Ami

What do you like about your course and why?

The Biomedical Science course has allowed me to study a broad range of scientific disciplines, which means I can figure out what parts I love and what I want study or work on further in the future. During lectures there is always an effort to connect current research, including research taking place at Surrey, with the lecture content, which has helped me to put what I’m learning into context.

What do you enjoy most about Surrey?

To me, the campus feels like a mini town, because there are so many options for food, drinks and entertainment here. Since starting at Surrey I have really enjoyed going to the gym at Surrey Sports Park – I’ve become more active which has positively affected my physical and mental health. 

If you’ve completed a Professional Training placement, what did it involve? What were the highlights?

I am very grateful to have undertaken a placement year at the Karolinska Institute in Sweden. I worked in the medical biochemistry and biophysics department where there was a focus on bioengineering and how it can be used to target problems in things like regenerative medicine and therapeutics. I worked as a research assistant and helped with a project investigating the in vitro effects of phosphoserine containing calcium phosphate cements.

This experience helped me to better understand how scientific research is conducted and gave me the chance to improve on the lab skills I had gained through practical sessions during my course and see how they are implemented in a real-world setting. I was also trained on various lab machines and new techniques that I know will be useful for me in the future. I am so glad I was able to take this opportunity through my course as it has made me more interested in a future career in research and in gaining more experience like this throughout the rest of my course.

"I would definitely recommend taking a placement year, as it gives you great experience that will put you ahead of other graduates. Surrey has amazing resources and offers a lot of support for finding a placement, so take advantage of it while you can."

What do you want to do when you graduate?

My placement year project really opened my mind up to what I could potentially pursue in the future. I know I want to continue working in the scientific field, specifically in a lab setting, as that was the part of my placement I enjoyed the most. I would most like to go into scientific research that focuses on regenerative medicine, as this is an emerging field that I find interesting.

What’s your advice to students thinking of studying this course?

My advice would be to take every opportunity that is given to you. Try out new societies and clubs, make friends with people both on your course and studying something else, find new hobbies. I would also definitely recommend taking a placement year, as it gives you great experience that will put you ahead of other graduates. Surrey has amazing resources and offers a lot of support for finding a placement, so take advantage of it while you can.

Find out more about our Biomedical Science BSc/MSci