Ethan M

What do you like about your course and why?

The Biomedical Science course has allowed me to learn about and take an interest in a very wide range of topics, from areas surrounding blood, oxidative stress and cancer, to different laboratory techniques. I have also enjoyed how each year builds on the last, shifting from learning the foundational core principles of biomedical science to applying them to disease and to research happening here at Surrey. The coursework – especially now at the start of Year 3 – has allowed me to research deeper into scientific areas of interest, broadening my knowledge in specific subjects.

What did your Professional Training placement involve? What were the highlights?

I spent my Professional Training placement year working with the oncology research group at the Leggett Building here at the University of Surrey, in a team led by Dr Mohammad Asim. My project was in the research of prostate cancer and the effects of mutations on drug treatment when the disease is castration-resistant. 

I have been lucky enough to co-author a review article, as well as having the opportunity to potentially write a first-author research paper in the future. Throughout the year I built on content from years 1 and 2 on topics such as molecular biology and cell biology, as well as developing my practical skills. I am now competent in a range of scientific techniques such as cell culture, western blotting and polymerase chain reaction (PCR), and have gained valuable presenting, scientific writing and time-management skills. 

What do you want to do when you graduate?

My placement gave me an insight into the work–life balance involved in academia and has made me realise I want to continue in this environment. I really value the creative flexibility I have in my research and the independence in deciding what experiments I would like to do for my projects. After graduation, I want to pursue a PhD studentship in something cancer-related as I feel like the skill set I acquired in my placement year would suit this perfectly.

What advice would you give to students who want to study this course?

Firstly, start the course with an open mind: you will be given a large range of content so take it as an opportunity to discover what your interests are; however, if you're struggling, don't panic as a lot of knowledge and lab techniques can be transferred between topics. 

Also, I'd definitely recommend doing a Professional Training year, whether that's a lab-based placement in the NHS or one within Surrey, another university or an institution abroad. Within the NHS, you'll get the opportunity to build up your portfolio and go on rotation to learn many different techniques used by a biomedical scientist. But, like me, you could do a placement in a laboratory outside the NHS, which would give you more creative freedom on how you want to approach a scientific problem and how to research it. Both are very good options depending on what you'd like to do after graduating.

Find out more about our Biomedical Science BSc/MSci.