Hello everyone. I'm a newbie here so sorry if I have some mistakes using Lowyat Forum.
I'm a STPM leaver. I'm planning to study biomedical science degree at UTAR. I hope to hear some advice from people who are studying / have studied it.

1. Is Biomedical science degree at UTAR good?

2. Do other universities or other countries recognize it? If I can do my master, where can I do it other than UTAR?

3. Do you know any UTAR biomedical science degree graduates? And what are they doing after graduated?

4. I want to prepare myself before I can enter university so I'm thinking to read some topics related with the degree. What are the reference do you recommend and use it in your university?

Thank you.

Just wondering, what is your motivation behind choosing a Biomedical Science degree? Perhaps this might help us better understand your needs

Hello there. I like the course structure and I find that the job opportunity may be wide because there are lots of labs and hospitals. And since I got to study science, I like to study about human body and medicine. I was thinking to study pharmacy but my grade isn't that good for me to go to local university. I can't go to private for pharmacy course also because of the high tuition fee. So I think biomedical science may be a good choice. Even if I can't get a place in local university, I still can afford to go to private university like UTAR. I don't have friends studying it so I hope to get some advice here. What I saw online was many people chose to study it on IMU , Mahsa or UCSI. So I wonder what people think about biomedcial science in UTAR.

This post has been edited by Renee Phan: Mar 16 2018, 12:13 PM

Oh I see, yes your line of thought sounds rational. Are you eligible for scholarship options at UTAR? How about other universities?

As I am not in the biomed science field, nor am I a UTAR student, sorry that I can't be of much help here. Hopefully some other forumers can come chip in some of their past experiences to help you out

You can become a Medical Scientist with this degree. This course can provide a good 'startup' career path in R&D field, but unfortunately, there's a very limited job opportunity in Malaysia. Most R&D institutes/drug companies abroad hire candidates with a PhD or at least someone who has specific high technical proficiency with experience (example: mass-scale purification; antibody design etc). If you've decided to take up this degree to become a scientist, I suggest you look further into some postgrad programs as well. The key is to know what you really want and remain firm to your choice while being dynamic to the current employer needs.

You can land a job in the manufacturing field (food, medical equipment, pharmaceutical) in Malaysia with your degree, but mind you, there will be a tight competition with other science graduates as well (biology, microbiology, biotechnology, or biomed engineering) which may have a specific skill set that you didn't learn at school.

You also can apply to work in a diagnostic field (mostly hospital, private labs) with your degree, but there is also an abundance of MLT graduates (especially diploma holders; most with high technical proficiency) out there.

You can check whether your program is accredited or not here or here.

Like any other courses out there, you need to put your very best effort in what you do. Study hard and good luck.

\

May I suggest you have a look at Physiotherapy ? Better prospect , at least in the eye of public, you are on par with doctors .

Alot regret after choosing bio medical. True story.
Ask those graduated with biomedical end up doing what job

It's okay
My line of thought sounds rational? Haha. I have been thinking about what to do for a long time. I keep searching online and asking people about it. LOL...
I realize that it's really not easy to get a job now so I'm thinking to study a 'worth' degree and study hard for it so that I won't waste money.
No, I'm not eligible to apply scholarship because I don't get any A's in STPM. For this degree, other universities are really expensive Too bad, my grades aren't good to apply scholarship

Hey there. Thank you for your explanation.
I hope to work as a MLT at a lab or hospital. I'm not thinking to be a scientist because first, I don't think I'm smart enough for that and second is like what you have said, R&D field isn't that well-developed here. Can other science graduates work as a MLT ?
And, yes, I know it's important to know that whether the program is accredited but anyways, thanks !
Yeah, that's right. Like what I have said, I will study hard so that I won't waste money and also time. LOL
Thanks and good luck to you too!

Hey there. Sure, thank you. It's on my mind also. Some people told me that it's quite not 'popular'. Same goes with occupational therapy. But I don't know what it's job prospect in Malaysia and what the difference between physiotherapy and occupational therapy is.
But one of my teacher told me that these jobs aren't popular but it's a way to make money. Because not too many people want to be physiotherapists or OTs. But still, I'm not sure about it. Hope to hear more from you.

Hey there. Thanks for your reply. I thought only people who want to do research will regret choosing it because that field isn't that developed here? Can't they be a MLT in labs and hospitals? I have no ideas I hope to hear more from you.

Majority end up with sales, lab officer, lecturer and the infamous underwriter.

Hmm.. maybe I'm not keen on research or lab work , I find these jobs are great. hahaha especially underwriter. I also would like to be a medical/scientific writer apart from MLT.
So... I still can find jobs in the future right?
And what's the average salary that fresh grad gets?

