Biomedical science and Physics.

Jaafa

Hey was wondering if anyone can give me some info on this course?

The hours,generally difficulty, level of maths, difference compared to other biomedical courses (say UCD for example) and what kind of jobs I can get afterwards.

Of course I've done my own reasecrch into this just hoping to get a first hand view here. Thanks.

eagleye7

Hey, I dont know a whole lot about the PBM course, but i do applied physics so im friends with some of them and would know a bit about it.

I dont know about UCD, but in DCU it definitely is Physics with a side of biomed. You'll be a full physics student, and you sit in more or less with the bio people for some lecture. I know that you do things like Anatomy, immunology, biochem and biophotonics, as well as the normal physics modules.

Theres also a bit of emphasis on biophysics, as well as just the two seperate areas, mainly in project work, which they get assigned seperate topics etc, and I know this year 4 of the 5 people in the class are working in hospitals in the radiology\physics departments.

In my year I know not everyone did honors maths, but if you arent you will have to be prepared to work hard at it, I know a few who were lazy and failed first year maths, but i think itll be the same for lots of 3rd level maths, if you dont work you wont pass.

As for schedule, its pretty mush the same as normal physics, so far my friends have had two different classes from me, so they went to bio classes while I had physics. About 20-24 hours a week of lectures? i think, theres not too many assignments or essays, a few hours work a week on tutorials and such, and about 6 hours of physics labs. I dont think the hours are worse than any other dcu science course, although maybe a bit more outside study nneeds to be done to understand all the maths.

Hope that helps. The last thing i would say to you if you are thinking of applying is that the physics department is small, but pretty well respected for its work placement, and small classes means the lecturers know you and some of them will really go out of their way to help out if they can. its a nice feeling to have a ~30 person class for harder subjects, you can ask questions and get a much better grip on the material.

Jaafa

eagleye7 wrote: »

Hey, I dont know a whole lot about the PBM course, but i do applied physics so im friends with some of them and would know a bit about it.

I dont know about UCD, but in DCU it definitely is Physics with a side of biomed. You'll be a full physics student, and you sit in more or less with the bio people for some lecture. I know that you do things like Anatomy, immunology, biochem and biophotonics, as well as the normal physics modules.

Theres also a bit of emphasis on biophysics, as well as just the two seperate areas, mainly in project work, which they get assigned seperate topics etc, and I know this year 4 of the 5 people in the class are working in hospitals in the radiology\physics departments.

In my year I know not everyone did honors maths, but if you arent you will have to be prepared to work hard at it, I know a few who were lazy and failed first year maths, but i think itll be the same for lots of 3rd level maths, if you dont work you wont pass.

As for schedule, its pretty mush the same as normal physics, so far my friends have had two different classes from me, so they went to bio classes while I had physics. About 20-24 hours a week of lectures? i think, theres not too many assignments or essays, a few hours work a week on tutorials and such, and about 6 hours of physics labs. I dont think the hours are worse than any other dcu science course, although maybe a bit more outside study nneeds to be done to understand all the maths.

Hope that helps. The last thing i would say to you if you are thinking of applying is that the physics department is small, but pretty well respected for its work placement, and small classes means the lecturers know you and some of them will really go out of their way to help out if they can. its a nice feeling to have a ~30 person class for harder subjects, you can ask questions and get a much better grip on the material.

Hey eagleye thanks for the reply.

So what your saying is that its primarily a physics course with biomed as a secondary?

Also will that mean I may be restricted in terms of what kind of research jobs I can get in the biomed sector after college? Say for example disease research and the like?

Thanks again.

eagleye7

As I said, I dont do the course so I havent much interest in the careers associated with PBM graduates. I do know however that it is a very new course and the first graduate from the course will only be this september. Its only been going for 4 years now.

In terms of opportunities i think its less focussed on pharmacuticals and more on biomedical devices, testing, sensors and such. Applying physics for biological purposes if you catch my drift. I dont think you will be restricted as such, for example in the BDI in dcu, the biomedical diagnostics institute, the work is all multi-disciplinary, including chemists and physicists.

You could probably work there with a pure physics degree, but some biomedical experience would be a great boost. I think the decision lies in what area you want to pursue, things like disease treatment research I cant see many physics applications, however lab on a chip style sensing of cancerous cells for example is very much grounded in physics.

Jaafa

eagleye7 wrote: »

As I said, I dont do the course so I havent much interest in the careers associated with PBM graduates. I do know however that it is a very new course and the first graduate from the course will only be this september. Its only been going for 4 years now.

In terms of opportunities i think its less focussed on pharmacuticals and more on biomedical devices, testing, sensors and such. Applying physics for biological purposes if you catch my drift. I dont think you will be restricted as such, for example in the BDI in dcu, the biomedical diagnostics institute, the work is all multi-disciplinary, including chemists and physicists.

You could probably work there with a pure physics degree, but some biomedical experience would be a great boost. I think the decision lies in what area you want to pursue, things like disease treatment research I cant see many physics applications, however lab on a chip style sensing of cancerous cells for example is very much grounded in physics.

Alright thanks for the info. Appreciate it.

RyDar

My former roommate (thank god) does Physics and Bieomedical sciences, usually I've only got good things to say about you, but the amount of work in that course is ridiculous, apparently the lecturers are psychopaths, and the level of maths required from the very start is crazy. It's just what I've heard, I'm a wee languages student, so no maths etc. for me, but that's just what I've heard and seen so by no means let it make or break the decision!

pvt6zh395dqbrj

I've a mate who did physics in DCU and he tells me the lecturer's are actually really sound and while the maths is difficult, the lecturer's are very helpful.

Then again I don't talk to him that much because he didn't like my Prison Break radio play so now I don't like him anymore.