Course

Graduated with Bachelor of Biomedical Science with Honours in 2003.

Current position

In 2006, was working as a Medical Scientist in Launceston.

Story

I began studying the Bachelor of Biomedical Science at the University of Tasmania in 1999. I decided to apply for this degree after visiting the school for an orientation day while in year 12.  We were taken on a tour of the different disciplines within the school and participated in hands-on activities such as testing our own blood groups which really sparked my interest in medical laboratory science.

I enjoyed studying Biomedical Science, as everything I was learning was totally new to me and it was so interesting learning about all of the different substances and reactions within the body. I found it very interesting when we were able to begin looking at everything we had learnt in a more practical light by examining case studies. 

I also gained some invaluable work experience at the Royal Hobart Hospital where I spent a month working in Special Haematology.  Here I learnt about specialised testing I might not otherwise have ever had the opportunity to experience, such as cell marker studies and bone marrow harvests and transplants.

After completing the first three years of the degree I was offered a place within the Honours program where I was able to choose which discipline I wanted to study within and which of the available projects I wanted to work on.  I chose to work on a Microbiology/Molecular Biology project with Steven Tristram looking at mechanisms of antibiotic resistance within Haemophilus influenzae.  This was by far the best decision I had ever made because I believe that it really gave me an edge over those who studied the general three year degree.  I was able to focus an entire year on a single topic. I learned a lot of new laboratory techniques and worked by myself most of the time which was very different to the previous three years.  I also spent some time in the Molecular Medicine lab at the RHH where I helped out with their routine work and also learned some new skills I was able to apply to my own project.
My honours year was one of the best years I experienced at Uni as I felt more independent and gained so much confidence in myself and my abilities as a scientist, and the best part was that my work was collated with my supervisor’s and another student’s into a journal article that was published in 2005.

Just before graduating from my Honours year I was offered a Graduate Scientist position at Launceston Pathology, and four years on I am still working there as a scientist.  I work primarily in the Haematology department which is responsible for routine Haematology, Coagulation and Transfusion testing for our own lab as well as Immunology and Special Coagulation testing for the three laboratories within our company around the state.  I also work on an after hours roster where a single scientist is responsible for all departments as well as the collection of samples from hospital in-patients. 

Initially, working within the laboratory was so exciting because I was finally able to put all of the knowledge I had accumulated at Uni into practice.  Everything started to make more sense and it was great to be able to figure out what was happening with a particular patient by looking at their results, blood film morphology, clinical details etc.  I have found that my interest in this work has continued to grow as even today there is always something new happening and interesting cases coming through which you can follow as they continue to come through the lab for ongoing testing.  I also enjoy the opportunities we are given to travel interstate to attend continuing education workshops and national scientific meetings.