This post has been edited by Renee Phan: Mar 17 2018, 07:10 PM

1. Not bad, I will say.

2. Can't answer.

3. My sister is one. She has been working in a hospital's laboratory for a few years now and see no future ahead with very little salary so she's switching industry by venturing into a different field for her Master's she'll be taking soon. She has friends now in zoos and PathLab, but other than that all I can tell you is, based on my sister's experience and my observation, biomedical science has future, at least for a foreseeable future. You might want to re-consider your option, the market in Malaysia is just not ready for this field.

If not mistaken, most of the course in Malaysia is considered as honours degree. This is important only if you plan to further your masters or PhD. Overseas uni do recognise the degree from malaysia. You can continue your masters in any local or private uni, most of them offer. If you get first class honours, some university allow you to straight go for PhD.

The salary depends on the jobs, MLT normally has lower salary compare to underwriters, sales representatives.

Personally, I like to do research, that's why I choose this degree. Some of my friends did struggle when looking for jobs, as there are not many choices. Malaysia is not that well-developed in research and it's a disadvantage.

This post has been edited by silver_me: Mar 17 2018, 08:20 PM

Please don't put a limit on your potentials. The undergraduate environment is not the same as your old school's. Neither does the job field later on. Think something like you're given a second chance in life to make things right. Like I said, study hard and you'll see wonders.

There's a spectrum of disciplines in biomedical sciences. Some can be less popular than others but none of them is less important. They all require not only the necessary knowledge and skills to excel but also some passion. You'll be given a glimpse of most disciplines in class which you will choose to embark your career/postgrad later on.

Yes, R&D is very limited to mostly research academia institutes and a handful of private companies but we're still growing. Anyway, what's wrong with doing research in a small university lab if you can use it as a stepping stone to join a multinational company or a bigger research group abroad later on?


Yes and no. In SPA, there's specific post for science officer for different backgrounds (MLT/Biomed/Microb) and you can only apply to your specific background. However, I got to know an old friend of mine got a job as a science officer in a microbiology lab at a KKM hospital right after graduating. He graduated with a first class degree in genetics from UM. Another close friend of mine got his first job as an MLT tech at a private lab. He's a first class graduate in biology from UK.

Your past failure won't define your future. Oh ya, they were just average students at school. Both of them completed their PhDs with graduate-on-time (GOT) a few years back, now working as a senior lecturer and another one postdoc abroad. Both of them are still miles behind being 'successful' but now they have established themselves is more than anything, right?

I became a doctor.

Hey there. Thanks for your advice.
Why does she see no future ahead? Is it that she keeps doing at the same post , no salary increase ?over the years?

Hey there. Thanks for your advice.
I see... May I know what your career is ?
I'm considering to choose this degree as I like the scientific theory behind it. Conducting lab tests is challenging for me. But I think I can't escape from it since I'm in the science stream.

Thanks. I will take that as a motivation.
I'm always working hard while studying and I don't always get good grades especially when the syllabus gets tougher but I think that's what pushing me forwards.

Hey there. Yea, I know, hahaha, because I have seen your comments on several forums before.
But why did you take the long way? What do you think about the biomed course and the job ?

This post has been edited by Renee Phan: Mar 18 2018, 08:58 PM

you are welcome. I have been working as research assistant for some time. i'm going to do my masters soon.
if you choose this degree, you may find that some of the things are different from what you think. all the best to you

Thx and all the best to you too.
Your previous last line seems dangerous

Yes, that's the reason.

R&D is not that easy to get as some people have mentioned. The most important factor to go into R&D upon graduation is financial support. Not everybody will have the finance required to do a research and not every firms are willing to spend on R&D, especially since the market now isn't very ideal and stable.

Plus, and this is my personal opinion, don't go into R&D without job experience. Doing research is one thing - anyone with qualified background could easily try to venture into R&D, but the main point about R&D is its application. Without job experience, you do not know what's the difficulties faced by the experts in the field and you have no idea how things are actually applied in an actual field. So, if your research work cannot be brought to practice, it'll just be a literal paper qualification which I would say is meaningless. Get a job first, have some experience, understand how things are actually run and try to find out what has been plaguing the society, only then go into R&D and try to solve them. That would be a better path.

All the answers to your questions can be found if you googled 'Cybersetan Biomed'.

I see... Some told me that the MLT are always doing the same things in lab so that's why the salary won't increase much?
So far, I'm not thinking to get involved in R&D as I'm not keen on it.
What on my mind is if I ever study biomed, I will be a MLT or find a scientific writing job, as I like science theoretically and would like to write and educate people about it.

Okay, tq.
I found your website! Will take time to read it.