₦airaland Forum

phineas: The problem with undergraduates in Nigeria is simple,you have no carrear mentors.

Who builds a house without first counting the cost? Most expect to graduate and a job fall in their laps by chance,connections or luck.truth is what you need is adequate planning and using your spare undergrad time to align with opportunities and free courses that abound some on the internet this will give you a competitive edge in the area u want to work in and you start from that 100l not after NYSC.

BMS physiology,microbiology and biochem are in high demand in many org,and there is no week you don't see adverts from such org for vacancies.from quality assurance in med,to biomedics,to data management,to disease surveillance,trainings,etc also the fed govt ,state govt,NPHDA, amongst others and there are some that pay better than clinical consultants of 20yrs will ever hope to earn in Nig.....there ur degree isn't discriminated so long as you have basic medical knowledge and exp neccesarry for the job.

My point is rather than been pesimistic from the onset,the way forward is to meet snr ones that have grad and been working for yrs they'll tell you what they have learnt about the industry,the opportunities that are available and what they would require so u start planning towards it.another way is to check the papers not for a job but for the requirements for those posts that BMS can apply for,meet up with pple from those org ask questions,start planning.

Avoid neg pple and those striving for roles not suited to them,find succesfull pple in your field that earn well and ask them the way,Network like mad starting now is the key,those relationships will come in usefull sometime in future,cos a lot of openings never get advertized but spread by word of mouth in the same setting and you only tell those you know.

if you want to travel,the time to start planning is also 100l.

My 2 piece.

mindthing: I have a B.sc in Human Physiology from one of the federal universities in this country, and i can say outright that there is little professional niche for the basic medical sciences in Nigeria. I have personally never looked at my discipline as a meal ticket in itself, because right from when i was in school (i graduated in 2004), even doctors (MBBS holders) had started having their own challenges. I often looked at the kind of cars they drove and how they dressed and simply knew i wanted far more than that. So i started writing my IT certifications from 300L. Now i am almost 10 years in my field of IT, an esoteric field at that because it wasn't vastly popular at the time, and i see my colleagues who are now doctors now not even anywhere close to me in terms of earnings and standing... in actual fact, lots of them have gone either into research (overseas), into business or into administrative medicine because of the allure of the lucre... practice simply cuts it no more (ditto the strikes and protests etc in the health sector these days).

So what is my point?

1. Realize that little niche exists for para-medicine in this country

2. Go overseas if you can, para-meds have better working hours and really good pay there, especially in the US, UK and Asia

3. Get your Physiology/Anatomy certificate, and get an education with it, not just literacy. You will find that a little dexterity when applying the kind of mind that got you your degree in the first place to other disciplines will yield amazing results; and

4. Quit whining and start figuring out which of 2 & 3 you wanna do. Better to start late than never.



Good hunting.

lepasharon: how hard is it in naija to own ur own laboratory ?

TONYE001: Good one OP.

I just had my B. Sc in Human Physiology and I made a Second Class Upper.

I understand that getting a job as an Anatomist or Physiologist is difficult but there are still possibilities.

One may decide to further and specialize in any of the branches (eg, in Physiology: Blood and Body Fluid Physiology, Cardiovascular Physiology, Neuro Physiology, etc.). There are also vacancies to work in some health NGOs (eg, the various HIV/AIDS NGOs). They pay well.

You can also deviate a little into Laboratory Sciences, Radiography (Anatomists), Electrophysiology (EEG, EOG, ECG etc).

For those that wanted Medicine, simply seek means of going back to the medical school.

Thank you.

TONYE001: Good one OP.

I just had my B. Sc in Human Physiology and I made a Second Class Upper.

I understand that getting a job as an Anatomist or Physiologist is difficult but there are still possibilities.

One may decide to further and specialize in any of the branches (eg, in Physiology: Blood and Body Fluid Physiology, Cardiovascular Physiology, Neuro Physiology, etc.). There are also vacancies to work in some health NGOs (eg, the various HIV/AIDS NGOs). They pay well.

You can also deviate a little into Laboratory Sciences, Radiography (Anatomists), Electrophysiology (EEG, EOG, ECG etc).

