super/extracurriculur for biological and life sciences

11

im in yr 12 so im still confused on what to specifically go into, but i find genuine interest in genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, biomedicine, immunology and so on
ive been reading into each field and listening to a few podcasts and im planning on doing a few moocs when im finished with mocks, but i was wondering if theres anything else that i can do? i cant find any lab work experience for some reason... are there any programmes, workshops etc. that would be helpful?

Reply 1

31kushpatrl

8

There are loads of essay competitions available online, general reading around the subject with books and new developments in journals, I'd recommend signing up to 'nature briefing' which is a daily email with important new articles. For work experiences, there aren't many of them but you should be able to find some, a few I know of are Rothamsted research, Zebrafish academy, and the Sanger institute.

Reply 2

UoW Joseph

Official Rep

7

Original post

by h3artara

im in yr 12 so im still confused on what to specifically go into, but i find genuine interest in genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, biomedicine, immunology and so on
ive been reading into each field and listening to a few podcasts and im planning on doing a few moocs when im finished with mocks, but i was wondering if theres anything else that i can do? i cant find any lab work experience for some reason... are there any programmes, workshops etc. that would be helpful?

Hi there,

It sounds like you’re already doing a lot of the right things; reading around the subjects, listening to podcasts, and planning some MOOCs will all help you build a solid understanding and show genuine interest.

Formal lab work experience can definitely be hard to find at this stage, so don’t worry if nothing’s come up yet. Keep an eye out for any opportunities your sixth form or college might advertise, and you could also try emailing local companies or university labs to ask if they’d be open to letting you shadow for a week. Sometimes smaller placements like that work out well.

That said, don’t stress too much about deciding exactly which area to specialise in right now. You can always take a broader degree like Biology or Biomedical Science at university, and then explore modules in genetics, pharmacology, or immunology once you’re there.

Best wishes,
Joseph (UoW Official Rep)

Reply 3

LittleFire10

14

Original post

by h3artara

im in yr 12 so im still confused on what to specifically go into, but i find genuine interest in genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, biomedicine, immunology and so on
ive been reading into each field and listening to a few podcasts and im planning on doing a few moocs when im finished with mocks, but i was wondering if theres anything else that i can do? i cant find any lab work experience for some reason... are there any programmes, workshops etc. that would be helpful?

Try reaching out to your local NHS research and innovation department. Or local pharmaceutical companies. Or even your community pharmacy. Just try lots of things until you figure out what you’re interested in.

Reply 4

Q.Grace

1

Original post

by h3artara

im in yr 12 so im still confused on what to specifically go into, but i find genuine interest in genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, biomedicine, immunology and so on
ive been reading into each field and listening to a few podcasts and im planning on doing a few moocs when im finished with mocks, but i was wondering if theres anything else that i can do? i cant find any lab work experience for some reason... are there any programmes, workshops etc. that would be helpful?

There's loads of essay competitions and olympiads out there you should totally look into: for genetics, the ASHG DNA day essay prize is good to do bc it's free, and even if you don't win any prize money, you still have an essay that you've written and can speak about in your ps. Also check out participating in a Biolympiad; I did the UK Medical Diagnostics Olympiad (since I'm a med applicant) but I also did their biology olympiad, and it's really in depth and great for expanding your knowledge outside of school curriculum. That's where I'd start.

Reply 5

UniofReading

Official Rep

14

Original post

by h3artara

im in yr 12 so im still confused on what to specifically go into, but i find genuine interest in genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, biomedicine, immunology and so on
ive been reading into each field and listening to a few podcasts and im planning on doing a few moocs when im finished with mocks, but i was wondering if theres anything else that i can do? i cant find any lab work experience for some reason... are there any programmes, workshops etc. that would be helpful?

Good afternoon,

A good supplementary activity to have in university is joining a school club, e.g., a science club at school, or helping out at an external science camp for children. If your school doesn't already have a science club, you could consider asking to create one; there may be other students in your year who would be interested in joining. If you can gather a few of you together, you can ask the head of the science department whether you can run a lunchtime club. This is a great way to gain experience and enhance your personal statement.

Other extracurricular activities could include signing up for the St. John's Ambulance charity, which has a Juniors program for under 18s, where you can learn first aid skills, or joining guides or scouts to gain team-building experience, and sometimes they have science-based activities.

All the best,
Ella
BSc Ecology

Reply 6

hotwingq

1

Original post

by h3artara

im in yr 12 so im still confused on what to specifically go into, but i find genuine interest in genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, biomedicine, immunology and so on
ive been reading into each field and listening to a few podcasts and im planning on doing a few moocs when im finished with mocks, but i was wondering if theres anything else that i can do? i cant find any lab work experience for some reason... are there any programmes, workshops etc. that would be helpful?

hii im a y13 whos just applied for biological sciences and got 3/5 incl rg offers so far, this is what i did for some ideas:

•

sutton trust summer school (you can also do uniq or cambridge has one specifically for women in stem)

•

read books (i liked the 'a very short introduction' books, my favourite was stem cells)

•

i went to uni open days and in my ps mentioned how at these i spoke to researches abt their work and how they got into their roles (i want to go into research)

•

online course things
i also applied to do work experience at cancer research uk labs but unfortunately this didnt work out, i know people who contacted hospitals and got work experience in their biomed labs

honestly you don't need to do too much, but you need to reflect and link them well. good luck :smile:

Reply 7

Uni of Southampton Students

Official Rep

16

Original post

by h3artara

im in yr 12 so im still confused on what to specifically go into, but i find genuine interest in genetics, pharmacology, biochemistry, biomedicine, immunology and so on
ive been reading into each field and listening to a few podcasts and im planning on doing a few moocs when im finished with mocks, but i was wondering if theres anything else that i can do? i cant find any lab work experience for some reason... are there any programmes, workshops etc. that would be helpful?

Hi, its great to hear you are thinking of going into the biological sciences side of things!

It is definitely hard to get in person experience for lab work as many places do not allow people below degree level in. I think doing the MOOCs is a great idea, as well as any other online courses that are focussed around your interests. As others have said, reading books is also a great way to show your wider interest in the topic.

I am currently studying zoology at the University of Southampton (so in the biological sciences department), so if you have any specific questions please let me know! You seem to have a broad range of areas you would like to learn more about - and I would definitely recommend looking into biology or biomedical science here at Southampton. The department is super friendly with great resources, labs and teaching.
Let me know if there's more you would like to know!

Rachel (UoS student ambassador)

super/extracurriculur for biological and life sciences

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