The BMLSc Class of 2020. * This photo was taken before the COVID-19 pandemic and before physical distancing guidelines were in place.
This year marks the UBC Faculty of Medicine’s Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science (BMLSc) program’s 40th anniversary.
Dr. Amanda Bradley
Launched in 1981, the undergraduate program was created to meet the educational needs of working medical laboratory technologists.
Today, the program teaches students about the many facets of human health and disease through a wide range of courses including biochemistry, clinical chemistry, hematology, immunology and microbiology.
To date, the program has graduated more than 600 students who have gone on to serve the health care needs of communities here in B.C. and around the world as doctors, scientists, health administrators and more.
Dr. Gautamn Sarwal
“For the past 40 years, the program has been an important chapter in the educational journey for many students,” says Dr. Amanda Bradley, director of the BMLSc program. “As an educator, being able to see our graduates grow and succeed in their careers is as significant as it gets.”
One of those graduates is Dr. Gautamn Sarwal, a vascular surgeon who is also completing a clinical fellowship at UBC’s Vascular Interventional Radiology program.
“The program is the most well-designed pre-medical curriculum for those thinking of graduate studies or medical school,” he says. “It is intense but prepares you incredibly well for both these fields and beyond.”
Current BMLSc student, Noah Steward agrees.
Noah Steward
“It’s giving me insight into the treatment, diagnosis and mechanisms of human disease while also allowing me to learn from and form connections with experts in many fields,” he says. “This has opened countless doors for careers in the healthcare realm that I hope to explore moving forward.”
The 40th anniversary of the program also celebrates the dedication of countless faculty and staff.
“The success of the program really is a testament of all the hard work faculty and staff have contributed over the past four decades – and who continue to contribute to it,” says Dr. Bradley. “I continue to be inspired as the program evolves to meet the needs of our students and future graduates.”
To learn more, visit the Bachelor of Medical Laboratory Science Program’s Anniversary website.