Biomedical Science or Healthcare Life Science??

Hi!

I'm trying to decide which course to do and would love some advice or opinions? I have a choice of doing an IBMS accredited Biomedical science degree with a option to take a placement year or a Healthcare science degree which is HCPC accredited but not IBMS

I'm completely torn between the two, I love the syllabus of the biomed degree but think HCPC accreditation might be more sensible. I've heard that placements are hard to come by to build a portfolio during the sandwich year and as I'll be a mature student travelling too far is out of the question so I am limited.

Anyone have any advise?? Thank you 😊

Reply 1

RegisteredBMS

Original post by Hannahjb

Hi,

I have direct experience of this course and will be glad to answer any questions. Can I ask which University you are considering? I also am very doubtful that the one you are looking at is not IBMS accredited. That would not make sense as IBMS accreditation is a condition of your HCPC registration. I can look into it further for you if you wish.

If you want to become a Biomedical Scientist in the NHS then HCS is absolutely for you, no doubt. Placements on the BMS course are competitive and you are, to be honest, unlikely to get one in a hospital as these all go to HCS students, especially if you have one at your university. On the HCS you are guarenteed a placement. Also, in my experience, the HCS course content is exactly the same bar the module that is for professional skills (comes under various names in various universities). That is, except for Year 3, you will choose a specialism and go on a placement for a year in a laboratory of that specialism and your final year modules will be specific to that area.

Reply 2

Hannahjb

Original post by TraineeBMS

Thanks for the reply, yes it's Plymouth Uni.

Reply 3

RegisteredBMS

Original post by Hannahjb

Thanks for the reply, yes it's Plymouth Uni.

As suspected, it is IBMS accredited.

Reply 4

Hannahjb

Original post by TraineeBMS

As suspected, it is IBMS accredited.

So both courses are IBMS accredited? Sorry, it's such a minefield out there 😫

Reply 5

RegisteredBMS

Original post by Hannahjb

So both courses are IBMS accredited? Sorry, it's such a minefield out there 😫

Yes, all IBMS accreditation means is that it contains certain modules. It has to meet certain criteria in terms of module content to achieve IBMS accreditation. IBMS accreditation is just to standardise the courses but in reality only has one purpose. You must have an IBMS accredited degree (among other criteria) to be able to apply for HCPC registration.

Remember, HCPC is not an accreditation, it is a registration body. The HCS course is approved as a course that will make you eligible to apply for registration since it includes placements.

If you did the normal BMS course you could still get HCPC registration but you would need to, more than likely, apply for a Band 2 Medical Laboratory Assistant and then, depending on your laboratory, potentially have to apply for Trainee BMS roles which are ridiculously competitive and becoming less common. Some laboratories let their MLA's do their portfolio in their own time but it is still taking less time than the HCS course, which is a 3-year course.

Reply 6

neom

Definitely healthcare science. It's incredibly difficult to find a place to take you if you haven't completed your portfolio if you take biomed.

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Reply 7

RegisteredBMS

Original post by neom

Definitely healthcare science. It's incredibly difficult to find a place to take you if you haven't completed your portfolio if you take biomed.

Posted from TSR Mobile

Not necessarily true. You'll secure a Band 2 MLA post but that means you're accepting having to work your way up from a £15k job as a graduate. You just won't walk into a Band 5 scientist job, like I did straight out of University, due to doing the HCS programme.

Reply 8

Gazmoop

I think it depends on what you want to get out of it. Im going to plymouth to do biomed, because i want to have the variety of the types of jobs i can work in.
Life sciences seems more as in if you want to work in pathology labs and NHS settings, then its perfect, but not so good if you want to go into different areas. I spoke to their student ambassadors at the open day and thats the general feel i got :smile: