Program
Overview
The Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences Degree aims at training locally-relevant and globally competent anatomists, physiologists and biochemists. This follows the biomedical sciences department’s quest to fully utilize its human and infrastructural resources to respond to current national needs for qualified health scientists with broad knowledge of the biosciences.
This BSc Biomedical Sciences programme is in line with the Government of Malawi’s plans to improve research capacity in the health sector. By teaching advanced concepts of the life sciences and exposing students to practical laboratory environments, the programme is the first of its kind in Malawi to provide a strong basis for postgraduate training in the biomedical sciences.
Biomedical Science is the Science that underpins medicine, laboratory work and healthcare research. The BSc Biomedical Sciences is an intercalated degree programme developed to equip learners with broad knowledge of the Biomedical Sciences and practical skills necessary for mod-ern-day clinical and research laboratory environments. The focus on advanced aspects of the bio-sciences training distinguishes the programme from other related degree programmes. In its delivery, it takes a broad approach in giving students options to study a wide range of subjects. This is aimed at equipping learners with a deep under-standing of the human body and its functions at system, organ, cellular and molecular levels both in states of health and in disease, and prepares them for careers in academia, industry and clinics. Moreover, learners are expected to conduct research, which is fundamental for new developments, enriching post-graduate output and entrepreneurship. In this programme, students will be specializing in either Bio-chemistry, Physiology, Anatomy.
As a multiple-entry and multiple-exit programme, this programme offers a unique opportunity to students from other programmes (e.g. MBBS) to join at fourth year and graduate with a Bachelor of Science Degree or a Bachelor of Science (Honours). This arrangement provides an avenue for the very young yet to acquire the maturity as a medical Doctor to gain extra biomedical science skill before finishing the MBBS programme as a practicing Doctor. As such, the programme will also increase the pool of medical Doctors who are capable of carrying out research in the course of doing their work.
Upon successful completion of the programmes foundation year, students will be introduced to the BSc BMS programme proper. The BSC BMS programme offers an integrated course of study of the basic and introductory therapeutic sciences in years one and two, starting from normal function and structure to abnormal function and structure. Learning in years one and two will be grouped into systems including musculoskeletal, cardiorespiratory, integumentary, reproductive, gastrointestinal, endocrine, genitourinary and head and neck. This will also be augmented with knowledge from haematology, pathology, microbiology and pharmacology. In year three learners will acquire advanced knowledge and practical expertise in anatomy, biochemistry, histopathology, haematology, microbiology, pharmacology and physiology. In year four learners will learn critical thinking and analytical skills befitting an honours graduate. The BSc BMS programme is the first of its kind in Malawi to provide a strong basis for postgraduate training in the biomedical medical sciences.
