As the complexity of medical science grows and the demand for medical professionals increases, Trent University has launched a new undergraduate Biomedical Sciences program, a four-year Bachelor of Science degree that offers students a multidisciplinary learning opportunity in a dynamic academic setting, including an internship component in a medical or health-care related setting.

“The Biomedical Sciences degree is an excellent addition to Trent University’s science offerings and is valuable preparation for students looking to pursue careers in medicine, dentistry, pharmacy, veterinary, physiotherapy and other biomedical or applied health fields,” said Dr. Craig Brunetti, chair of the Biology Department at Trent University.

Central to the program is a capstone course that includes an internship option, something that no other Ontario university offers in a four-year Biomedical Science degree. The internship placement will be carried out under the mentorship of medical practitioners or with health-care professionals (e.g. pharmacists, audiologists), and will provide hands-on experiential learning opportunity that is important for career development.

"The goal of Trent’s new Bachelor of Biomedical Science degree is to provide students the opportunity to study both practical and theoretical aspects of a diverse range of medically-related topics (such as anatomy, cell biology, and biochemistry) while allowing students to personalize their degree by incorporating related areas of interest through a selection of electives from the sciences, humanities, or social sciences,” added Dr. Leslie Kerr, associate professor of Biology at Trent University, and one of the members of the committee that helped develop the new program.

The launch of this program, which recently received official approval from the Ministry of Training Colleges and Universities, coincides with the changes to the Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) – the standardized exam required for admissions to many graduate health programs. This year a new format exam took effect, which not only covers the traditional biological and traditional sciences, but now tests on new areas including introductory psychology and sociology and requires comprehension in the humanities and social sciences. The Biomedical Science program responds to this growing need to study across subject areas, and will help prepare students for the MCAT exam if they wish to pursue this path.

The size and extraordinary commitment to undergraduate teaching at Trent allows professors to assist students on an individual basis, working alongside them in lab and research settings. Graduates of the Biomedical Science program will graduate with a distinct advantage as they move onto employment opportunities, graduate studies, or related professional programs.

Dr. Jackie Muldoon, provost and vice-president academic at Trent University, applauded the program's approval, saying, “We have been working hard to create innovative new programming to respond to the needs of our graduates, and the ever-changing world we live in. Biomedical Science is the latest accomplishment in what has been a tremendously exciting year for academic advancement at Trent University.”

The program will be accepting students for the fall 2016. For more information about the program and admissions requirements, visit the Biomedical Science program page.