Medical and Biomedical Sciences, Biotechnology career options
Medical and Biomedical Sciences
Careers in medical science and biomedical science vary significantly with the area(s) of specialisation chosen during study, research and work experience. Some examples include:
- medical scientists, research and development
- medical industry - hospitals or private research institutes such as pharmaceutical industry,
- marketing and managerial roles in product development and promotion
- health professionals - nutrition, exercise, natural therapies
- forensic and environmental consulting and science
- education and academia
- legislative advisors (patent law, political consultants)
- medical doctors (continued study following medical science training or research)
- environmental science, toxicology, waste management
- quality assessment
- quarantine, defence
- pathology laboratories
[Uplifting music playing]
[Shot of Clare in laboratory]
I work with amazing people everyday
[Sequence of shots, Clare walking, scientists working with models of bones and artificial joints]
I work with phenomenal minds. I’m working in a really interesting field that’s just progressing constantly. The technology’s changing, the clinical outcomes are improving. Every day you see something new and different- that’s what inspires me.
[Shot of Clare talking to camera with banner- Clare Bodimeade, Territory Manager Arthroplasty, Stryker]
My name is Clare Bodimeade, I work for Stryker a medical devices company. I take care of arthroplasty for large joints so hip and knee replacements
[Sequence of shots- joint replacements, Clare discussing work
We’re part of an aging population, everyone knows someone that’s had either a hip or knee replacement. These surgeries are becoming more and more common place, and being part of the team to improve patient outcomes and to make healthcare better is really rewarding.
[Clare with surgical light, demonstrating with models of bones, talking to people]
The biggest proportion of my time is spent in hospitals within the theatre setting. Another aspect of my role is education. Education around helping the nursing staff learn the new instruments and the procedure, it can also be helping to teach junior orthopaedic registrars and coordinating training for orthopods too.
[Clare talking to camera}
At UTS I learned to analyse things, think critically and question the information before me. It was because of the teachers that I had that I was able to explore all of these things, and it’s something that I’m able to use in my current role and enhances my experience every day.
Biotechnology
Biotechnology careers include a range of options in public and private industry, universities, hospitals, forensic laboratories, food and beverage companies, pharmaceutical industry, mining companies and agriculture. Some examples include:
- Research scientist
- Medical research
- Pharmaceutical and biochemical industries
- Genetic engineering
- Hospitals in the medical and pharmaceutical industry
- Quality control in food and beverage industry
- Agriculture and aquaculture
- Forensic Science
- Mining and petroleum
- Management such as product development, engineering and design
- Academia
- Scientific legislation such as patent consulting
- Political and governmental advisor
- Investment analyst
Emma Davis Biotechnology
[upbeat music, shot of laboratory corridor pans to Emma Dawson in lab coat speaking]
Oh hey, you’re here come on in, my name’s Emma.
[Camera shot fast-forwarded follows Emma into lab]
Text: The Graduate Tour Biotechnology
[Interviewer] Okay so biotechnology- what is that?
[Shot of Emma working in lab]
So biotechnology is the application of biology to a number of different processes that are both industrial and medicinal.
[Interviewer] So if I became a biotechnologist, what exactly would that mean I do?
[Emma speaking while working in lab]
You can do a number of different things; you can work for something like Sydney Water doing waste water management, you could even work for a cheese factory or a brewery, you could even work for a company developing new drugs. Come with me into my lab!
[Camera follows Emma walking through laboratory]
[Interviewer] When you finish studying what do you think you’ll do?
[Emma works in lab, injecting fluid into a vial while responding to question]
So I want to be an independent scientist studying bacteria and all the things that they can do, but my lifelong dream really has always been to open my own science café where I can serve homemade beer and homemade cheese.
[Interviewer] Talking about bacteria, what is something that I probably wouldn’t know?
Actually, something really cool about bacteria is that they can change their shape; do you want to come see?
[Interviewer] Yeah absolutely.
Follow me!
[Camera follows Emma walking through corridors to microscopy room]
Come on in and take a look
[Interviewer] What just stand here?
Yep just look down the microscope
[shot of bacteria]
[Interviewer] So what exactly am I looking at here?
So you’re looking at bacteria changing their shape from something really small, to something that looks like spaghetti
[Interviewer] So why are they changing shape?
So they’re changing their shape so that they can hide from the immune system. It makes you more sick, and makes you sick for longer. Come with me.
[Zoom out from microscope, camera follows Emma to different room in lab]
[Interviewer] Right, so what exactly did you study?
So I studied chemistry in my HSC, but my love for biology didn’t come til I was in my Bachelor of Biotechnology here at UTS
[Interviewer] And what is probably the biggest misconception you think there is about science?
So a big misconception about science is that it is dominated by males. There are plenty of females that succeed and do really well in science, so as long as you’re passionate and determined you can definitely do science.
[Interviewer] All this chatter about bacteria has got me feeling like I want to wash my hands, so I’m going to show myself out.
Definitely, thank you so much.
[camera fast-forwards exiting lab]
We offer the Bachelor of Science in Medical Science, Biomedical Science or Biotechnology; and a Bachelor of Medical Science and Bachelor of Biotechnology. You may also be interested in the Bachelor of Biomedical Physics.