Biomedical or human bio ... URGENT!

A band 2 isn't even a scientist they're lab assistants. They're on 15-18k since its a position that only wants GCSE.

Oh okay, sounds interesting actually, thanks for the info.
However, one would assume if you wanted to be a Biomedical Scientist, a Biomedical Science degree would be the course specifically designed for that?

What exactly is it about the PTP course that stands graduates in better stead than an accredited BMS degree? I understand the fact it takes a less to become HCPC accredited is an advantage, if you're worrying about time - but can't imagine it gives an edge when applying for BMS roles.

I see. How about industrial scientist... like sometimes when you are on the placement (for unis that offer placements like birmingham) the company can offer you a job if they are impressed with you. How much is the pay there for example say if I was working at GSK in my placement year.... is the pay more than 18 k?

Thank you both for your replies!
What is the exact difference between biomed and human biology at birmingham.... do you guys share some lectures together? Also you know how you said human bio is not accredited, can you still work in a hospital doing lets say analysing blood samples etc for patients?
How do you find the teachets at birmingham? Are they enthusiastic and how do you find your lectures honestly. ..is the first year alevel stuff or do you learn new stuff as well? So what kind of skills have you learnt?
Also during your placement do people help you and train you up on how to do experiments and did you feel prepared for the placement?
Would employers value people who did a biomed degree or a human bio degree more iff it was non science related jobor do they like a life science degree(does that include human bio?) or biomedical? Does one learn more skills than the other?
How many people on the course do a pgce? Do you think the bio courses at Birmingham prepare you for teaching bio in the 'real world'?
Also how many roughly do a postgrad afterwards thats is nothing to do with science e.g computer science.

The PTP is designed in collaboration with the NHS, Department of Health and various universities. You would assume BSc Biomedical Science was designed for being a Biomedical Science and it probably originally was, but it is clear considering that some aren't even IBMS accredited that that is no longer the case. The majority, even the IBMS accredited ones, concentrate on genetics heavily.

The advantage over a sandwich course is the decreased year. The course is otherwise exactly the same. We shared lectures with the BSc Biomedical Science students up until the final year when we worked in laboratories 4 days a week and had a full day of lectures 1 day of a week. We did our final year projects in the NHS laboratory. The majority did validation studies on a new analyser for their lab.

The Department of Health are pushing for Universities to be more informative about Healthcare Science because it not only is quicker but it gears you up better. We had active Biomedical Scientists lecturing us when we weren't with the BSc Biomedical Science students. Our course tutor was a registered BMS. We also got taught various things specific to our role.

It's probably more hard work, but other than that there's no other downside and nobody should be afraid of a bit of hard work.

Oh wow, okay, this sounds awesome in that case. Sorry if my earlier replies seemed like I was disregarding what you were saying, just seemed weird I'd hardly heard of this! Cheers again for the info, definitely interesting to know.

People not being aware of it is an issue but with the amount of people on the courses being around 10 per university the universities don't put much effort into advertising it. Each lab can only take 1 final year placement student on and they can't be sending students too far away although they do get sent a fair distance in some cases. We had one going 160 miles there and back and one going 80 miles there and back but the rest were local. They took into account if the person drove and always offered hospital accommodation so if someone was travelling then it was their choice.

It's quite common for those that do the Blood Science option to be offered a job straight out of placement at their placement laboratory. In Infection Science placements it's less common as it's a more competitive area with higher skilled roles. They want Band 6's more than anything whereas in Blood Science they want Band 5's and for them to stay at Band 5.

People often assume that because it isn't RG universities running the courses that they're inferior but it's far from that. If you look past this course due to the lack of RG status then you're doing yourself a disservice. I've seen people do a normal 3-year BMS degree because they hadn't heard much about HCS and as such didn't trust it was any good instead of doing the research and realising it is brilliant. People like that might eventually become a BMS by the age of 23-24 whereas HCS graduates will be a registered BMS upon graduation at 21 (assuming the person went straight to uni from college). The reason I add so much on to the age for the BMS students is that MLA roles have become very competitive. Most only get them through internal NHS applications. They're not an easy role to get and there are also many hospitals who won't support you in doing your registration portfolio.

I'll answer your questions on here, not quite sure how to answer the message you posted on my profile (TRS newbie apparently!).

There are a few lectures we share with the Human Biology, but with Human Biology, there is a lot more choice in the modules you can choose, right from the off (more info on this on the course details on the Birmingham website). As BMSTrainee has said, you wouldn't be able to work as a BMS analysing blood in a hospital with a Human Biology degree.

The lecturers in Birmingham as a whole are enthusiastic, definitely, especially when they're lecturing about a subject/topic they are really interested in, and even more so if the research they do outside of lecturing is based on it (they also humble brag about their research every now and then haha!)

