...its different... try uploading your syllabus, and we will tell you the differences...

Biochemistry and pharmacology are subjects that are taken by all medical students in their first two years of training. Biochemistry deals with all of the chemical processes in living organisms. Pharmacology is more focused on drugs and receptors. I have no idea what "biomedicine" is.

With a PhD in biochemistry or pharmacology, one can work in research (both academic as well as industrial) or teach or both.

To get into biochemistry, you must take general chemistry, organic chemistry, analytical chemistry and physical chemistry. Pharmacology requires previous knowledge of biochemistry.

...and you think Biomedical students don't take Biochemistry and Pharmacology? Our subjects are not limited to just biochemistry -

http://www.fskb.ukm.my/biosm.html
http://www.medic.upm.edu.my/index.php?opti...d=64&Itemid=194
http://www.ppsk.usm.my/Akademik/Program/Hp...ea?OpenDocument

Biomedical graduates are more versatile than Biochem graduates both in terms of subjects learned and job prospects.

If you are assuming that Biomedical graduates can't work as a researcher and get a PhD in Pharmacology/Biochemistry (if the graduate wants to)....

you are waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaay wrong.........

Many of my classmates are now working as research assistant while doing their Masters/PhDs in various universities in Malaysia. Infact, one of our best biomedical student is doing his PhD in Pharmacology (USM) directly from his Bachelors Degree.

Biomedical graduates can also enter graduate entry medical programs - and I am one of them.

You should get more information about biomedical science/Biomedicine before making such assumptions...

in reply to CyberSetan and OMG!

Biomed DOES LEARN BIOCHEM AND PHARMACO.... I had both modules for my sem 2...

Yes OMG! You are wrong...

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Added on June 13, 2009, 10:39 pmand i study in IMU

This post has been edited by n_n: Jun 13 2009, 10:39 PM

sorry for the rather obscure reply.

okay, IMO, Yes..both if u guys are right...but one thing to bear in mind is that: u can't say which degree is more versatile than other degree..

Biochem is a fundamental core sciences for many life sc research to go on.While biomedic is more on application on medic field...

okay , besides research, what does a biomedic gradutes do? work in hospital?

iMO, both are good, but if i were to choose, i will take biochem as i can speacialise on food biochem later on...haha

I'm starting my third year next month (gosh, its been two years of uni suffering) and this time my term is damn packed than rapidKL sardinized bus... I had compulsary class (Khidmat Masyarakat) on saturday for two semester. Pain2... I had practicals later next year and which left my fourth year for thesis and major/minor subjects.

Kompentasi Generik is kinda like an idealist dream to make our normal live a hell.... one of the main issue is they were mainly including faculty and college activity (you know, sports, major events like fiesta, convo and acedemically-non related activities) and combine it to the CGPA. You know, for a major or minor event, it took months to prepare, weeks and nights of meetings and hundreds of ringgit money spend on nothing...

example If you study a bit, you enter so many activities and end result, you get pity marks but a full 4.00 under KG. While in cases like, crazy study (I know, some people had slower memorizing rate and had to study extra hard) and didn't cover the KG, s/he won't get full CGPA since s/he failed KG.

Any of you have this issue?

So... is it proper? Its not even a solution to combat unemployment. (Since they said, entering college activity boost your entrepreneurship skills, financial skills, people skills and ect) Its freakin' recession year! Most people are multi talented enough.. but do we need to be fed with a do-or-die situation for a mindless cause such as this?

It never make sense to me since its use for government working people and shouldn't be touching students at all. There's barely any time for some students to study and classes (some of my friends had classes until 10pm) and joining events committee. So its not really fair for the students emotional health even.

Yes, its like compulsory subject like Titas, English and Khidmat Masyarakat but KG is not really properly supervised even it went under PPU and done by fellows and dean. So, I'm really vocally against other university considering extracurricular activities included into CGPA. You can put them in resume, its ok, but NOT in our results!

Its like the 10% koku in our result for UPU. Except that the 10% doesn't mean anything in UPU (if you realize it, they don't make a big deal now than during my SPM and pre-U years) KG is like 15% in our every semester results...... thats why I'm very worried about it. Personally, I know some of us were expert in some thing unofficially... its a skill but the way they make it is like we need to relearn them in university even when we already know... and its really tiring...

read this if you want to know more; http://www.ukm.my/portal/berita130209.html (the article that support KG officially being done as compulsory)

surprisingly, they made it like generally ALL of us were literally idiots just because we can't perform well in interview and make up like GENERALLY, all of us need help starting by failing us on purpose.... The uni admin has no clue that what they were doing....