For those that wanted Medicine, simply seek means of going back to the medical school.

Thank you.

Kdjmamar: is it a most to work in hospital or lab? is it only doctors dat make it in life? abeg wise up am physiologist nd am makin my money, i mean cool money . just know that u re going to make it in dis world! sikena

Rjasan:
How much is the salary of a med _ lab scientist.

Damie370:
I av just been admitted to study pharmacology.....pls wat do u think about pharmacololgist job opportunities in Nigeria

Madeu:
The salary varies with establishment.
Med lab sci are placed on Conmess 8.

Rjasan:
But how much do you think they are paid in most government and private hospitals. Please help with figures. What's Conmess 8?. Please enlighten me more.

temigracie:
You know, this BMS of a thing makes me sad most times. Going through the stress of reading wide, going extra mile to borrow courses from Biochemistry, anatomy and other department. Coming out as a fresh graduate, with no hope of working somewhere related to your line except lecturing.

I just wonder why they belittle us, I wonder why they can't give us a license. Personally, I'm the shy and timid type. Do you think lecturing is the best option for me?.

Starting from 100 level, I'll always sit and ask what's next after after B.Sc. Going back for medicine is just a no no.

I only look up to God. Am so confident in him. I know He'll guide and direct my path to my place of fulfilment.

temigracie:
You know, this BMS of a thing makes me sad most times. Going through the stress of reading wide, going extra mile to borrow courses from Biochemistry, anatomy and other department. Coming out as a fresh graduate, with no hope of working somewhere related to your line except lecturing.

I just wonder why they belittle us, I wonder why they can't give us a license. Personally, I'm the shy and timid type. Do you think lecturing is the best option for me?.

Starting from 100 level, I'll always sit and ask what's next after after B.Sc. Going back for medicine is just a no no.

I only look up to God. Am so confident in him. I know He'll guide and direct my path to my place of fulfilment.

temigracie:
You know, this BMS of a thing makes me sad most times. Going through the stress of reading wide, going extra mile to borrow courses from Biochemistry, anatomy and other department. Coming out as a fresh graduate, with no hope of working somewhere related to your line except lecturing.

I just wonder why they belittle us, I wonder why they can't give us a license. Personally, I'm the shy and timid type. Do you think lecturing is the best option for me?.

Starting from 100 level, I'll always sit and ask what's next after after B.Sc. Going back for medicine is just a no no.

I only look up to God. Am so confident in him. I know He'll guide and direct my path to my place of fulfilment.

mindthing:
I have a B.sc in Human Physiology from one of the federal universities in this country, and i can say outright that there is little professional niche for the basic medical sciences in Nigeria. I have personally never looked at my discipline as a meal ticket in itself, because right from when i was in school (i graduated in 2004), even doctors (MBBS holders) had started having their own challenges. I often looked at the kind of cars they drove and how they dressed and simply knew i wanted far more than that. So i started writing my IT certifications from 300L. Now i am almost 10 years in my field of IT, an esoteric field at that because it wasn't vastly popular at the time, and i see my colleagues who are now doctors now not even anywhere close to me in terms of earnings and standing... in actual fact, lots of them have gone either into research (overseas), into business or into administrative medicine because of the allure of the lucre... practice simply cuts it no more (ditto the strikes and protests etc in the health sector these days).

So what is my point?

1. Realize that little niche exists for para-medicine in this country

2. Go overseas if you can, para-meds have better working hours and really good pay there, especially in the US, UK and Asia

3. Get your Physiology/Anatomy certificate, and get an education with it, not just literacy. You will find that a little dexterity when applying the kind of mind that got you your degree in the first place to other disciplines will yield amazing results; and

4. Quit whining and start figuring out which of 2 & 3 you wanna do. Better to start late than never.



Good hunting.

