Meet some of our Genomic Medicine MSc students and read about their experiences at NHLI.
John Bozeman - MSc Genomic Medicine
What were you doing before you came to Imperial?
I graduated from my undergrad in 2019 from Montana State University. I did two degrees there. Cell biology and neuroscience, and microbiology, two different ones with a minor in genetics. After that, I felt I needed to continue my education, and Imperial just seemed like the perfect place.
Why did you want to do a postgraduate course?
The thing about post-grad is you get to expand your critical thinking and you get to explore new areas that you might not have in your undergrad. The education system is a bit different here versus in America. But I felt like here is a bit more hands-on. Obviously, we have the research project, so we get to actually do some real science work with some top people who have been in the field a long time. So I was really looking for that hands-on applied experience, which now I have.
Why did you choose the MSc in Genomic Medicine?
It's interesting. I was really interested in cancer biology and then I looked into genomic medicine and how the sequencing is becoming so powerful now that you can really look at tissues from cancer to just really anything. Bacteria, fungi, parasites, viruses, all of these things, it comes down to the DNA and the RNA. I thought about medical school, so that was like the next logical step to go into something genomic and then apply it to the clinical side of things. Combining all those things, it just fit perfect in genomic medicine.
How have you found studying and living in London?
I think this has been probably the best experience I've had. London is an amazing place. Everywhere you go, something's happening.
Just walking down the street, I'll get swept away into doing one thing or another. It's so much fun. Also, the South Kensington campus is a great location. I've been to all the other or most of the other campuses and Imperial has a really nice setup with different locations. So, yeah, I really like it.
What advice would you give to someone either starting the course or considering applying to it?
I think you'd be surprised how applicable what you learn here is because we have people from many different backgrounds. We had clinicians, business-minded people, and even a math and physics major. So it's really something. These knowledge skills, I think, will apply to almost any profession. Another thing is that it's definitely worthwhile and that you feel like this is meaningful.
Natalie Bowen - MSc Genomic Medicine
What were you doing before you came to Imperial?
Many things! I have been trying to get enough care experience to go into genetic counselling. In the four years since my undergrad, I've had various roles. I've been a carer, and I've been a learning support system for special educational needs children. Then, I went and did PCR testing for a bit to try to get back into science and worked as a personal health planner. I wanted to further my education and get more background knowledge under my belt because my undergraduate degree wasn't specifically in genetics, since I was looking to join the Science Training Programme yet.
What was your favourite part of the programme?
Genomics and the Patient was one of my favourite modules. I really enjoyed learning about patient’s perspectives, and there were some really moving lectures that were very emotional. You would never get to experience that elsewhere.
What advice would you give to someone either starting the course or considering applying?
I would say it's a really good course to gain a broad understanding of genetics. You go into a lot of depth whilst also covering a lot of topics, so it's great if you're looking for something that is going to give you stepping-stone knowledge.
Caroline McKittrick - MSc Genomic Medicine
Why did you choose your course?
I was seeking a route into academic medicine after GP training and was interested in genetics. The MSc in Genomic Medicine provided exactly the kind of applicable knowledge and skills I was looking for in a discipline at the forefront of translational research. I was also able to complete the programme part-time over two years to fit around a busy family life.
How have you found the programme so far?
The taught modules were diverse, interesting and challenging with a good balance of lectures, group work and independent preparation for written assessments. Imperial offers a wide range of options for the research project but was also flexible in accommodating an external project, allowing me to pursue a special interest in mitochondrial disease.
Where do you see yourself in five years' time?
Following on from my MSc research project I will be starting a PhD at University College London later this year. Again I’m studying part-time so in five years’ time I'll hopefully be finishing my thesis and about to embark on the next stage of my academic career.