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Anyone who has done or is doing biomed w/o biology?

I have been given an offer to do biomed as an alternative course as I wasn't given the course I originally applied for. However, I haven't done biology or chem in A-level, it sounds weird I know but the entry requirements for that course accepted all subjects so I was wondering perhaps they would teach the basics beginning of first year. Im genuinely considering it now but is this route possible for me if I catch up on necessary bio and chem content before uni? If you are or have been in the same situation, advice would be very helpful!!!

Reply 1

Scienceisgood

Would you mind posting the link to the course you were offered please?

Also, is it IBMS accredited as if you want to work as a Biomedical Scientist in the UK (it is a protected title), your degree MUST be IBMS accredited.

Biomed BSc and MSc grad here (also a trainee BMS in clinical biochemistry), although the only A Level I have is a D in bio (failed chem) and so I went through the foundation route.

I would say it’s definitely possible to do it without having taken either Bio or Chem, but bizarre you got offered the option though as normally the entry requirements are for one or the other.

In all honesty, I would say you could get away with not having done either, would it help, yes but very minutely, I would say you could self study some bits though as I would say it may help in first year for bio such as the structure of the heart but you could learn that through self study quite easily. That and the differences between animal, plant and bacterial cells as that plays a fair bit into cell biochemistry but it isn't all that hard to learn tbh.

Happy to help if you have any other questions!

Reply 2

faithquimintan

Original post

by Scienceisgood

Would you mind posting the link to the course you were offered please?
Also, is it IBMS accredited as if you want to work as a Biomedical Scientist in the UK (or is a protected title), your degree MUST be IBMS accredited.
Biomed BSc and MSc grad here (also a trainee BMS in clinical biochemistry), although the only A Level I have is a D in bio (failed chem) and so I went through the foundation route.
I would say it’s definitely possible to do it without having taken either Bio or Chem, but bizarre you got offered the option though as normally the entry requirements are for one or the other.
In all honesty, I would say you could get away with not having done either, would it help, yes but very minutely, I would say you could self study some bits though as I would say it may help in first year for bio such as the structure of the heart but you could learn that through self study quite easily. That and the differences between animal, plant and bacterial cells as that plays a fair bit into cell biochemistry but it isn't all that hard to learn tbh.
Happy to help if you have any other questions!

BSc (Hons) Biomedical Science | Bournemouth University Thank you so much for the advice btw! I got the offer from Bournemouth University although I had previously applied for Child Nursing. And yes I do think the course is IBMS accredited

Reply 3

Scienceisgood

Original post

by faithquimintan

Fair warning, if you are a Biomedical Scientist, you don't interact with patients as such in a clinical setting as, aside from possibly showing people around the hospital, you will not have any interaction with patients (except when you may get the occasional call to the lab from some random person who's managed to obtain the lab's phone number (this has happened to me on a few occasions and the conversation always goes as follows "I'm sorry, we in the lab aren't doctors and so aren't allowed to give out your information to anyone aside from a clinician, if you wish to discuss your results, please book a GP appointment or speak with your clinician") and even then, you aren't allowed to give the results as the only people who should see them are doctors or other clinicians/nurses.

So if you want to go into a patient facing role, I would suggest looking elsewhere. I am not trying to put you off doing the degree but just giving you a warning that, by the sounds of it, you want to have a more patient facing role if you wanted to do paediatric nursing.