Damie370:
But pharmacology is a branch of pharmacy although i know dat pharmacology is not pharmacy but i still think pharmacololgist should av a say in Job opportunities since it is a branch of pharmacy

Lawiee:
Abeg make una help me out. I put in for medicine, but the school I registered in gave me Anatomy. Pls I don't want to to go back to read medicine in any way after 5 years of reading anatomy. I just started my 4th year. Pls, I began guys


Pls I don't need your criticism. Just advice me as you would your younger one. Especially chreld_b:

Madeu:
The salary varies with establishment.
Med lab sci are placed on Conmess 8.

A biomedical scientist (biomedician,
biomedical doctor, medical
scientist , clinical scientist) is a
scientist trained in biology , particularly
in the context of medicine . These
scientists work to gain knowledge on
the main principles of how the
human body works and to find new
ways to cure or treat disease by
developing advanced diagnostic tools
or new therapeutic strategies . The
research of biomedical scientists is
referred to as biomedical research .
Biomedical scientists can have a
particular focus on basic , pre-clinical ,
or translational research . While
biomedical scientists specifically focus
on understanding the human body
and disease, scientists educated in
other fields also contribute greatly to
advancements in medical knowledge,
including biologists, biomedical
engineers, chemists , and physicists.
In the United Kingdom , the term
"biomedical scientist" as related to the
health service has a different meaning
than in other parts of the world,
specifically referring to a class of
healthcare professional that performs
clinical pathology services.
Description
The specific activities of the
biomedical scientist can differ in
various parts of the world and vary
with the level of education. Generally
speaking, biomedical scientists
conduct research in a laboratory
setting, using living organisms as
models to conduct experiments .
These can include cultured human or
animal cells grown outside of the
whole organism, small animals such
as flies , worms , fish , mice , and rats,
or, rarely, larger animals and primates.
Biomedical scientists may also work
directly with human tissue specimens
to perform experiments as well as
participate in clinical research .
Biomedical scientists employ a variety
of techniques in order to carry out
laboratory experiments. These
include:
Molecular and biochemical
techniques
Electrophoresis and blotting
Immunostaining
Chromatography
Mass spectrometry
PCR and sequencing
Microarrays
Imaging technologies
Light , fluorescence , and
electron microscopy
MRI
PET
X-ray
Genetic engineering/modification
Transfection
Viral transduction
Transgenic model organisms
Electrophysiology techniques
Patch clamp
EEG, EKG, ERG
In silico techniques
Bioinformatics
Computational biology
Level of education
Biomedical scientists typically obtain a
terminal academic degree , usually a
doctorate. (PhD, DSc, DPhil, etc.) This
degree is necessary for faculty
positions at academic institutions, as
well as senior scientist positions at
most companies. Some biomedical
scientists also possess a medical
degree (MD , DO , MBBS, etc.) in
addition to an academic degree.
Work environment
Academics
This category includes tenured faculty
positions at universities, colleges, non-
profit research institutes , and
sometimes hospitals . These positions
usually afford more intellectual
freedom and give the researcher
more latitude in the direction and
content of the research. Scientists in
academic settings, in addition to
conducting experiments, will also
attend scientific conferences, compete
for research grant funding, publish
scientific papers , and teach classes.
Industry Industry jobs refer to private
sector jobs at for-profit corporations.
In the case of biomedical scientists,
employment is usually at large
pharmaceutical companies or
biotechnology companies. Positions in
industry tend to pay higher salaries
than those at academic institutions,
but job security compared to tenured
academic faculty is significantly less.
Researchers in industry tend to have
less intellectual freedom in their
research than those in the academic
sector, owing to the ultimate goal of
producing marketable products that
benefit the company.
Non-Traditional Career Paths
In recent years, more biomedical
scientists have pursued careers where
advanced education and experience
in biomedical research is needed
outside of traditional laboratory
research. These areas include patent
law , consulting , public policy, and
science journalism . The primary
reason for growth in these areas is
that in recent years fewer positions
are available in traditional academic
research relative to the number of
seekers; approximately 15-20% of PhD
life scientists will obtain a tenure-track
position or lab-head position in
industry. [1]
United Kingdom
"Biomedical scientist" is the protected
title used by professionals qualified to
work unsupervised within the
pathology department of a hospital.
[2] The biomedical sciences are made
up of the following disciplines;
