The Student Room Group

Biomedical Science or Pharmacology?

Well I've been accepted to study Biomedical Science at Imperial College, but I've recently found out that if I wanted, I could transfer to the Pharmacology degree, since the courses are about 90% similar in the first year.

So then I had a good read of both the Biomedical Science and the Pharmacology prospectus, and I'm still unsure which course to go for right now as I think I'd enjoy both courses. So I guess that leaves things like, what careers/options are open to me when I graduate.

So my question is I guess, if you were in my shoes which would you go for? Why? And what are your opinions on the career prospects for each degree?
Reply 1
BMedSci - Greater Number of career Options upon Graduation, as pharmacology is more specialized.
Can you not transfer to them in the second year? Most unis allow to to transfer to another life sciences course from second year as the first year you nearly all do the same thing - so you can decide then, after you have a feel for it all. Anyway, biomed is better.
Reply 3
Waterstorm
Can you not transfer to them in the second year? Most unis allow to to transfer to another life sciences course from second year as the first year you nearly all do the same thing - so you can decide then, after you have a feel for it all. Anyway, biomed is better.


I'm not too sure, I guess they might. There are two differing modules in the first year between both courses, the biomed and pharmacology students share the same lectures for all the modules apart from those differing two. Also what makes you say biomed is better?
CCJ
I'm not too sure, I guess they might. There are two differing modules in the first year between both courses, the biomed and pharmacology students share the same lectures for all the modules apart from those differing two. Also what makes you say biomed is better?

Basically what vas said, it's much more open in terms of what you decide to do. One of the reasons I like the course, I'd say it's better to have that than you already deciding what you wanna do. And I'm pretty sure you should be able to change in the second year, I was told that in all 5 open days I went to last year, although I didn't apply for Imperial.
The basics of pharmacology is covered in a standard Biomed Sci course.
Reply 6
biomed, I wanted to do biochem but couldn't and ended up with 4 years of ict :frown:

do biomed.
Reply 7
I'm intrigued lol because when I was picking courses I couldnt decide between biomed and pharmacology for Imperial, and chose biomed because it was a bit of pharmacology and a bit of biochem, whilst pharmacology is more specific. I think I'm still going to stick with biomed and see if in the 2nd year I want to swap to pharmacology, but not sure if its do-able.

Can you still change? We move in in less than 2 weeks
Reply 8
Ohh hey phoenix :smile:

Yeah I don't think we can swap during the second year as Biomed and Pharmacology share 3/5 modules in the first year but where they differ is that Biomed covers Animal behaviour and Medical microbiology whereas Pharmacology will cover Basic pharmacodynamics and pharmacokinetics, Drug discovery and drug development instead, but I dunno, it could be possible. Its only in the second year of Biomed do they start going into Pharmacology.

Yeah I'm sure we can change during the first couple of weeks, I know someone whose changed from Biomed to Pharmacology already.
Reply 9
Is a masters in Biomedical science than a masters in Pharmacology? I'm looking at careers after that? I enjoy both but it's about what I can get into with these careers?I am sure I can work in a hospital with a biomed but not sure about if I can with a pharamcology degree.Also can I work in a pharmacist with a pharmacology degree?Any ideas, please share, it will help me a lot. Thanks in advance
Could someone explain the career paths of each of these courses and help advise me which to do:

Biomedical Sciences

Pharmacy

Pharmacology
biomodedical sicne - docotorpharmacy - phaemaxistpharmakologee -pharmakologist