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Biomedical Science - strathclyde or Cale?

Hi there!!

I have applied to biomedical science at strathclyde university and also Glasgow Caledonian.

My current goal for after my degree is to become a clinical scientist, most likely specialising in embryology.

I have heard that to work in the NHS you need to be HCPC registered, which I cannot do during strathclydes degree as they do not offer work placement, however Glasgow Caledonian do.

Strathclyde university is rated a lot higher for biomed than Glasgow Caledonian, so I am very undecided.

Is there a possibility of getting into clinical embryology with strathclydes degree?? Or is my best bets to go to Glasgow Caledonian to get HCPC registered??

Any help is appreciated!!


Thanks x
hi! i'm in the same boat as you tbh because i have offers from both unis but i haven't decided which to go to due to the hcpc problem. if you want to work for the nhs then you need to be registered with the hcpc and there are ways to get around it with strathclyde by finding a placement of your own, as well as taking additional modules at other unis i think, however i could be wrong. i've heard that trying to find a placement can be really difficult if you do it on your own because a lot of hospitals don't want to take on students. hope this helps, even just a little cos it's not much :smile:
Reply 2
Original post by danielledaisley0
hi! i'm in the same boat as you tbh because i have offers from both unis but i haven't decided which to go to due to the hcpc problem. if you want to work for the nhs then you need to be registered with the hcpc and there are ways to get around it with strathclyde by finding a placement of your own, as well as taking additional modules at other unis i think, however i could be wrong. i've heard that trying to find a placement can be really difficult if you do it on your own because a lot of hospitals don't want to take on students. hope this helps, even just a little cos it's not much :smile:


Thanks so much for the input!! It’s a pain because strathclyde seems a better rated uni but I’m undecided. What are you thinking of doing? :smile:
strathy was my first choice but now i really can't make up my mind. i was put off dundee because it wasn't ibms accredited and i wanted to give myself the option of either working for the nhs or getting my pgde and teaching biology once i graduated but since i won't be easy to work for the nhs if i go to strathy anyway, i need to decide between dundee as it's more prestigious but far away or gcu which is less prestigious but close. i'm totally lost now cos i was so sure of where i wanted to go but the lack of answers really annoys me, you'd think they'd make it a lot clearer if they wanted to attract students. i suppose it'll be decided when i hear back from dundee because i have offers from gcu and strathy. have you heard back from any unis yet? :smile:
You speak about HCPC registration but then say you want to get into Clinical Embryology. It's really simple, if you don't want to be a Biomedical Scientist, it doesn't matter the slightest.
Reply 5
Original post by RegisteredBMS
You speak about HCPC registration but then say you want to get into Clinical Embryology. It's really simple, if you don't want to be a Biomedical Scientist, it doesn't matter the slightest.


I apologise, I am still rather confused about the whole process with HCPC registration. I thought maybe if I didn’t get into the NHS STP then I would have to become a biomedical scientist and work my way towards embryology.
Reply 6
Original post by danielledaisley0
strathy was my first choice but now i really can't make up my mind. i was put off dundee because it wasn't ibms accredited and i wanted to give myself the option of either working for the nhs or getting my pgde and teaching biology once i graduated but since i won't be easy to work for the nhs if i go to strathy anyway, i need to decide between dundee as it's more prestigious but far away or gcu which is less prestigious but close. i'm totally lost now cos i was so sure of where i wanted to go but the lack of answers really annoys me, you'd think they'd make it a lot clearer if they wanted to attract students. i suppose it'll be decided when i hear back from dundee because i have offers from gcu and strathy. have you heard back from any unis yet? :smile:


I’ve heard back from strathclyde with an unconditional but not from GCU. Do you have snap or anything I can add you on to chat? 😊xx
Original post by hsinclair12
I’ve heard back from strathclyde with an unconditional but not from GCU. Do you have snap or anything I can add you on to chat? 😊xx

yeah, my snaps danni_0466 🙃x
Original post by hsinclair12
I apologise, I am still rather confused about the whole process with HCPC registration. I thought maybe if I didn’t get into the NHS STP then I would have to become a biomedical scientist and work my way towards embryology.