biochemistry , haematology,
immunology , microbiology, histology ,
cytology, bacteriology and transfusion
services. These professions are
regulated within the United Kingdom
by the Health professions council .
Anyone who falsely claims to be a
biomedical scientist commits an
offence and could be fined up to
£ 5000.
Each department specialises in aiding
the diagnosis and treatment of
disease. Entry to the profession
requires an Institute of Biomedical
Science (IBMS) accredited BSc
honours degree followed by a
minimum of 12 months laboratory
training in one of the pathology
disciplines, however the actual time
spent training can be considerably
longer. Trainees are also required to
complete a certificate of competence
training portfolio, this requires
gathering extensive amounts of
evidence to demonstrate professional
competence. At the end of this period
the trainees portfolio and overall
competence are assessed if successful
state registration is achieved. State
registration indicates that the
applicant has reached a required
standard of education and will follow
the guidelines and codes of practice
created by the health professions
council.More recently a co-terminus
degree has been implemented to
bring the profession into line with the
other professions allied to health care.
Students now participate in a
placement year,which lasts 15 weeks,
in either the second or third years of
their degree. Students are then
awarded their state registration on
completion of their degree.
Placements are not guaranteed and
places are limited to the top students,
those who do not get placements can
follow the old style of registration but
are at a serious disadvantage when
applying for posts.
Biomedical scientists are the second
largest profession registered by the
Health Professions Council and make
up a vital component of the health
care team. Many of the decisions
doctors make are based on the test
results generated by biomedical
scientists. Despite this, much of the
general public are unaware of
biomedical scientists and the
important role they play. This lack of
awareness extends to many doctors
and nurses; often biomedical
scientists are incorrectly referred to as
laboratory technicians.
Biomedical scientists are not confined
to NHS laboratories. Biomedical
scientists along with scientists in other
inter-related medical disciplines seek
out to understand human anatomy,
genetics, immunology, physiology and
behaviour at all levels. This is
sometimes achieved through the use
of model systems that are
homologous to various aspects of
human biology. The research that is
carried out either in Universities or
Pharmaceutical companies by
biomedical scientists has led to the
development of new treatments for a
wide range of degenerative and
genetic disorders. Stem cell biology,
cloning , genetic screening/therapies
and other areas of biomedical science
have all been generated by the work
of biomedical scientists from around
the world. Leading UK biomedical
science academics and researchers
include: Prof Mark Ferguson, Prof P G
(Gerry) McKenna MRIA, Prof David
Rogers, Prof Val Randall and Prof
Robert May.
↑Jump back a section
Education
Biomedical science graduate
programs are maintained at academic
institutions and medical schools
around the world, and some
biomedical graduate programs are
administered jointly by an academic
institution and a business, hospital, or
independent research institute. While
graduate students historically
committed to a particular research
specialty, such as molecular biology ,
biochemistry , genetics, or
developmental biology , the recent
trend (particularly in the United
States) is to offer interdisciplinary
programs that do not specialize and
instead aim to incorporate a broad
education in multiple biological
disciplines. Historically people
entering biomedical graduate
programs have held a master's
degree, although many universities
(particularly in the United States)
currently accept applicants holding a
bachelor's degree with exceptional
credentials such as high
undergraduate GPA and entry
examination scores as well as
extensive research experience.
Initially, biomedical graduate students
usually rotate through the
laboratories of several faculty
researchers, after which the student
commits to joining a particular
laboratory for the remainder of his or
her tenure. The remaining time is
spent conducting original research
under the direction of the principal
investigator to complete and publish a
dissertation. Unlike undergraduate
and professional schools, there is no
set time period for graduate
education. Students graduate once a
thesis project of significant scope to
justify the writing of their dissertation
has been completed, a point that is
determined by the student's principal
investigator as well as his or her
faculty advisory committee. The
average time to graduation can vary
between institutions, but most
programs average around 5–6 years.
[3]
Biomedical scientists typically study in
undergraduate majors that are
focused on biological sciences, such
as biochemistry , microbiology,
zoology, biophysics, etc.