don't get on many forums so this is pretty much the best place to as the question that I have...

I'm at a cross road in my uni studies. I am doing dual major degree Bus/Sci. Just finished up on the Bus (ACC) and am now starting on the Sci side. At first i signed up for Environmental Management but I have this feeling that there isn't a lot of real good opportunities in that field so I am switching to either a biotechnology or biomedical major. I want to be able to move around this big blue marble and work - hopefully. So I'm wanting a program that is universally accepted in most "developed" countries. Problem is which one. Anyone that can offer some insight into this would be very helpful. I know biomedical is mostly focused on human health and it appears that there is a process of accreditation (work experience and associations to satisfy) before one can freely work in the field. And biotechnology is very broad and has minimal focus on human health (I think).

I have asked the uni profs but they kinda give the usual speech published in the course outline, none have any real world experiences in the fields

Anyone want to chime in and add a few pieces to this puzzle it would be very much appreciated. If this is out of place for this forum I would be happy to have you PM me.

I would have said stick with the Environmental loads of opportunities in mining, I think also better paid than bio sciences.

I've worked as a medical scientist in both UK and Australia. In the UK, you need to have a specific degree that is accredited by the Health Professions Council. Over here, at least in Melbourne, it seems to be the Med Lab Sci degree from RMIT. The pay isn't too bad, but you do a lot of shift work to get your pay to a good standard. Most of the work is in hospital/pathology labs and can get a bit too routine, though there is Vet pathology as well. There are other things you can do with a Biomed degree, I just can't think of them at the moment.

Biotech is an interesting area as it's constantly expanding but it's as to which area you want to go in to.
Bioinformatics, which puts computing together with biology is a growing area and I have suggested that to a relative who is just going into his A' Levels.

I was never much of a fan of environmental science so can't comment on that.

I'm now in research, until the funding runs out, and I find that hugely rewarding and enjoyable, but to get there, I had to do a MSc and a PhD, so your degree might not be the end of it it you want to do research.

Start looking at New Scientist, Scientific American, and Science. They are all good magazines with varied areas of research in them. They might help a bit.

PM me if you like - always happy to help someone out

The problem with the environmental side is that legislation is different in every country which can make it problematic as the OP wants to be able to travel.

True but legislation is only the minimal requirement. If the op was to work for a company like Rio Tinto or BP then there are options to transfer with them to a number of countries all expenses paid.

The best advice really is to do what your interested in, it makes studying so much easier.

Rio Tinto maybe, not so sure about BP at the moment

Why not, they definitely need environmental management!

Hi, Im doing a Biomedical degree through UNE.

You can go into lab work, or my plan is a job in the health field. Australia is always going to need health workers.

Most people use Biomedical to get on to Graduate Medicine and become a doctor. You just need a decent GPA and pass the GAMSAT test.

However you can get on most Post graduates in various health areas.
eg Nuclear medicine (MRI,CAT scans) , Sonography (ultrasounds), physio, speech therapy,audiology so on.
Also go on to health management side.

If you want health area make sure you choose units in anatomy/physiology as some biomedical degrees have a lot of the health managment units.

Gems