First year is not A-level stuff, it does cover a lot of the foundations that you'll need throughout the degree, some of which covers A-level stuff in more detail.

During your placement year, you definitely do get trained up, it's in their best interest to train you up! It'll be very different to just sitting in lectures, it's predominantly hands on (if you choose a lab placement - either university or industry). The labs you do during your first 2 years give you the bare essentials for working in a lab, and it's a steep learning curve once you start a lab placement - but massively worth it, if it's what you're interested in.
And to answer your other question: not all placements offer a salary, but there are definitely some that do. Those that do offer a salary, and are with large pharma companies (such as GSK), are very competitive, and a good first year grade is needed - and it's usually around £19k+ for these placements! Ps: competitive does not at all mean not possible!

So, I don't think there's a preference between the life science degrees if you're applying to non-science based role, no. I don't one learns more skills than the other, but you'll end up with a large range from critically being able to analyse data, to being able to understand concepts, and not only learn them.

As for PGCEs, they're a route that's rarely taken by BMS graduates for some reason; I only know of a few, but that's of course not representative of the everyone.

Postgrads in non-science disciplines is something that I've heard of no-one doing - I assume because to do a postgrad in say Computer Science, you'd need an degree in something at least fairly related.

Hope this post answers your questions!

Thank so much, that's really helpful. So just to clarify, if I did a human bbio degree I will not be able to work as a biomedical scientist analysing blood samples ...so will I only be able to work as a lab assistant only as Trainee BMS said if I choose to work in a HospItal in the future?
Or is the other option doing a PHD if I wanted to work something related to research and lab. So what I am trying to say is like say if I did not do a placement or the MBIO, what have students gone into that is SCIENCE related- is it only lab assistants.??
Now if I consider doing the placement with the MBIO and not a PhD after, if I wanted to work in the science field and lab can I only be a lab assistant?
Sorry if that is a bit confusing
Thanks

Thank so much, that's really helpful. So just to clarify, if I did a human bbio degree I will not be able to work as a biomedical scientist analysing blood samples ...so will I only be able to work as a lab assistant only as Trainee BMS said if I choose to work in a HospItal in the future?
Or is the other option doing a PHD if I wanted to work something related to research and lab. So what I am trying to say is like say if I did not do a placement or the MBIO, what have students gone into that is SCIENCE related- is it only lab assistants.??
Now if I consider doing the placement with the MBIO and not a PhD after, if I wanted to work in the science field and lab can I only be a lab assistant?
Sorry if that is a bit confusing
Thanks

It seems TraineeBMS has already answered your first question

If you don't do a placement year during a BMS degree in a hospital, or do a BSc Healthcare Science degree (I'm assuming that's what you mean by 'MBIO', then all that does is prevent you from becoming a Biomedical Scientists (analysing blood samples in a hospital is just one possible sector in being a biomedical scientist).

Aside from being a biomedical scientist, there's quite a few science avenues you can take! Further education (Masters/PhD, graduate entry medical/dentistry degree, nursing degree, physicians associate MSc); working as an industry scientist (an umbrella term for a huge amount of roles, not necessarily just large pharma companies like GSK, but also working for food companies like Digestives, there's plenty of science that goes on in the world of food processing); going on to teach in science; lab assistants. and I'm sure there are others I can't quite think of right now. Point is, you're definitely not limited is you don't become a BMS but want to pursue a career in science - the world is your oyster (cliche, I know!).

It seems TraineeBMS has already answered your first question

If you don't do a placement year during a BMS degree in a hospital, or do a BSc Healthcare Science degree (I'm assuming that's what you mean by 'MBIO', then all that does is prevent you from becoming a Biomedical Scientists (analysing blood samples in a hospital is just one possible sector in being a biomedical scientist).

Aside from being a biomedical scientist, there's quite a few science avenues you can take! Further education (Masters/PhD, graduate entry medical/dentistry degree, nursing degree, physicians associate MSc); working as an industry scientist (an umbrella term for a huge amount of roles, not necessarily just large pharma companies like GSK, but also working for food companies like Digestives, there's plenty of science that goes on in the world of food processing); going on to teach in science; lab assistants. and I'm sure there are others I can't quite think of right now. Point is, you're definitely not limited is you don't become a BMS but want to pursue a career in science - the world is your oyster (cliche, I know!).

Oh I meant a masters with the placement (mBio). I guess it is very broad, I did not take chemistry for a level so not very experienced with lab work😮 which I was saying and thinking of other careers. But yeah it seems you can do a lot of stuff with the degree.

The lab work you will do during a Biomed degree and further Biomed careers will be vastly different to Chemistry at A Level.

Oh okay, so I won't be at a disadvantage if I didnt have chem for a level? Or do people who have chem for a level are more at an advantage and are quicker learners?