Applied Biomedical Science

Applied biomedical science is the laboratory-based health profession responsible for the analysis of patient samples in clinical laboratories. Biomedical scientists investigate blood, tissue, urine and other biological materials to diagnose disease, monitor treatment and screen for conditions that have not yet caused symptoms. They work in hospital laboratories across a range of specialisms, including haematology, blood transfusion, clinical biochemistry, microbiology, histopathology and immunology, and their findings inform the clinical decisions made by doctors and other healthcare professionals every day.

At the University of Essex, the four-year full-time BSc includes an NHS placement, giving you extended experience of working in a clinical laboratory environment as part of the degree. This is a significant advantage, as it means you graduate with substantial practical experience alongside your academic qualification. You will study the scientific principles underlying each of the main laboratory disciplines: how the immune system is investigated, how pathogenic organisms are identified, how blood and its components are analysed, how tissue samples are prepared and examined, and how neurological disease manifests at the cellular level.

The degree develops both the scientific knowledge and the practical laboratory skills that professional practice requires.

Essex's links with NHS Trusts in the east of England support the placement opportunities on the degree and give you access to a range of clinical laboratory environments.

Graduation from an IBMS-accredited biomedical science degree is the required first step towards State Registration as a Biomedical Scientist. Most graduates enter NHS laboratory roles and work towards registration and subsequent specialist qualifications. Opportunities also exist in private pathology laboratories, blood services, pharmaceutical companies, research institutions and clinical trials organisations.