Ever wondered who the scientists were behind the statistical data that informed governments’ decisions during the Covid-19 pandemic? As a biomedical scientist, you’ll research and understand how the human body works, both in health and disease. You’ll learn about genetics, genomics, pathology, cellular biology, and immunity, among other things.
It could lead to a career as a biomedical scientist, medical laboratory assistant, research technician, or marketing assistant. You could progress to teaching, postgraduate study, or even into medicine or dentistry. It’s a relatively stable industry, with 3.31% job growth predicted over the next eight years.
- Be the team that tests and analyses samples from the next global pandemic and reduces its impact worldwide.
- Explore further into the causes, prevention, and treatment of diseases like cancer and Alzheimer’s.
- Work on clinical trials and help bring the next life-changing drug to market.
- Biochemistry
- Molecular biology
- Laboratory science
- Genetics
- Microbiology
- Anatomy
- Physiology
- Cells of the nervous system
- Pharmacology
Chat to a current biomedical sciences student
Chat to a current biomedical sciences student using UniBuddy.
Some conversation starters for you:
- Ask which modules they really enjoyed.
- Find out how easy it was for them to make friends on their course.
- Do they have any tips on your personal statement?
- Did they do anything to prep for uni before they went?
- Are there books, podcasts or YouTube channels they would recommend?
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Biomedical science or biomedical sciences?
Biomedical science: This degree is specifically geared towards becoming a biomedical scientist, working in hospital and private clinical labs to help doctors diagnose and treat diseases. To work as a biomedical scientist in the UK, you'll need to register with the Health and Care Professions Council (HCPC). An Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS) accredited degree is crucial for this.
Biomedical sciences: This broader degree covers various aspects of human biology. It's great if you want to explore different specialties but will not include all the subjects needed to become a biomedical scientist.
Why IBMS accreditation matters
An IBMS accredited biomedical science degree is the key to becoming a registered biomedical scientist in the UK. Here's why:
- Statutory registration: To practise as a biomedical scientist in the UK, you must be registered with the Health & Care Professions Council (HCPC). An IBMS accredited degree is a crucial step in meeting their strict requirements.
- Essential training: Getting your HCPC registration also involves hands-on training in an IBMS-approved training laboratory. An accredited degree often streamlines this process, sometimes even incorporating a clinical placement to complete the IBMS Registration Training Portfolio into the program itself.
- Clear career path: These specialised degrees are designed to meet the requirements for a biomedical scientist role but also provide you with excellent transferable, technical, and practical skills that a variety of employers demand.
If you're serious about becoming a biomedical scientist, an IBMS accredited degree is your launchpad to a rewarding career in healthcare.
- Biology
- Biochemistry
- Project management
- Data analysis
- Microbiology
- Research
- Communications
- Management
- Planning
- Innovation
What is a… toxicologist?
Getting in: Entry requirements
Find out more about what you'll need to study biomedical sciences at university or as an apprenticeship.
Average requirements for undergraduate degrees
Entry requirements differ between university and course, but this should give you a guide to what is usually expected from biomedical sciences applicants.
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IBMS podcast
Podcast hosted by the Institute of Biomedical Science, which interviews award-winning scientists about their careers, and discusses things like testing strategies for future pandemics, and how digital pathology is changing the way scientists share specimens. -
Health & Care Professions Council
Show you understand how biomedical scientists are regulated by reading the Health & Care Professions Council’s web page about the requirements for this career. -
Biomeducated on YouTube
Run by a PhD student with five years’ biotech experience, this channel has guides on what you might cover when studying biomedical sciences. A bitesize, accessible way to discover more about this subject.
- Show you know what you’re applying for by mentioning what you’ve been reading or listening to that tells you more about this subject or career. Think critically about what you’ve learned and which areas intrigue you.
- Demonstrate your practical skills and your enthusiasm for this subject. Have you got experience in lab work and experiments, perhaps at your school or college in science lessons? Maybe you’ve been doing some sort of science experiments at home?
- Biomedical scientists will need to use their initiative, conduct their own experiments and solve problems independently. Try to give examples of when you’ve carried out your own work – at school, during work experience or as part of your part-time job – and explain what you learned from those experiences.
- Don’t be afraid of talking about your hobbies or extracurricular activities too. Often there are attributes you’ll have picked up from these interests that will be relevant to studying this subject, as well as getting as much as possible out of university life too.