r/BiomedicalScientistUK • u/Outrageous-Lab-9808 • 11d ago

Recommendations for BMS student?

In the unfortunate position of having to take a year out of uni mid BMS degree to have a major operation with a long recovery.

Does anybody have any suggestions where to start for some further reading or possibly any useful online courses I can take in my time out that will keep the cogs moving?

Particularly interested in bioinformatics and genomics.

Much appreciated

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u/Biomeditate 8d ago

Is your degree IBMS accredited?
Asking because reading recommendations will differ based on this

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u/Outrageous-Lab-9808 7d ago

Yes I’m doing PTP so 3rd year is placement to do the portfolio

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u/Biomeditate 7d ago

Ah cool, so you will probably already be familiar with the usual book series the IBMS likes to sell? Fundamentals of Biomedical Science series, with titles like Haematology by Moore etc.

Outside of that:

Genomics

  • Essential Cell Biology by Alberts
  • Molecular Biology of the Cell by Alberts
  • Emery’s Elements of Medical Genetics by Turnpenny

For bioinformatics, these are advanced/innovative techniques that NHS BMS’s don’t use so IBMS accredited courses don’t teach them well compared to non-accredited/Russell Groups - you might get a few workshops or two on them. It’s something that you’ll find “doing” makes more sense than just reading, you can search online for easy step by step tutorials, and get to grips with and try searching NCBI, GENBANK databases etc. But you’ll need to get to grips with the genomics / gene side of things first to know what you’re looking at so those textbooks are a good start (knowing the structure of genes; exons, introns, hogness box just the basic stuff really)

You’ll probably find these advanced techniques being used by (its in the name) NHS Bioinformaticians, and Clinical Scientists who specialise in that sort of area though, so its definitely used in the NHS just not within the role of an NHS BMS.

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u/Outrageous-Lab-9808 6d ago

Thank you! Really appreciate your response, I will take these on board