Year 12s: what will be the first way you research your future options? >>

Biochemistry vs Biological sciences vs Neuroscience

I've been pretty sure that I want to apply for Biochemistry for 2014 entry for quite a while now and have spent the last couple of months looking around universities at this course (at biological sciences at some others). However I'm starting to question, is this really what I want to do? And am now not so sure. There are so many other parts of science that I want to explore, primarily pharmacology, neuroscience etc.
I've got a bit of a dilemma now as I need my personal statement and university choices to be place by September so I can get my application in as early as possible - but it looks like I only have a month or so to make this decision!

I really do not want to make the wrong choice, and I want to do a degree that I can use in the future and is well respected. How does Neuroscience fend as a degree, is biochem better respected? Before anyone asks, I am not entirely sure what I want to do in the future - I have always been interested in the mechanisms of drugs, however I have also always been good at writing and maybe I would like to go into science writing. But then, research also interests me.

If anyone has any advice it would be greatly appreciated! :biggrin:

Reply 1

alleycat393

Pharmacology is the study of drug mechanisms. Any of the degrees you mention can lead to a career in science writing. I would suggest doing a broad based degree like biochem/biology and specialising as you go along through your degree. Only pick pharmacology if you're sure it's the only aspect of the science you're interested in.

Reply 2

tssf_skye

Original post by alleycat393

Is pharmacology mainly chemistry based then?

Reply 3

alleycat393

You'll have to look at course structure to get a better idea. I haven't studied it but would imagine it would be more biased towards chem than bio.

Reply 4

must try harder.

I am having the exact same problem! While I would like to link the aspects of science together so do biochemistry, there's a lot of other things I want to learn too - pretty much the same topics you listed. Although I haven't made a decision yet, I think I'd suggest doing a course in which you can study at least a little bit of everything you're interested in - pharmacology, genetics, cell biology etc, because your interests may change! (Mine change pretty frequently, if I'm honest.) You can always specialise, and then at least you've kept your options open. Then again Biochem might offer everything you want to study - depends on the university. What I think I'm going to do is look in detail at all of the biochem courses because they actually differ quite a lot - besides, you can always apply for neuroscience or pharmacology at one uni, and then biochem at another. :smile:

Reply 5

willzchannell

I had the same problem I'm hopefully going to do a biomedical science course cos they cover everything from pharmacology to human biology :P The problems with biochemistry and pharmacology is that they're so over subscribed and its hard to get a job out of those degrees, due to the number of people taking them. The course I want to take allows me to specialise and get experience... (Clinical Science at Exeter)