Embryology isn't really a thing in NHS Laboratories. It's pretty much blood sciences, which incorporates biochemistry, haematology and immunology, then there's microbiology, cytology/histology and some larger NHS hospitals have a genetics laboratory.

HCPC is a regulatory body, similar to the GMC for medics and the NMC for nurses, except the HCPC cover many professions within healthcare and also social work.

If you'd like to not rule out being a Biomedical Scientist, then go for the IBMS accredited degree. If you don't and decide you want to go down that route, it'll be expensive in both money and time.
Reply 9
Original post by RegisteredBMS
Embryology isn't really a thing in NHS Laboratories. It's pretty much blood sciences, which incorporates biochemistry, haematology and immunology, then there's microbiology, cytology/histology and some larger NHS hospitals have a genetics laboratory.

HCPC is a regulatory body, similar to the GMC for medics and the NMC for nurses, except the HCPC cover many professions within healthcare and also social work.

If you'd like to not rule out being a Biomedical Scientist, then go for the IBMS accredited degree. If you don't and decide you want to go down that route, it'll be expensive in both money and time.


Both degrees are IBMS accredited, however one offers placement to complete your IBMS portfolio for HCPC registration.

If I were to become a clinical embryologist, where would I practice this then? In a private hospital or IVF clinic etc?
Original post by hsinclair12
Both degrees are IBMS accredited, however one offers placement to complete your IBMS portfolio for HCPC registration.

If I were to become a clinical embryologist, where would I practice this then? In a private hospital or IVF clinic etc?

Who knows? A clinical embryologist has nothing to do with being a biomedical scientist, I think you're confusing careers.
Reply 11
Original post by hsinclair12
Both degrees are IBMS accredited, however one offers placement to complete your IBMS portfolio for HCPC registration.

If I were to become a clinical embryologist, where would I practice this then? In a private hospital or IVF clinic etc?

My two-pence worth:

I think the confusion here is arising from the fact that neither trainee posts in the NHS, nor the NHS STP (or HSST) programme, hire or train clinical embryologists and instead, it is a highly-specialised career title which will be occupied by various, diverse seasoned professionals.

Clinical embryologists have likely studied BMS, human biology, physiology or reproductive sciences in an undergraduate capacity, and then specialised, via a higher degree (MSc, MRes or PhD), or an NHS-accredited programme (NHS STP and/or HSST). This is an important distinction as to my knowledge, there is no NHS-accredited programme for clinical embryology, with the closest being "Reproductive Sciences" within the NHS STP (and HSST) programme. The roles have an overlap, but there is a big difference: a BMS doesn't and cannot give clinical advice, a clinical scientist (regardless of specialism) can and will. If you look at the typical person specific for a CE role, it often involves the following: a life sciences degree, HCPC registration (as a clinical scientist completion of the NHS STP programme).

Regardless, if I had the choice, an IBMS-accredited HCPC placement course sounds like a strong first step on a very long journey.
Original post by RegisteredBMS
Who knows? A clinical embryologist has nothing to do with being a biomedical scientist, I think you're confusing careers.


Actually, the entry requirement for training in the NHS STP for becoming a clinical embryologist requires you to have a life science such as biomedical science.
Original post by hsinclair12
Actually, the entry requirement for training in the NHS STP for becoming a clinical embryologist requires you to have a life science such as biomedical science.

I'm aware, that does not mean it has anything to do with being a Biomedical Scientist.

I agree with the previous reply but disagree to a point in a placement. You would be needlessly taking an opportunity from a prospective BMS, and the only value would be to one, not yourself who doesn't want to be a BMS.
Original post by hsinclair12
Thanks so much for the input!! It’s a pain because strathclyde seems a better rated uni but I’m undecided. What are you thinking of doing? :smile:


Hey where did u eventually go? GCU or Strathclyde? I am having same issue.. cant decide.. work placement option..

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