Biomedical sciences degree overview

The biomedical sciences discipline combines the fields of biology and medicine to focus on the health of both humans and animals. Biomedical scientists develop new treatments and therapies for illnesses, diseases, and disabilities. They research medical conditions such as cancer, diabetes, anemia, stress, and aging.

Students pursuing a biomedical sciences degree begin their studies with an emphasis on courses in biology, general chemistry, and organic chemistry. In advanced courses they explore the application of knowledge in these areas to conducting biomedical research and ultimately finding scientific solutions to health problems around the world.

Bachelor’s Degree in Biomedical Sciences – Four Year Duration
The primary learning outcome of a bachelor’s program in biomedical sciences is understanding of and ability to apply principles in health science to a career in the medical field. The curriculum typically provides students with opportunities to engage in internship and job shadowing experiences with chiropractors, physicians, physical therapists, veterinarians, and other professionals in hospital, pharmaceutical, and pathology laboratory settings.

Holders of this undergraduate degree who do not go on to further study generally qualify for jobs in pharmaceutical sales or as lab technicians or researchers in laboratory settings.

Core bachelor’s level courses in the major include:

• Biological Sciences I – principles of biology from a botanical perspective, focusing on structure, function, ecology, and the evolutionary diversity of the fungal and plant kingdoms
• Biological Sciences II – principles of biology from a zoological perspective, focusing on genetics, evolution, animal structure and function, development and diversity of the animal kingdom
• Cellular Biology – examination of the molecular and biochemical systems central to cellular structures and processes
• Genetics – genetic, cytogenetic, and biochemical aspects of inheritance
• Biomedical Sciences Seminar I – exploration of the wide range of career options available to a biomedical sciences major and the academic pathways for those careers; presentations of research / internship experiences; guest speakers working in the field
• Biomedical Sciences Seminar II – directed research in the biomedical sciences that impacts human health, with emphasis on the conception, design, and interpretation of results of research experiments
• General Chemistry I Lecture – atomic theory, structure, and chemical bonding; application of thermodynamic, structural, and kinetic considerations to inorganic systems; electrochemistry, quantitative analysis
• General Chemistry II Lecture – the chemical properties of gases, liquids, and solids; solutions; chemical equilibrium; atomic and molecular structure; thermodynamics; reaction kinetics; discussion of properties electrochemistry and nuclear chemistry; applying qualitative and quantitative chemical principles to questions in chemistry, biology, health, and related disciplines
• General Chemistry Laboratory – basic lab techniques in the general chemistry area; adapting lab techniques to new problems or situations; applying mathematical methods to solve experimental chemistry problems; communicating scientific questions, analyses, and interpretations in writing
• Organic Chemistry I Lecture – structure of organic compounds, stereochemistry, and an introduction to the reactions of organic compounds
• Organic Chemistry I Laboratory – introduction to organic chemistry lab techniques with emphasis on purification and identification of organic compounds; separating and purifying organic molecules from mixtures using common organic techniques such as distillation, recrystallization, aqueous extraction, and chromatography; assessing the purity of an organic compound experimentally

Biochemistry
The focus of biochemistry is the chemical processes and reactions that occur in living matter. Biochemists apply principles of both biology and chemistry to issues in many different sectors, including the environment, medicine and health, industry and manufacturing, agriculture, biofuels, and marine science.

Biology
A general biology degree program may include subjects like animal biology, invertebrate biology, vertebrate biology, cellular and molecular biology, evolution, microbiology, and ecology.

Biomedical Engineering
Simply stated, biomedical engineering uses engineering to solve health and medical problems. For example, a biomedical engineer might look for chemical signals in the body that warn of a particular disease or condition.

Biophysics
Biophysics applies the theories and methods of physics to understand how biological systems like the brain, the circulatory system, and the immune system function. Coursework includes math, chemistry, physics, engineering, pharmacology, and materials science.

Biotechnology
Majors in this field study engineering and the life sciences to create new products – such as vaccines, medicines, growth hormones for plants, and food additives – for the agricultural, industrial, and environmental industries. Among typical classes are biochemistry, general biology, cell biology, chemistry, and genetics.

Cytotechnology
Cytotechnology is the study of cells and cellular anomalies. Cytotechnologists use a microscope to examine slides of human cells to uncover evidence of abnormalities that may reveal inflammation, infection, or disease.

Epidemiology
Epidemiology, a fundamental science of public health, is concerned with health and disease at the population level; that is to say, within groups or communities. Its focus is the frequency, pattern, causes, and risk factors of diseases and other health-related events within these specified populations, which range from neighborhoods and schools to cities, states, countries, and the world at large.

Epidemiologists – often referred to as disease detectives – are the scientists and investigators whose work begins with looking for clues by asking questions. Who is sick? What are their symptoms? When did they get sick? Where could they have been exposed? Using statistical analysis, epidemiologists study answers to these questions and produce data that lead them to identify how a particular health problem was introduced, how its spread can be controlled, and how it can be prevented.

Individuals who study and work in the field of biomedical sciences develop a set of skills that are transferable to a variety of careers. Among these skills are:

• Abstract reasoning
• Attention to detail
• Awareness of ethical issues
• Computer literacy
• Experiment design and troubleshooting
• Observation, investigative, and problem-solving skills
• Organization and time management
• Practical lab skills
• Presentation skills / ability to communicate information, ideas, problems, and solutions to both specialized and non-specialized audiences
• Report writing, record keeping, and documentation
• Research and data analysis
• Safety consciousness
• Teamwork and communication skills developed through the need to collaborate with professionals in the medical, scientific, and engineering fields
• Technical savvy / adaptability to using various kinds of equipment
• Understanding of the relationship between science and society

Prototypical biomedical scientists conduct scientific and laboratory research to advance the diagnosis and treatment of disease. They do not have medical training and do not have contact with patients. These are some of the roles that they most often occupy:

• Biomedical Scientist
• Biotechnologist
• Clinical Scientist, Biochemistry
• Clinical Scientist, Genomics
• Clinical Scientist, Haematology
• Clinical Scientist, Immunology
• Forensic Scientist
• Medicinal Chemist
• Medical Research Scientist
• Toxicologist