Sera Love, First year Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine Student, shares her experiences of the research laboratories tour.

First Year BMS100 students from the School of Medical, Molecular and Forensic Sciences (MMFS) recently took part in tours of research laboratories at Murdoch University and The Harry Perkins Research Institute, designed to give them an authentic taste of ‘real science’. This unique experience showcased cutting-edge research driven by our researchers and highlights the strong integration between teaching, learning, and research at Murdoch. By connecting students to Murdoch’s research community early in their academic journey, these tours have informed and inspired students to explore how their learning can be applied to solve real-world problems across multidisciplinary fields that  impact in human and animal health, agriculture and forensics.

My BMS100 Lab Tour Experience

My name is Sera, a mature-aged and neurodiverse first-time university student at Murdoch University where I am studying the Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine. Before entering the world of medical science, I spent over a decade in the beauty industry, running my own salon and teaching other professionals. Working closely with mostly female clients over many years, I noticed many underlying health connections and similarities in their beauty outcomes and skin health, with few answers for the clients in the health sector, sparking my interest in seeking answers via the route of pathology and laboratory medicine. Leaving a 17-year-long career to start a brand new one and going back to studying was a bit daunting at first, but so far I have loved every minute of it.

As part of our BMS100 Introduction to Medical Laboratory Science unit, I toured the Laboratory Medicine Instrumentation Suite with Associate Professor Murray Adams, that houses state-of-the-art technologies also used in research and diagnostic laboratories. It was also an incredible first opportunity to see a live third-year diagnostic genomics lab class in full swing, with the students undertaking small group work in teams.. Associate Professor Adams shared his experiences in the field of haematology and running the Laboratory Medicine program, giving us insight into how medical technology has evolved over decades and what the future may bring, including the application of Artificial Intelligence in research and diagnostic science. He also spoke about the wide range of career pathways open to graduates both in Australia and internationally – thanks to the profession accreditation of the Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine by the Australian Institute of Medical and Clinical Scientists (AIMS).

Watching the diagnostic genomics lab at work was a standout experience. Seeing lab safety and precision molecular techniques in action brought everything we had seen during the semester vividly to life. It felt like stepping into our future healthcare selves. It truly gave us all a glimpse of the tools, technology and environments we will one day be using in the professional field.

The tour confirmed that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be. It made reality sink in, in a good way, helping me to picture my future career. It was a great experience to build excitement, ask questions and be exposed to some of the testing machinery inside the university that we will use during our learning.

 By Sera Love, Bachelor of Laboratory Medicine Student – Murdoch University