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OMG, I won't recommend you to take neither biomedical nor biochemistry if you have a blood phobia. In biomedical, there'll be subjects with blood
topics which you either analyse the blood to check enzymes or chem levels, you use the blood in practicals (blood smear and ect) or even phlebotomy in subject as medical lab tech, biochem, anat physio, parasit, hematology and ect.

Neither is superior degree. Every topics is important but how you use it is what matters.

For biochem, I distinctively remember the biochemist students taking my blood to check if i had G-6-PD deficiency last year. For their senior's research. And yes, you'll deal more blood in research (for example, you'll kill hundreds of rats and take their blood later for analyse)

Biochemistry deals MAINLY on enzymes or testing chemistry in either environment, non-human, plants and ect. endless cycle in which enzymes involved. Complications, disease and metabolites. "chemical processes in living organisms." is merely a gist in a whole lot of cycles of life and the chemical structure that involved in which you need to memorize and honestly equally complicated. (Thats why I avoid biochem unless its something I like, a.k.a. genetics)

At the safe side. Try applied chemistry. No blood and only plants or other non-human stuff like QAS, QC and ect. (My sister and my dad is chemical graduates. My dad is a chemist who deals mainly forensic narcotics but he's a director of the place, so he don't do lab work much except management. I've elaborate it in other threads, just look it up)

Biomedical science is in reality the actual Medical science (they include bio- since its confusing between medical doctor students and medical science student... but now people thought biomedic is same as biology science until I say I studied disease and not tree-hugging)

First year, we learn how a human body works from basic chemistry, physiologically and anatomically. We had to learn psychology to as we do know psychology does affect physiology functions. Then we learn disease process, how to diagnose a disease, differentiating if its communicable (bacteria,virus,fungi,parasite) or incommunicable disease (their nutrition, way of life, psychology and ect). Biomedical covers what doctors usually don't. We don't treat patients but we help confirming diagnoses by analysing bodyfluids, scrapping and all sorts to culture and tested. We work as a team. If a hospital operates without a fully equipped biomedical specialist, technicians and assistance... they'll be having a lawsuit for practice. Seriously, how can you really diagnose if a person have H1N1 or SARS or common cold WITHOUT lab test.

Biomedical students can choose to major in Biochemistry and become Biochemist by proxy. In hospital, every biochem samples were given to the biomedical technician (who is biochemist in other words) to be analyse the levels of gas or enzymes or foreign substances. Biochemistry students who have no strong medical knowledge can't work in hospital without proper credentials. You can however, venture in environmental check (test the lake for mercury toxification in fishes (where you collect a hundred or more fish and test the content for toxic levels) or research in nutrition and public health as such but not directly handling human specimens.

Biochemistry degree is a specific degree which mainly concerns chemistry of biological molecules such as enzymes, vitamins and how it works in reality of life. But human is not really an issue in biochemistry degree as there are other living thing on earth too. (Aqua life, plants and ect) So a hospital can't hire a biochemist unless they had a strong history in biomedical science.

Biomedical science degree is a versatile degree. You can enter medical school with it. Or research in fields like pathology, biochemistry, forensic science, entomology, parasitology, genetics, epidemiology/public health and ect. You can even consult in pharmaceutical company as a sales supervisor of the product. You can work in ministry of health administration among doctors who don't want to work in hospitals. You can make business of selling medical product or biological samples (medical leeches anyone?). Launch a rivalry company against Pathlab. And endlessly.... you pick.

No one is going to force you to do what you don't want. Its the question of you pick what you want to do and work hard for it.

and this thread is specially for biomedical student and grad interacting with each other and not biomedical students and grad explaining what biomedical is and what the differences is and seriously there's already other biomed threads that you can find without antagonizing everyone here. So...

