During my time at Chester, I’ve had the opportunity to study at undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Doing Medical Science has been an incredible experience that has allowed me to begin exploring my passion for medical research. These last few years have offered me a lot of great opportunities to discover and explore interesting topics. If you’re interested in medical research, or maybe thinking about studying at Chester, keep reading!
What’s the course like?
My course is a Master's by Research. That means I get the chance to undertake a full research project as my dissertation. There are a couple of taught modules, but most of it is self-directed research with help from my supervisor and lecturers. The lectures have been really helpful. They cover skills needed for academic reading and writing, culminating in a couple of assessments where you get to pick a paper to review.
We also get to do a module that gives us insights into the currently developing research in an area that interests us. For me, that module is ‘Therapeutic Advances in Haematology’. This was one of the main draws for me to study at Chester, since I enjoy getting to learn about some of the newest technologies and diagnostic tools, as well as some of the ideas people have for tackling some of the most challenging blood disorders and leukaemias.
As for my research dissertation, that has to be the most enjoyable part. Having the ability to pursue a research question that I find interesting, and one that is novel with the potential to be valuable to others in the future is something I’ve wanted to do for a while now.
How has Chester prepared you?
Studying at Chester has given me some great skills for both academic writing and laboratory work. I’ve picked up a lot of broadly applicable lab techniques, which has made me much more confident about working in that environment. I’ve also become much more experienced in different kinds of writing, such as literature reviews and journal articles. When I compare my reading comprehension before and after studying here, it’s like night and day. To be able to read through an academic paper and understand what the authors did and why is not only a useful skill but also a wonderful feeling, like unravelling a mystery.
What do you plan to do next?
After my course, I would love to spend some time gaining industry experience in a lab. Thanks to my time here, I feel more confident with different lab equipment and common techniques.
Later down the road, I’d also love to keep doing research, maybe through a PhD. Getting to do this research project has let me realise that I have a passion for furthering my understanding of medicine, and how our bodies interact with different diseases and treatments. No matter what, I know I want to keep doing research and I’m glad I’ve had the chance to uncover that drive during my time here.
Find out more about studying Medical Science at Chester.
