Introduction
Coronavirus (COVID-19) update: Learn online now and on campus later.
At RMIT we don’t want our students to miss out on a semester or a year of study if we can help it. We have updated hundreds of courses with online enabled learning options while not compromising on the quality of education and student outcomes. Find out how we’re helping you continue to go to uni during COVID-19 with our online enabled study.
Your career in laboratory medicine
Graduates are employed as medical scientists in the field of diagnostic pathology, as medical researchers, or as clinical investigators.
What you will study
You’ll specialise in two clinical pathology discipline streams. On graduation, you'll have high-level skills in analysis and knowledge integration relevant to your area of specialisation.
Details
Qualify for a career in diagnostic pathology and medical research. This program suits graduates from biological science or biomedical science degrees.
You’ll specialise in two clinical pathology discipline streams from the following options:
Anatomical pathology
Clinical biochemistry
Haematology
Medical microbiology
Transfusion and transplantation science
On graduation, you'll have high-level skills in analysis and knowledge integration relevant to your area of specialisation.
How you will learn
RMIT offers a variety of learning and teaching approaches including lectures.
Ongoing assessment throughout the semester includes examinations, essays, laboratory reports, oral classes, presentations, group projects, research projects, laboratory projects, and practical assignments.
During the final semester of study, eligible students can undertake one full semester of supervised practice in either a medical research laboratory or a diagnostic pathology laboratory.
Industry connections
The School of Health and Biomedical Sciences has extensive links with industry through their industry advisory committees (IACs) and through research projects and consulting.
Employers and industry professionals are members of these program advisory committees and have contributed to both the initial development and ongoing improvement of this program. Their involvement ensures that the program remains relevant to your needs as a graduate and to the needs of graduate employers.
Many of the teaching staff within the program are (or have been) practising industry professionals with extensive industry experience and contact networks. This experience, when integrated into learning and teaching practice, enriches your learning environment.
Electives and program structure
The program consists of 192 credit points. After completing 96 credit points of study approved by the Programme Manager, you can exit with a graduate diploma.
The main intake for this program is Semester 2 (July).
Semester 2 commencement
Applicants without an undergraduate degree in laboratory medicine are advised to apply for Semester 2 (July).
If you study the program full-time, in your first semester you'll complete 4-core courses. During the second semester, you'll choose any two 24-credit point advanced courses. (Please note, only students with a strong medical microbiology background can select microbiology.)
In the third semester you'll complete the Advanced Laboratory Medicine course which includes a laboratory-based project and a core course in biostatistics, plus an additional 12-credit point foundation course.
For your final semester, you can choose between undertaking professional practice placement or a research project (depending on availability).
Semester 1 commencement
Students with an undergraduate degree in laboratory medicine may apply to commence in Semester 1 (February/March).
Students with an undergraduate degree in science or biomedical science who have a strong background with third-year specialisation in biochemistry or microbiology may apply to commence in Semester 1.
If you study the program full-time, in your first semester you will complete one 24 credit point advanced course and two 12 credit point electives.
During the second semester you'll undertake the Advanced Laboratory Medicine course, which includes a laboratory-based project and two 12 credit point electives.
In your third semester, you will complete one 24 credit point advanced course, Biostatistics, and one 12 credit point elective course.
For your final semester, you can choose between undertaking professional practice placement or a research project (depending on availability).
Admissions
An Australian bachelor degree or equivalent in a cognate discipline (laboratory medicine, biomedical or biological sciences or medicine) with a minimum Grade Point Average of 2.0 out of 4.0OR
An Australian bachelor degree or equivalent in a cognate discipline (laboratory medicine, biomedical or biological sciences or medicine) with at least five years of relevant work experience in diagnostic pathology.
Note: Applicants will be selected competitively based on undergraduate and/or postgraduate grades, or, undergraduate and/or postgraduate grades combined with relevant work experience.
The main intake for this program is Semester 2 (July).Applicants without an undergraduate degree in laboratory medicine are advised to apply for Semester 2 (July).Students with an undergraduate degree in laboratory medicine may apply to commence in Semester 1 (February/March).Students with an undergraduate degree in science or biomedical science who have a strong background with third-year specialisation in biochemistry or microbiology may apply to commence in Semester 1.
Career
Medical scientists work in:
hospital laboratories
private pathology laboratories
state health laboratories
universities
as technical support specialists in commercial companies
Looking forward, employment for Medical Laboratory Scientists to November 2020 is expected to have moderate growth.