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BTW, I like blood. Even if its fake blood (my stunt in theatre) and imaginary blood (the books I've read) and other people's blood (typing and seeing ppl do phlebotomy since I can't do them yet until I passed advanced hematology in fourth year). Every now and then, you'll realize how mentally sick we can be.... heheheh...

the only thing I've done that sickened me to this day is in my first semester's physiology's lab where I hold a frog while a male friend of mine cut off its head from corner of its mouth and poke its spinal cord so that the normal nervous system won't effect on the muscular movements of its leg... When I let it go, the thing still move without its head it stay dead... seriously thats far more disgusting than blood....

so, generally, I use to say, "Don't be a baby in medical food chain... no one is going to cuddle you."


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FYI, there's already a Food Science degree. you don't really need a biochemistry degree to specialize in it, applied chem also have a syllabus in it. But please don't mistake it with Nutrition degree, its a whole lot different thing.

Thanks for the insightful post here.

Anyway, is biochemistry focus more on human, environment and nutrition, entomology and toxicology right?

while biomedic is more on human physiology and public health?

I am not sure whichever pathway i can speacialise while doing biochem..do u mind to provide me some specialisation?

Hi~ i am also a biomed student graduated from um 2 years ago.........haha.....but now i am no longer in that field anymore~

Then, what field are u involve in?can u share ur experience wif us ?

on the other hand,any of ur friend shift to another path after graduate biomedical sciense?

like taking medic after that,or run a bussiness,or continue their study oversea?

Wow.. so many people are interested in Biomed..
Anyone heard of human biosciences?
Malaysia i dun think got this course..
Oversea oso not alot .. Haha..
But if anyone happens to know and experienced before...
Please share~ Thanks na~

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Random thought bellow:

To me.. I think.. Well, just study what you like now.. And enjoy.. then worry later..
Its probably the stupidest thing ever.. I mean to think this way..
This field might be a waste time and money.. If you want to have high pay in short time..

Alas! It may not even be the profession that most people deem it to be..
But, being able to study bioscience is fascinating.. Its beyond description..
Imagine the knowledge you get is so much more than what other people have..
Knowing the operation and relation of very bit of our cells.. Bacteria etc..
Its really worth the energy, money, sweat and blood... The passion of studying!

Well, yea.. Just like some people say we should wake up cause this course brings allot of worries.. There are no easy way in this course to some but not to some others at the same time..

However, in this kind of time when we still have the opportunity to choose..
Just go for what we want most and forget everything else.. You can criticise this thought as childish.. This may make you sound superior for being able to look at the future so you said..

Who knows, we may even end up being a normal lab technician.. But, what better of it, if we can only work in an office? I don't like the look of me as OL..I don't like the feel of it either.. And I believe there are always chances for me to do what I want even if I am working in jobs that relate just a few bit to this field..

We are too young to give up hope or stop going in for a life adventure... We may find unexpected treasure if we keep trying.. Sound too idealistic? Just tear that old mentality of yours and dream a little more.. We Asians are too conservative at times..

Since life is just a fleeting moment of existence.. Why not just go for something out of norm rite? Experience weirder things! There is no wrong or right.. It all depends on your priority... I would say you should stroll your own pathway..

Yay~ Biomed rocks~!!

This post has been edited by lilko: Jun 27 2009, 10:36 PM

Well said!!!!

Quite a few of my frens studying biomedic, and what they thought is as a lab technician who carry out a lots of urine and blood testing.

however, diseases reseach is also one of the area involved.

biomedic students have to study the exact subjects as a pharmacy students during first year.they touch on biochem, physiology anatomy.

The field of Biomedical Science is wide... So, whether or not you end up as a lab technician, if solely on how you think and your mindset. Really..

There are more to Biomedical Science than just lab testing.

Mind to further elaborate?

i have heard seniors of biomedic field have always try their hard to revert to medicine or pharmacy field. seemingly they dont really like biomedic science as their major study.majority of them think that u can either dabble in sales or be a lab technicians once u graduate.

besides biomedic, students of biotech,biochem,bioinfo seem to compete pretty well in their every single fields, cos their jobs prospects are more or less inter related to each other.
that is the today misconception.If u are the experiencer, pls mind to add on ur insightful elaborations.

In a way is true... I wouldnt say that I am an experiencer... BUT! I believe that the future of a person depend very much on their attitude.

Biomedical Science is a course that need constant upgrading.. and it is wide. Hence, alot of people take it as a preparatory course before they proceed with their medical degree. I had a senior who told me that with a Biomedical Science degree.. it sorta make you understand medicine better. In a way, it prepares you..

