Biomedical Science

Biomedical science is the discipline that provides the scientific foundation for clinical diagnosis and treatment. While doctors and other clinicians make decisions about patient care, it is biomedical scientists who analyse the blood samples, tissue specimens, and microbiological cultures that those decisions depend on. The work spans haematology, clinical biochemistry, medical microbiology, cellular pathology, and immunology, and it requires both scientific rigour and an understanding of how laboratory findings translate into clinical action.

At London South Bank University, this four-year full-time degree is accredited by the Institute of Biomedical Science, which is the professional body that oversees the training of biomedical scientists in the United Kingdom. Completing an IBMS-accredited degree is the recognised route to registration with the Health and Care Professions Council as a Biomedical Scientist. The programme includes a placement year in a professional healthcare setting, giving you the extended laboratory and clinical experience that professional registration requires.

You will study the core biomedical science disciplines in depth, developing both the scientific understanding and the practical laboratory skills needed to work competently and safely in a healthcare environment. The university's professional relationships in the healthcare sector support placement opportunities and provide connections to the world you will be working in.

You will develop scientific problem-solving ability, laboratory technique, and the capacity to interpret complex analytical data, skills that are essential for safe and effective practice as a biomedical scientist.

Graduates work as biomedical scientists in NHS hospital laboratories, private diagnostic laboratories, pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies, blood transfusion services, and research organisations. The IBMS accreditation and the placement year mean that graduates are well prepared for HCPC registration and entry into professional practice. Postgraduate study in a specialist area of biomedical science or progression into healthcare science management are common career developments.