A person who plans to work in medical science may want to know, “Will I complete an internship to become a biomedical laboratory scientist?” This is important to know because it could affect how a person plans to space out their degrees. Knowing the answer to this question also helps a person set their personal and professional goals.
Internships During Undergraduate Studies
An internship is not usually required in order to become a biomedical laboratory scientist. However, some people will engage in an internship during their undergraduate studies. They might intern at a facility that produces medical devices, a pharmaceutical company, a hospital or clinic. These internships might be a required part of their graduation credits or experience. Some of the internships may be paid. Some universities connect the student with the internship opportunities.
Undergraduate Studies and Experiences
The first required step to becoming a biomedical laboratory scientist is to earn an undergraduate degree. Most people who want to be a biomedical laboratory scientist will earn a degree in biology, chemistry or physics. Most will take a pre-med curriculum, but some may take engineering classes in biomedical engineering. An undergraduate degree in these areas also usually requires several mathematics and statistics classes. Some degree programs may require a communications, writing, psychology, economics or computer science class. This is because all of those topics will be of use to a biomedical laboratory scientist.
Doctoral Program
The next part of becoming a biomedical laboratory scientist involves acceptance into a doctoral program, explains the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Most biomedical laboratory scientists have a philosophy doctorate (PhD) degree, but some will earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree. A few people will become a biomedical laboratory scientist by earning a Doctor of Dental Surgery (DDS), Doctor of Dental Medicine (DMD), Doctor of Osteopathic Medicine (DO), Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) or an advanced practice nursing degree. It is also possible to enter a joint- or dual-degree program in which a person earns their MD and PhD simultaneously. Combining the two degrees may reduce the time to completing them by a year or two compared to if a person earned their PhD then went to medical school or if they went to medical school, began practicing as a doctor, then started their PhD program. A few biomedical laboratory scientists earn a medical degree and then enter a master’s program in biomedical engineering. Those who earn a DVM degree would work in biomedical laboratory science for animals.
Experiences After a Doctoral Program
Post-doctoral work is usually called a fellowship. A person who wants to be a biomedical laboratory scientist will usually be hired to work under a senior scientist, physician or professor in order to gain more laboratory and research experience. This is not an internship. The fellowship is a paid position. It typically has a specific time frame, such as a one-year fellowship to work on a specific project.
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Becoming a biomedical laboratory scientist takes some time. Each person’s path will be slightly different, but these general steps are what a person needs to do in order to achieve the job of a biomedical laboratory scientist. Being aware of the answer to, “Will I complete an internship to become a biomedical laboratory scientist?” helps a person thoughtfully plan for the future.