Working as a lab tech.. etc... This is because the person only have a degree... Let's face it.. Who would want to give you a lavish pay when you only have a degree? Take the initiative and further your studies.. Specialize! No1 look at degree nowadays.

i was also a biomed grad, some 5 years ago. im currently doing postgrad in japan in genetics. as mentioned in previous posts, what you end up as your career depends largely on the individual. i have coursemates who took medicine after completing biomed, became scientific officers, lecturers, and many continued postgrad studies overseas or locally. some even left the field totally, becoming insurance agents, musicians, cameramen etc... if you still have strong passion for the field of study, then the former career choices are more plausible. if you expect a high-paying or a 9to5 job, then biomed may not be the right path for you.

i come to realise that being in the bio fields, every things seem to be quite obscure and rather hard to put into use in daily life. I myself have studied about the microorganism,the biology cells and orgenalles etc.frankly, i just dread of remembering all the term and name of all these stuffs. To me, students of finance and businness managements are far more study the things that are more applicable to their future fields than us bio students.

bio students don't understand or really master the principle of insurance , computer skills , investing, management skills etc.that could land them a more lucrative and a more high position job in future.

Thanks~

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Added on July 23, 2009, 12:51 pmhey.. am interested in this.. I've been thinking of doing something like u.. continue postgraduate in japan.. How can you actually do postgrad there? mind sharing? and how bout the environment and people and stuff.. If we'd done master or PHD in japan other country accept ma? cuz in japanese.. or was it not so? which part of japan ur in? sorry to ask so many Q in a day..

This post has been edited by lilko: Jul 23 2009, 12:51 PM

Has it ever occurred to you, the students of finance and business management can only be good in that, whereas a science student can only be good in science, e.g. bio, engineering, etc.

Both fields require each other to work with synergy towards success. For example, an engineer heads the research, production and development of products, whereas the finance&business student heads the marketing, sales, and financing of the company to obtain money for production, salaries, etc. The engineer can't do the biz guy's job, and the biz guy can't do the engineer's job.

maybe not in the instance.. well u can't really compare with the business courses cuz it involves more on human interaction and personal benefit and stuff.. So, its more on the practical side.. and wherever you go that is this important thing, which is how to deal with people. But this itself is not enough so computing etc in need due to competion nowadays.

While in science its bit abstract and the nature built molecules and everything in a unique and delicate way.. so we need to know allot of theory before we can really face it directly.. Its really no playground in research field.. if we lack the knowledge, you will get urself or others in trouble . . Just like a doctor, sometimes when a body malfunction there is allot of knowledge in need before u can diagnose a disease correctly. You even need to refer back at times. Wrong information can kill. Besides, it help us out also in the future. We know at least the basic of what the thing we are dealing with before plunging in it.

But the thing is.. How interested are you in science to be able to remember most of the thing or at least flashes of memory for future references and not memorising only for exam purposes. Its all the mentality of a student. If you love it very much, you will be doing allot of research on the topic and remember it. Then these theories will be so very useful to you in research in the future.

In biology, you really do not expect only on salary or position first. If you can and that is good.Researchers are consider as professional employee in managerial world meaning we do not work 8 to 5 like others at times and we crave more on personal achievements in findings new thing. Passionate in job. and what they care most is how much space the company will give them to do research.

What is more, is the work for each company is different, there are no universal practice on how to deal things. People can't tell you that in general. All you can do is to experience it urself.

But truth is, you really do not know how tough isit in the business world outside. No idea~ High position job is never easy to get, so many tactics that people never taught in need. The stress to make maximum profit for the company and their non-logical request will make you go crazy. They ask you to do this and they do something else at your back and you have to clear the poops up for them. Worst is many do not want to cooperate with you.You will get scolded and humiliated if you do not do things the way they want. The blame is on you. One wrong info from the outside. BAMN!! You lost everything in a day.

Nothing is easy and practical enough to prepare you for things. Pros and cons in every field. What you see is only the surface, only those who shines. But what about those that never succeeded in their goal at all? So never regret on the path you choose. Just do your best. My opinion though..

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Added on July 23, 2009, 1:35 pmcouldn't agree more..

This post has been edited by lilko: Jul 23 2009, 01:35 PM