BiomedInsight

MyBiomed Symposium 2023

MyBiomed Symposium 2023 was held yesterday at Taylor’s University Lakeside Campus. The symposium gathered biomedical science family in Malaysia from the undergraduate and postgraduate students, lecturers, experts, industrial employers, and many more. Forums, presentations, annual grand meeting and plenary lectures were held to promote and discuss the development and future of biomedical science in Malaysia.

During the opening ceremony, we had the opportunity to listen to important figures and keynote speakers of biomedical science in Malaysia. Prof. Emeritus Tan Sri Dato’ Mohamed Salleh Mohamed Yasin opened the symposium with a talk about ‘The prospect and future of Biomedical Sciences in Malaysia’. To be able to listen to the pioneer of Biomedical Science Malaysia, was an eye opening and a great experience.

The symposium continued after tea break with two concurrent sessions, which were oral and poster presentations and an undergraduate career development forum. Most of us joined the undergraduate career development forum which was really informative for undergraduate students like us. The career pathways, challenges and advices shared by the panels motivate us to do our best for the rest of our studies and for our future.

After lunch, an Allied Health Professional (AHP) forum was held. Personally, we think this forum is the highlight of the symposium. In the forum, Allied Health Professions Act 774, which is a new act enforced by the Malaysian Allied Health Professions Council (MAHPC) was discussed thoroughly by the great panels. This forum had enlightened us about the efforts done in order to protect and enhance the quality of the allied health practitioners produced in Malaysia. As future biomedical science practitioners, it is extremely important for us to understand and embrace the efforts made for the future of biomedical science in Malaysia. The symposium continued with plenary lectures about prostate cancer and breast cancer findings by Professor Dr. Chua Chee Wai and Professor Charles Anthony Rhodes respectively. The lectures showed the advancement in biomedical science research which were really informative.

Lastly, the closing ceremony was chaired by our beloved lecturer, Prof. Dr. Siti Balkis Budin, who is also the President of MyBiomed. The symposium was held smoothly from the opening until the closing ceremony. We are grateful to be able to join and learn many things about biomedical science in Malaysia. We are also excited to join many more symposiums like this in future.

Thank you for reading!

Here are some of the highlights of our life as biomedical science students. There are more outside the classroom learning with assignments, exams, case study, projects and many more.

Experience - Attachment

As a part of our biomedical science program in UKM, we had the chance to go to Jabatan Perkhidmatan Makmal Diagnostik (JPMD) at Hospital Canselor Tuanku Muhriz (HCTM) for attachment. We went to the first 4 weeks of attachment during mid December 2022 until mid January 2023. The second 4 weeks of attachment was held in June 2023.

During the attachment, we were assigned to several diagnostic laboratories which are Blood Bank, Microbiology Lab, Histology Lab, Cytology Lab, Chemical Pathology Lab and Hematology Lab. From there we learned and witnessed the whole process of diagnosis from the samples collection until the verification of results which is handled professionally with care by the medical lab technologists. Various methods and principles learned in our lectures are applied into the real practices at the diagnostic laboratories. We were also given the chance to help with some of the testing. Diagnostic laboratories work at a fast pace as there is a turn-around-time (TAT), in which the results must be produced within the given TAT according to each test. More details on diagnostic laboratories can be found in one of our posts so make sure to check it out!

The attachment was a great learning process for us as we had the chance to experience how the diagnostic laboratories work. As biomedical science students, working in the laboratories is one of the famous career pathways chosen, hence this experience can help us to be prepared for our future. Witnessing and experiencing this firsthand also makes us appreciate the hardworks of the healthcare laboratory workers which the public might not be aware of. We are grateful to be given the opportunity to complete this attachment.

by Siti Sabrinah

As one of the biomedical students, I am very happy and proud to continue my studies in this field. At first, I didn't know what Biomedical Science was. I have never heard the name Biomedical Science course before. I wonder what this field is about. What field of work in the future? Are there job opportunities for Biomedical Science graduates? When I was young, my dream was to become a doctor. Unfortunately, I am not qualified to continue my studies in the field of doctorate. To be honest, I chose this field only because the name is kinda the same as the medicine course. However, I did a little research on this field before applying to the UPU system. I am interested in this field and made an application to continue studying in the field of Biomedical Science. Alhamdulillah, I was called for an interview and passed. So, here I am studying Biomedical Science. I am happy to be one of the biomedical science students. I love to learn more about our body because it is so close to us. My favorite subject is blood transfusion. I am interested in knowing more about the blood process and how it can help in diagnosing diseases.

