University: The University of Western Australia

Degree: Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours), Biochemistry and Molecular Biology and Genetics

School Subjects: Biology, Chemistry, Mathematics Methods, Mathematics Specialist, English

____________________________________________

Having done only STEM ATAR subjects and enjoyed studying them, I knew I wanted to continue studying similar content in uni. Initially, I enrolled in Biochemistry and Accounting to expand my learning to new fields I hadn’t explored yet. However, after completing the 1st sem of my 1st year, I realised I wanted to switch Accounting to Genetics as I researched more about what the Genetics major involved, which, to my surprise, aligned more closely with my career goals of working in healthcare (through a Medicine postgrad study).

Genetics

The consensus on Genetics is that it isn’t a tricky major but one that still demands study. Like many biomed majors, the assessments are mainly split into two parts: labs and the theory/content itself. Despite the labs not being mind-bogglingly hard, they are weighted quite heavily. You’ll have to show up to a 2/3-hour session, understand it, perform the various tasks, then do a post-lab assignment or an online quiz. I would recommend doing some pre-lab work (even if it is not required), as this will reduce stress levels. An underrated way to learn is to make sure to ask the lab techs a lot of questions, even if they are silly questions. The lab techs can get exhausted by this, but doing so is extremely useful and will help you get 100% on the lab part of these units.

The theory isn’t bad either—there is just so much of it. Studying Genetics requires a lot of memorisation (like covering the whole of Year 12 Biology ATAR in two weeks), especially for exams, which are closed book. To get around this, I would recommend staying on top of your work throughout the sem, which can look different depending on your study style. For me, I make sure I finish making my flashcards by the end of each week, but for some, it’s handwriting lecture notes in their book. Another bit of advice is to not skip over the content—even the tiniest little detail could pop up in the exam.

Speaking of exams, not all of them are multiple-choice like many anatomy/chem units. There is some maths involved in Genetics (but it isn’t as complex as ATAR maths!). However, some questions require short-answer responses where you’ll explain and recall specific details, which is where most students lose marks.

Despite me going on about how much memorisation there is in Genetics, the upside is that I find the content and labs genuinely cool and interesting, especially Principles of Inheritance – GENE2250, where you make recombinant glowing bacteria. Although studying Genetics is basically studying plants, for me, this didn’t matter, as learning the fundamentals of genetics was very appealing.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

I personally prefer Genetics over Biochemistry, as Biochemistry’s content didn’t seem super applicable to the real world (so far). Despite its name, Biochemistry is not like Biology ATAR or Chemistry ATAR—it is its own unique subject. Unlike Genetics, not many calculations are involved, but the amount of memorisation is massive.

Luckily, the assessments are very good, and every unit is extremely well organised. Additionally, the exams are all open book, which is great because this means less time spent memorising, but it can also mean harder questions and lots of trick questions in multiple-choice. Biochemistry is a major where every week there are 2/3 assessments due, which can be very easy to miss. Biochemistry is also heavily lab-based (60% of marks are allocated to labs—which is unusual even for Biomed majors). Another challenge, and a fact I wish I knew before starting this major, was that all the lectures (except in one unit) are pre-recorded, meaning they are not scheduled into your contact-hours timetable. However, if you prefer online learning and watching lectures at your own speed, you won’t find this a problem.

The content itself is very broad. You begin by learning the basic structures and functions of biomolecules before transitioning into the principles of Biochemistry (i.e. biochemical pathways and regulation). I would not recommend this major if you are disorganised. It is so easy to fall behind, as each topic builds on the previous week. If you start falling behind, you will be sitting in the labs and workshops for the rest of the semester clueless. I would also recommend taking an Organic Chemistry unit in 1st semester, as this really helped me with understanding molecular pathways and biomolecules in 1st and 2nd year.

Career Opportunities / Bachelor of Philosophy (Honours)

Honestly, I’m not entirely sure about internships in Genetics, as I haven’t reached out for any myself. With the BPhil degree I’m in, I’m required to complete a placement, so I haven’t needed to put much effort into searching for one. The academics in this program are incredibly supportive, and I know people who’ve worked on research projects with them. If you’re interested, you’d probably just need to send an email and ask around. Talking to the lab techs could also be helpful, since many of them are already involved in projects under an academic.

As for my own path, I’m planning to pursue Medicine as a postgrad, but Genetics is such an exciting field with so much still to uncover. If you’re considering further studies, a PhD or Master’s in Genetics could be a great option, as there’s a growing demand for researchers in the area. During a recent pathology placement, I learned just how crucial genetic analysis is becoming, even in fields like histology. They mentioned that soon all tumours will need to undergo genetic testing, not just traditional biopsies and slide preparation. It’s a fascinating and rapidly evolving field—one that is currently in a technological boom, and the course itself is not lagging behind!

If you, like me, were unable to get into Medicine/Dentistry first-try through the UCAT pathway, I wouldn’t fret. Trusting the process and being genuinely passionate about working in a healthcare career will help give your mind clarity to work hard towards GAMSAT and med-school application. For me, through work experience, holding conversations with older figures, and doing research placements, my drive to pursue Medicine/Dentistry has only been strengthened. I hope all of you similarly won’t give up. 🙂