uni across the board. Loads of reason to why. It is a risk game to play because you may not enjoy the degree then end up getting 2.2 which you limit you when applying to med school

[Link96ra]

(Original post by kog)
Heya, if you're currently planning on applying to become a biomedical scientist, but want to work for the NHS/in a hospital after the degree, as apposed to research, you need to be sure to apply to a course that is `IMBS accredited`, I've gone down this route as well, and various universities do it a bit differently, they all have a very simialr course when they're IBMS accredited, as the IBMS are very specicif, but some universities offer a `sandwich degree` where you have a year in a work, and can fill in your portfolio during that year.

2 examples of such universities would be Cardiff Met (or Cardiff UWIC, whatever you want to call it) and Liverpool John Moores (but they're slowly phasing the sandwich year out the course, unless you arrange it yourself and notify the university during your second year)

Personally, I didnt want to do a sandwich course, and my portfolio will be filled in as I do the course (via my work that I have to do as part of the degree), being as its IBMS accredited, Universities I applied to are; Reading, Cardiff (not accredited! But uncase i changed my mind and thought i'd do research insteadof NHS wrk), Queen Mary University of London, Liverpool John Moores and Oxford Brookes. I got offers from all of them, and have firmed Reading.

I di have work experience last year in a hospital and all the staff there told me the importance it is to ensure you go to a university which is IBMS accredited if you want to work for the NHS, and gave me a big leafleat on all the universities that do the course, and their normal offers, If you want I can try and hunt for this leaflet over the weekend (after my exam tomorrow) and pm a sca of it to you?

Any more questions, feel free to ask, it is rather unnerving picking your universities I find

As for you not being to choose between pharacology and Biomedical Science, get work experience asap! for both, just phone up your local hospital or a careers liason fo the NHS, explain the situation you cant decide between the two and would appreciate some work experience on both within a hospital, to get an idea of the courses, it'll look great on your personal statement anyway! I think the only reason i got an offer from QMUL was my personal statement, as my grades were very `meh` you'll probably need to fill in a confidentality form and a some more bits of paper

Good Luck!

Hi im just wondering what GCSE grades and A level grades did you get? Im thinking of doing biomedical but i need to go to a uni in London and i would love to go to KCL so as you got a place and all i thought you could give me an idea of what grades are accepted at KCL

[kog]

(Original post by Link96ra)
Hi im just wondering what GCSE grades and A level grades did you get? Im thinking of doing biomedical but i need to go to a uni in London and i would love to go to KCL so as you got a place and all i thought you could give me an idea of what grades are accepted at KCL

According to there website

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/unde...header_search/

They don't state what GCSE's they want, most uni's dont give a damn about yor GCSE's, providing you have done english, sciences and maths, and focus on your AS levels, predicted grades for A level, and your personal statement

GCSE's are more important in courses like Medicine and Dentistry, where most applicants are really strong

[Link96ra]

(Original post by kog)
According to there website

http://www.kcl.ac.uk/prospectus/unde...header_search/

They don't state what GCSE's they want, most uni's dont give a damn about yor GCSE's, providing you have done english, sciences and maths, and focus on your AS levels, predicted grades for A level, and your personal statement

GCSE's are more important in courses like Medicine and Dentistry, where most applicants are really strong

Thats promising thanks

[KIREN]

(Original post by kog)
Heya, if you're currently planning on applying to become a biomedical scientist, but want to work for the NHS/in a hospital after the degree, as apposed to research, you need to be sure to apply to a course that is `IMBS accredited`, I've gone down this route as well, and various universities do it a bit differently, they all have a very simialr course when they're IBMS accredited, as the IBMS are very specicif, but some universities offer a `sandwich degree` where you have a year in a work, and can fill in your portfolio during that year.

2 examples of such universities would be Cardiff Met (or Cardiff UWIC, whatever you want to call it) and Liverpool John Moores (but they're slowly phasing the sandwich year out the course, unless you arrange it yourself and notify the university during your second year)

Personally, I didnt want to do a sandwich course, and my portfolio will be filled in as I do the course (via my work that I have to do as part of the degree), being as its IBMS accredited, Universities I applied to are; Reading, Cardiff (not accredited! But uncase i changed my mind and thought i'd do research insteadof NHS wrk), Queen Mary University of London, Liverpool John Moores and Oxford Brookes. I got offers from all of them, and have firmed Reading.

I di have work experience last year in a hospital and all the staff there told me the importance it is to ensure you go to a university which is IBMS accredited if you want to work for the NHS, and gave me a big leafleat on all the universities that do the course, and their normal offers, If you want I can try and hunt for this leaflet over the weekend (after my exam tomorrow) and pm a sca of it to you?

Any more questions, feel free to ask, it is rather unnerving picking your universities I find

As for you not being to choose between pharacology and Biomedical Science, get work experience asap! for both, just phone up your local hospital or a careers liason fo the NHS, explain the situation you cant decide between the two and would appreciate some work experience on both within a hospital, to get an idea of the courses, it'll look great on your personal statement anyway! I think the only reason i got an offer from QMUL was my personal statement, as my grades were very `meh` you'll probably need to fill in a confidentality form and a some more bits of paper

Good Luck!

hi, i was just reading about biomedical science and i was just wondering, how do you know if the course is ibms? i cant see it anywhere

[kog]

(Original post by KIREN)
hi, i was just reading about biomedical science and i was just wondering, how do you know if the course is ibms? i cant see it anywhere

If it's on this document, it's accredited, hope that helps!

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct...lhBLmsgv6JjdaA