I am enjoying my study journey because I am surrounded by a positive and good environment. Friends and lecturers are very helpful and supportive. Even though it is a bit stressful and tiring due to our third-year schedule, it is manageable and fun. I get to explore a lot of knowledge, experience, and motivation. Alhamdulillah, now there is only one year left in my degree journey in the field. I can't believe I made it through. I genuinely believe this experience allowed me to grow tremendously as a person. So this was how my journey as a Biomedical science student started and hope you enjoyed reading it. I wholeheartedly recommend a Biomedical science course if you are interested in this field. Best wishes to everyone going to further study in Biomedical Science!

Read other posts regarding personal experiences all about Biomedical Science and leave a comment or feedback to share your opinions. Don't forget to hit the likes button to support our pages. Thank you!

by Nur Shawanie

I am always interested in learning how a human’s body works and its function. Biomedical science students learn about a wide range of topics, including anatomy, physiology, biochemistry, genetics, and molecular biology. This can be a lot of information to take in, but it is also very rewarding to learn about how the human body works. Other than becoming a doctor to explore and learn about health, biomedical science courses still offer me a great opportunity to be involved in public health sciences.

When I was a child, I always admired how the doctor worked. They seemed so smart and brilliant. However, I did not acknowledge that other careers were supporting the doctors in making accurate diagnoses and treatments for diseases. For example, biomedical scientists in diagnostic labs. Diagnostic labs are very important because they provide accurate and essential information about a patient's health status. As biomedical scientists, they play a vital role in diagnostic labs. They are responsible for interpreting test results, maintaining laboratory equipment and also training and supervising the laboratory staff. In short, choosing a biomedical science degree to pursue my education was the best choice I have made.

by Nurul Atiqah

Ever since I was a child, it has always been one of my dreams to help people in need, and seeing the doctors in the clinic and hospital working is so fascinating. As I grew older and had the chance to pursue my degree, I always wanted to further my studies in the medical field. During the UPU application, Biomedical Science was one of the choices I made.

At first, the word ‘Biomedical Science’ never existed in my dictionary. After doing a thorough research, my interest kept on growing to know more about this course. What drew me to this degree was its broadness. For example, the courses I learned include human anatomy, Immunology, Microbiology, Pathology, Biostatistic and as well as marketing. I love science, but still, to this very day, I’m not 100% sure which direction I’d like to go in. I wanted something that would enable me to carve out my own path and choose what modules suit my interests. My experience with Biomedical Science has been great from the get-go. Currently, I’m in my third year, and the journey of being a biomedical science student has been astonishing. This course exposed me to advanced laboratory skills and the ability to apply scientific knowledge to a range of complex situations. Overall, I’m really enjoying my degree so far. It’s definitely been the right choice for me in terms of what I want to do in the future. It’s enhanced my love for science and allowed me to explore options for the future that I never even knew existed.

by Fatin Syahira

Since I was a young child, I frequently accompanied my mother to work on call at Hospital Selayang, and ever since then, I have been captivated and motivated by the range of work that is done in the lab, including plate agar culture, the way she streaks the agar, and gram staining technique, which at the time I was unaware of but was curious about how it was done and why she used this on the glass slides. As a result, it piqued my curiosity in this area. Following that, I developed an interest in pharmacy due to my enthusiasm for chemistry throughout high school and college. Fast-forward to the time for university applications. I was still unsure of what I wanted to do at university but after doing some reading and searching for certain courses, I decided to let go of the pharmacy course since I know I have limited capability and I'm afraid I can't take myself towards this field. Then, I decided to choose biomedical science because it provides a thorough grounding in a range of areas covering pharmacology, physiology, anatomy, biochemistry, and more and also it is part of my childhood curiosity. Therefore, I choose this course to learn more about it.

When I actually didn't set high expectations because I was also competing for a place with other students. And now I am in my third year of study in the biomedical field and have learned many new things and knowledge as well as marketable skills throughout my studies at this point and still learning. I am able to gain experience in laboratory work in my degree allowing me to equip myself with the skills through planning, conducting, and evaluating experiments. Additionally, It will also enable me to comply with health and safety regulations and to research and interpret scientific literature. Picking a degree or learning destination can be a big decision and it can be quite scary because we want to ensure we make the right decision however just trust the process, especially on yourself!

So this was how my journey as a Biomedical science student started and hope you enjoyed reading it. Read other posts regarding personal experiences all about Biomedical Science and leave a comment or feedback to share your opinions. Don't forget to hit the likes button to support our pages. Thank you!

by Zairin Zulaikha

It is fascinating to learn about the most complex machine ever, our body. Growing up, I once dreamed of becoming a doctor. As what my 7-year-old self knew, anything to do with our body health = a doctor or nurse job. However, I also knew I could not fathom the thought of seeing and handling severe wounds or massive bleeding. It was then I decided to pursue my study in anything biology-related. A day before I submitted my degree application form, I went through the list of degrees offered at UKM and I stumbled upon the ‘Bachelor of Biomedical Science’. The program's name intrigued me. I went through the syllabus of the program and I immediately applied for this degree.

