Which is better a Bsc or MBioMedSci?

So there is a Bsc Biomedical science course or an integrated Masters Biomedical science degree for undergrad study (4 years) - which one is better/what is the difference?

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I see, but would a Masters prove as an advantage compared to just a Bsc degree?

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It completely depends on your chosen career path.

I see, but would a Masters prove as an advantage compared to just a Bsc degree?

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Have you ever heard of the STP programme by the NHS?
Which one would be more practical?

Getting an IBMS accredited biomed degree, go onto a HCPC approved programme then register for HCPC, then become a biomedical scientist. (Years?)

Or once you finish your IBMS accredited biomed degree (or a relevant degree for that matter), apply for STP where you will be on a 3 year placement with a Msc in clinical sciences or something at the end of it. You will start at a fixed contract of AFC band 6. (6 years total)

I know there is HCS course that does that in 3/4 years but I'm just looking of the best, realistic option other than the NTP programme.

So here in lies the confusion. You have the STP (MSc Healthcare Science) and the PTP (BSc Healthcare Science).

The PTP is to become a Biomedical Scientist. The STP is to become a Clinical Scientist which is, as the name suggests, more clinical. It involves a lot of office time interpreting results. It is extremely competitive and they are only existing in certain pathology areas. They're quite common in Biochemistry but there's only a handful of roles for Microbiology nationwide.

The STP only requires that you have a generic life science BSc, however, in reality since the people that are applying often have MSc's, PhD's and sometimes active Biomedical Scientists, in reality straight out of University with a BSc you are fighting an uphill battle to get onto the STP. Of course, it does happen though.

Whaaat? I have seen healthcare degrees specialising in audiology that is run by the NHS as a PTP programme, just not leading to become a 'biomedical scientist'. So while I do understand what you're trying to say, but saying that the PTP is only to become a Biomedical Scientist would be wrong. Thanks for the information!

I have never seen a career/course with such a complicated pathway and different little technicalities.

One of them being that a biomedical degree course doesn't actually lead you to become a 'biomedical scientist'. you have to ibms accreditation plus HCPC. Oh wait a bsc healthcare science course can offer that :/

Btw for a normal IBMS accredited biomedical course (3 years) course, after you graduate how do you get experience? Is experience guaranteed for you or do you have look by yourself? Apparently to get HCPC registered, you will need an IBMS accredited degree and then complete an HCPC approved programme to do your portfolio.

Apologies. To be precise, it is BSc Healthcare Science (Life Science) that leads to being a Biomedical Scientist. It is 3 years long and inclusive of your HCPC registration.

If you do an IBMS-accredited BSc Biomedical Science degree then you have two routes. One is a year in industry. The issue is that these are quickly decreasing and only a few Universities even run them anymore. The reasoning for that is that the Department of Health want to push prospective Biomedical Scientist towards the PTP. HCS is on the up. Years in industry are on the down. Makes sense. The issue with this is that it increases the course length to 4 years and as such is a year longer than HCS but it is also very competitive with most labs giving their trainee places to HCS students. With HCS you have the advantage that, providing you get accepted on the course, you are guaranteed a placement.

The other, and more popular route for BSc Biomedical Science graduates, is to work at entry-level in NHS laboratories and hope that they will support you with doing your portfolio. Some laboratories offer Band 5 Annex U (~£20k) Trainee Biomedical Scientist roles but there's ~10 coming up every year and they're getting ~200 applicants per post. Entry-level in the NHS is Band 2, so unfortunately you would be working a £15k job until you got your portfolio.

The HCS route means you graduate qualified to enter at Band 5 Biomedical Scientist and in a good position to push on towards your Band 6 in the discipline you trained in.

hi - I'm still a bit confused. if I wanted to do a Phd what would be better. I think the STP is also a masters, do you do undergraduate then masters and then Phd? whats the main difference between MBiomedSci and BA other than the difference in years? sorry if I'm repeating any other questions