Choosing Between Veterinary Medicine & Biomedical Science

Hello,
I am a student who had just completed the DP program and moving on into making decisions for universities. I received offers from both King's College London and a well-known local uni in my home country; the offer from KCL is for Biomedical Science (3 years), and the offer from my hometown uni is Veterinary Medicine (5 years, would basically get a certificate after graduating).

I've been eager to get into a Vet Med school or Med School in the UK but failed to get in, as an alternative I decided to apply to the Vet Med in my home country's most famous uni as well as an attractive amount of scholarship. Currently I'm having difficulties in deciding which uni to go to.

To provide some insights about my situation, my dream course is Veterinary Medicine, but recently I had a conversation with a expert in the field of biomedical science, and he said considering the recognition that KCL gets globally, it is much more worthwhile to go to KCL no matter what course I got an offer from from my home country uni. He also talked about the revolutionary impact BioMed can have in the future, including gene, cell therapy and manipulations of exosomes. My plan is to start up a Vet Clinic by myself in the future, and I wonder if it is worthwhile to take the biomedical science course in KCL for the purpose of recognition or does it help in any way of my Veterinary career?

Another issue I have with my home country uni is because of the salary I'll receive as a newbie vet right out of uni, as I would receive more or less the same as a convenience store worker (not saying this is bad, but not ideal as a veterinarian). If I were to go to KCL, and have some short-term work experiences in, would it be more beneficial for the startup of my vet career?

Sorry if my questions are too vague, this is the first time for me posting in the Student Room, I'm just trying to get some input from people around UK about their experiences with Biomedical Science course, preferably in KCL and their career paths afterwards. It would also be great to hear from people who had the same situation as me and some advices from them.

Thank you!!

Reply 1

LexiLoo2

If you want to be a vet, do the Veterinary Medicine course. The status of the university really does not matter in the long run... I did Biomedical Sciences at a non-Russell group university and I'm now on a graduate programme which funds my Master's degree at a Russell group university alongside students who have graduated from Oxbridge...

In fact, Kings College London's Biomedical Science BSc was not even accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) at the time I was studying my degree and students from KCL were asking my university lecturers if they could study modules on our course to gain accreditation (my course was IBMS accredited). I don't believe KCL's Biomedical Science course is accredited to date. Note accreditation is only relevant if you want to become a Biomedical Scientist. But as you want to be a vet, why study this course at all?

What does global recognition matter if it does not get you the career that you want?

The only thing to consider is if there is a disadvantage to studying Veterinary Medicine in your home country compared to the UK i.e. does it limit where you can work location-wise.