GMIT Medical Science Or NUIG Biomedical Science

Stale_Milk

Hey, I'm considering doing Medical/Biomedical Science and was wondering what the difference in job opportunities would be between these two courses, as only the GMIT course is recognised by ACLSM. I'm leaning more towards NUIG as I'm more familiar with the college and know a lot of people going there or that are already there and so want to know if the NUIG course is a complete waste of time as someone who wants to work as a Biomedical Scientist in the future. Thanks a million!

Mr. McGreg

If you want to get straight into a lab with a decent amount of practical experience GMIT is the way to go, that's if you're fully sure you want to work in a lab. NUIG biomed is a lot less hands on, a lot more learn the lectures, until final year at least. I studied biomed in NUIG, the major advantage is in second year you automatically get into biochem/pharmacology/anatomy/physiology without needing high grades from 1st year (which the general science students need because these are usually the most popular subject choices), when I did it it was only these subjects and I think it's the same now. So if you want to do microbiology/zooology etc. you'd have to do general science. Apart from some small biomedical modules each year (which were in no way practically useful to me) there is absolutely no other difference between biomed and general science, only what it says on the degree.

My advice would be to really think about what you want to be, "biomedical scientist" is kind of a general term, what is it you really want to study? the biomolecules of a cell/anatomy of tissue/microbiology, there's lots and lots of different types of jobs! If you like things more hands on GMIT, if you like learning and don't mind reading lots of notes and lectures (mostly in 3rd and 4th year) then biomed could be the way to go, but only if you want to study pharmacology/anatomy/biochemistry/physiology!!

Also employers tend to look favourably on the people with lots of practical experience so GMIT has a huge upper hand there!

Stale_Milk

Thanks so much for the advice, that's cleared things up a lot for me, I think a more hands on experience is what I'd prefer, I know I learn a lot better than way, I think GMIT might be the way to go, thanks again!