Physician Associate Studies, MSc
student - Graduated in BSc (Hons) Biology
I chose to study at UCLan as it is very close to my home and some family members had studied at UCLan before, complimenting the university on its friendly and motivational environment.
I always wanted to eventually end up in some form of a healthcare-related career (interacting with patients to provide the best care for the community and unwell patients).
As I was still finding my path into what specific healthcare degree to choose, I thought that a broad undergraduate in Biology would help me to explore my options.
My teachers were aware and very supportive of the fact that I wanted to do a healthcare related master's and helped.
The facilities are amazing. The teachers provide an immense amount of academic and emotional support. UCLan has great services such as WISER that I found very useful when writing assignments and my dissertation. I have used the UCLan gym too which has great equipment and is free of charge to unwind and relax after a busy day at university.
The teaching on the BSc (Hons) Biology course was very organised and interactive. We were taught in many styles: from workshops, lectures, presentations, case studies and group projects. We were also taken on many trips around Lancashire and Wales, that were not only educational but very enjoyable. The staff are very approachable and knowledgeable, which made the course very pleasant.
During my studies as an undergraduate biologist, I established a great interest in a module relating to human physiology and disease. This led me to achieve a special recognition award from the head of the school for attaining 82% in the module. This sparked an interest in me to find a postgraduate that was medically related. I applied for the Physician Associate masters at UCLan, which I am currently on. I feel that the undergraduate in Biology has helped me throughout my master's as it has built a firm foundation of scientific knowledge that I can fall back on. A career as a Physician Associate will allow me to showcase my scientific knowledge to help support the doctor’s diagnosis in a way that can have a beneficial impact on the health of patients.