And here I am, in the last semester for my third-year degree in biomedical science. To be able to learn about how the most complex machine develops and works, what internal and external factors that can affect this machine and how do we determine that our machine is affected, are so much fun for me. I aspire to be a great researcher that can help and contribute knowledge and innovations for the betterment of general health. I still have a long journey ahead of me, but I hope this sharing can also be a motivation for me to prove to all of you that I can do this.

Now we are going to share our personal experiences as biomedical science students!

We are currently studying at Fakulti Sains Kesihatan, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKMKL). Five of us are renting in a house in Chow Kit, Kuala Lumpur. As third year biomedical science students, we are more than halfway in completing our studies. BiomedInsight is also a part of our assignment for Scientific Communication subject.

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Job Prospects

Graduates in biomedical sciences in Malaysia often have high employment prospects. The biomedical sciences are a growing field in Malaysia, and there is a demand for graduates with specialized knowledge of the human body and its functions.

Some of the most common biomedical science careers in Malaysia include:

- Biomedical scientist
- Forensic scientist
- Microbiologist
- Toxicologist
- Geneticist
- Medicinal chemist
- Health policy professional
- Operating department practitioner
- Medical sales representative
- Research scientist (life sciences)
- Research scientist (medical)
- Scientific laboratory technician

These careers can be found in a variety of settings, including hospitals, universities, government agencies, and private industry. The median annual salary for biomedical scientists in Malaysia is RM35,000.

The actual salary that you earn will depend on a number of factors, including your experience, skills, location and whether you are working in the government or private sector. However, with a strong education and relevant experience, you can expect to earn a good salary in a biomedical science career in Malaysia.

Diagnostic Laboratory

When you visit a clinic or when you are warded in the hospital, the nurses or doctors will sometimes take your blood. Do you know what happens to the blood after the collection? Have you ever wondered how the doctors know there is something wrong with you?

The answer is through the testing conducted in diagnostic laboratories.

Today’s technologies allow testing on an impressively wide variety of samples collected from the human body. Most often, all that is required is a blood sample. However, samples of urine, saliva, sputum, f***s, semen, and other bodily fluids and tissues also can be tested.

For some samples, they can be obtained as the body naturally eliminates them. Others are quick and easy to acquire because they reside in the body’s orifices. For some, minor surgery and anesthesia give the health practitioner access to the required sample. Usually, when the doctor suspects you have cancer or diseases, a series of tests will be ordered, including a blood test. Once a blood sample is collected, it will be sent to diagnostic laboratories for processing and analysis to assist with diagnosis. In the laboratory, the medical lab technologists (MLTs) will help to conduct the testing.

In hospital and other patient-care settings, laboratories provided typically include the following areas in clinical microbiology, biochemistry, hematology, blood bank, molecular diagnostics, histopathology and cytology. The samples will be sent to different laboratories according to the testing requested by doctors. After testing are conducted, the results will be verified by the MLTs, medical officers or/and specialists.

Think about it: The ability to administer lab tests is a great skill and should be appreciated as lab tests provide critical information about a patient’s health status. In order to determine the right diagnosis, they need to rely on accurate test results. This means that adequate patient prep, specimen collection, and specimen handling are absolutely essential to a healthcare system. If you’re feeling inspired and want to pursue a career in health science and research, Go and take the first step toward a rewarding future in healthcare! For more information, you can check out other posts on this page and share your point of view (POV) or feedback in the comments. Don't forget to hit the like button and share with your friends and family relatives. These days, sharing your passion for the lab is only a click away.

Biomedical Science vs Medicine

A doctor is a person who deals with patients in clinics or hospitals or other healthcare facilities. However, a Biomedical Scientist is a person who carries out a test or conducts research to support and assist with the diagnosis of patients.

Check the differences between biomedical science and medicine in the pictures below!

What is biomedical science?

Did you know biomedical science is not the same as medicine? A lot of people misunderstand the field of biomedical science as they thought this field would end up becoming a medical doctor.
As a student, I am very sure you are often asked, what course do you study? If the answer is Biomedical Science, they are like “Oh, you'll be a doctor."

Biomedical science is a field of healthcare-related branches that focus on the research area. Biomedical scientists are experts that carry out laboratory and scientific tests to help the diagnosis of disease and therapy. They are important in keeping medical science labs functioning smoothly. It also involves the studies of the human body and examination of underlying causes of disease.

Biomedical science is a wide range of fields as varieties of subjects are taught in this course including the study of anatomy, biochemistry, phlebotomy, histology and pathology, toxicology, and immunology.

Here you can also watch a clip from a Youtube channel . She explained on why you should study biomedical science, subjects and topics covered in biomedical science and career options in the video. Credit goes to her. Youtube link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kziZ3Z2Yqao