Is It Worth Studying for a Biomedical Science Degree at 47?

[Ladybyrd]

Just that really. I have a 5 and an 7 year old. My partner is earning well enough for us to manage without me working full time. I worked as legal support for over 20 years, now I’m a freelance writer, which I’ve loved. I still get a steady stream of work, but it’s all from one client… for over ten years…I’m nervous that it isn’t enough. I could be earning more. I could be DOING more.

I’m very aware that with the rise in generative AI my prospects are shrinking in my current field. I have no formal qualifications beyond GCSEs and legal exec exams I sat eons ago, but I was made redundant half way through the course. I’m a ghostwriter, so I can’t even show prospective clients samples of my work, because once I’m paid, I lose ownership of the copyright and I’m bound by an NDA.

I’d just like to hear from anyone in the know, are there job opportunities at the end of it, or would I be scrambling against hundreds of others looking for training, and probably at a huge disadvantage, due to my age? Studying part time with the OU, this would take six years to complete. But on the flip side, as things stand, I take all the responsibility for the kids because my partner is working all the time, so it’ll be many years until I can commit to working fulltime without an emergency popping up every other week.

I’ve looked at lots of courses, but this is the only one that really resonates with me. I wrote in a personalised medicine/genomics niche for a long time, and I was hooked. But is it a foundation for a career, or will an OU degree be looked down upon?

Is it an accredited degree? To be a biomedical scientist in an NHS lab it's needs to be accredited to the HPCP.

What else are you intending on doing with the degree?

Some things to weigh up to help decide:
What would your career path be after graduation?
Are there openings near where you live?
What's the cost of the course versus salary expectations?
Do you have time to commit fully to the course?
Have you tried asking chatgpt for career options without the long course?

https://www.open.ac.uk/courses/health-sciences/degrees/bsc-biomedical-sciences-r87

I am completely alien, that’s why I’m asking. I know other learning institutions offer online learning programmes, but I don’t know where to start as a complete outsider.

I’m still not sure what I want to be when I grow up, but I’m leaning heavily to research/diagnostics.

@InSpainTheRain I live within commuting distance of 3 large hospitals and 2 universities that conduct medical research.

I’m not sure OP but I’m also a writer who wants to move into the sciences! I’m looking at diatetics but despite already having an MA would have to do my biology A Level online. It’s quite expensive if you do it with practical experiments is the issue. And that’s even before getting accepted into a course.

Stressful!

I’m not sure OP but I’m also a writer who wants to move into the sciences! I’m looking at diatetics but despite already having an MA would have to do my biology A Level online. It’s quite expensive if you do it with practical experiments is the issue. And that’s even before getting accepted into a course.

Stressful!

That degree isn’t accredited by The Institute of Biomedical Science (IBMS). This might limit career options.

A degree in biomedical sciences doesn’t necessarily need to lead to a job in NHS as a Biomedical Scientist. There’s lots of options such as research (in academia or industry) further study (PhD) or working a Clinical Scientist. There’s also careers in things like Science Communication which might fit well with your background. I would look into the different options and see which look appealing and they try to get experience in those roles. The job market currently is pretty poor but hopefully will improve soon and certainly in a few years time! Good luck :)

As others have pointed out - there are 2 types of degrees. Option one that is accredited and geared towards you working in a hospital laboratory or option 2 -more general science with a focus on biology with more general career options - industry or further research in academia.
I did option 2 in college but then after I graduated, I worked in a college that taught those doing option 1. Option 1 was much more teaching the students what they would be doing in the hospital (more apprenticeship type education but also possibly a more boring routine job initially when you graduate at least - but there could be lots of other career avenues (I’m just not that familiar with that area of things).

Those who did option 1 came out much more able to work in a lab than those who did option2. We learned in option 2 all about the theory of respiration, biochemical pathways etc - I liked all the theory but really it was no use when I set foot in a lab.
I did a Ph. D (basically as there was no jobs) and ended up staying in academia for a while - no job security as you are at the mercy of grant applications - so bear that in mind.

I ended up leaving science afterwards - due to a number of reasons some health related but I had got tired of the insecurity of academia and there wasn’t much industry near where I lived.

So explore what kind of job you could realistically get from the education….not sure it’s a pathway I would go down in my late 40s especially if it requires 6 years of study- being on your feet in a lab can get tiring and you might be doing shift work if in a hospital.

id definitely try talk to people working in the job you would like to do before making any commitments and have them talk straight to you - ie you don’t want a sales pitch that the university will try give you.