JC or Diploma in Biomedical Science?

pygoh03 SG

Hello there.

I am currently waiting for my O's results and am considering SP's biomedical science course.

It looks really interesting to me and I am already quite certain that I would do something related to life sciences in the future.

However, I have always viewed myself as a JC-kinda student which is why I am quite troubled over this now.

Any suggestions or advice? :)

SBS n SMRT SG

practical skills vs theory grounding tension here

MUFC SG

Both options are viable. You can go to SP's course and get very good at lab work and practical skills, or you can go to a JC and get a solid theoretical education on A Level Chemistry and Biology before embarking on a Life Science-related course in University.

Just some comments though. Those who were from JC tend to do better in exams in University, while those from poly are more skilful and confident in lab work. Also, note that only the top 5-10% of poly graduates get to enter NUS or NTU, so if your aim is to go to university, you must be among the best in poly, if you choose to go to this path that is.

Yami king2005 SG

I suggest you to go JC. Reason is because in poly, there are many teamwork assignment. If you ever happen to team with slackers, then your path to university will be challenged. Some honest comments, i am from polytechnic. I did not realise that there are slackers. But i think biomedical science is quite good as half of the Diploma in Biomedical Science cohort manage to enter university. I am from SP. Please view SP website for actual fact. But i am not from that course, but i want to inform you that if you ever team with some slackers, your grades will dive.

Chemguide7 SG

A JC course is more general than a poly course; if you are not really sure that you want to go the biomedical career path, then a JC course may open up more doors to life sciences or other uni courses when you are more sure of your career path at the age of 18-19.

Life Sciences courses are competitive in NUS and NTU. You can look at the grade profiles of various NUS and NTU courses for AY 2012/2013 or even the latest ones by clicking on other threads in this forum. Chances of entering Life Sciences in uni thru' JC route maybe better than poly provided you score well in all subjects in JC. So choosing a good subject combination in JC is important.

Poly route is more practical and hands-on with less theory (and maybe a bit more fun and exciting). However, I have ex-students informing me that poly education is also as challenging and fast paced as JC education. But you have to be sure of choosing Life Sciences if you go to poly. And you grade average has to be about 3.8-3.9 to enter uni. (you need to verify this)

Having a Life Science degree is a very general degree. You are not a doctor nor a pharmacist nor a uni trained nurse nor a truly licensed health care professional cos of general nature of course. So, career wise may have some limitations. One can go to do research with a higher degree, go teaching, do admin jobs in banks or private companies, or work in hospitals and health care industry, or work in HPB, National Parks or AVA, or work in Science Park or go overseas. If you want to earn lots of money, life science may not be the best degree to do. Of course, there are career advancements in the field of life science and one can be a very good manager or professor in a span of a few years or 8-10 years after obtaining a degree or post-graduate degree.

If you do not want to do do a bio related career later on, you can be like Allan Wu and be a compere and a TV personality. He has a bio major degree from, I tink, US.

Do consider carefully and speak to counselors in the polys or JCs and your parents.

BTW, hospital jobs are usually quite stressful.

All the best!

Chong

Private tutor in Chemistry

http://alevelchemistrysg.blogspot.sg/

Demon Bane SG

If a Degree is what you are after, then a JC route can save you 1 yr. You can always pickup the Biomed courses in university...then again if you are not going to Univ, take the diploma course instead.