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Medical Scientist

Medical scientists conduct medical laboratory tests to provide information for diagnosing, treating and preventing disease.

Medical Scientist

Medical Scientist

Roles and responsibilities

What does a Medical Scientist do?
Medical scientists may perform the following tasks:
  • study blood and its diseases, count blood cells and examine blood slides with a microscope
  • identify blood diseases such as anaemia and leukaemia
  • determine the suitability of blood for transfusion by cross-matching the blood with the patient and checking for the presence of diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS
  • test blood for blood group antibodies that may cause disease in newborn babies and check the compatibility of bone marrow, kidney and other organs for transplantation
  • determine the chemical composition of specimens such as blood and urine, important in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes
  • grow disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi that are taken from a variety of clinical specimens
  • prepare body tissues (taken from the body during surgery or post-mortem examinations) for microscopic examination
  • prepare body fluids for microscopic examination and diagnose abnormalities
  • isolate and examine genetic material (DNA and RNA) for alterations specific to genetic diseases and cancer, to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions
  • supervise the work of other scientists, technical officers and assistants
  • advise medical practitioners on the interpretation of tests.
What personal requirements will you need?
  • able to make clear and precise observations
  • able to work accurately with attention to detail
  • good verbal and written communication skills
  • able to identify and analyse problems and develop practical solutions
  • able to perform under pressure
  • able to organise and prioritise work.
View full details

Roles and responsibilities

What does a Medical Scientist do?
Medical scientists may perform the following tasks:
  • study blood and its diseases, count blood cells and examine blood slides with a microscope
  • identify blood diseases such as anaemia and leukaemia
  • determine the suitability of blood for transfusion by cross-matching the blood with the patient and checking for the presence of diseases such as hepatitis and AIDS
  • test blood for blood group antibodies that may cause disease in newborn babies and check the compatibility of bone marrow, kidney and other organs for transplantation
  • determine the chemical composition of specimens such as blood and urine, important in the diagnosis and treatment of kidney disease, liver disease and diabetes
  • grow disease-causing organisms such as bacteria, viruses and fungi that are taken from a variety of clinical specimens
  • prepare body tissues (taken from the body during surgery or post-mortem examinations) for microscopic examination
  • prepare body fluids for microscopic examination and diagnose abnormalities
  • isolate and examine genetic material (DNA and RNA) for alterations specific to genetic diseases and cancer, to assist with the diagnosis and treatment of these conditions
  • supervise the work of other scientists, technical officers and assistants
  • advise medical practitioners on the interpretation of tests.
What personal requirements will you need?
  • able to make clear and precise observations
  • able to work accurately with attention to detail
  • good verbal and written communication skills
  • able to identify and analyse problems and develop practical solutions
  • able to perform under pressure
  • able to organise and prioritise work.
Undergraduate Courses To Become

Medical Scientist

Recommended major/s to pursue this career

student in front of skeleton Anatomy and Human Biology cell Biochemistry and Molecular Biology students in lab Chemistry Genetics
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Undergraduate Courses To Become Medical Scientist

Anatomy and Human Biology

A major in Anatomy and Human Biology will let you discover how your body works, why it works that way, where people come from and how we are related to one another.

Biochemistry and Molecular Biology

Biochemists and molecular biologists are interested in the molecular functions of all living organisms from the smallest bacterium to the largest whale.

Chemistry

Chemistry is central to virtually all areas of modern science and technology, providing a foundation for fields such as biochemistry, chemical engineering, food science, materials science, geology, nanotechnology and pharmacology.

Genetics

Genetics is the study of biologically inherited traits as diverse as those that cause human disease, or allow a rare plant to live in only one isolated spot in the South West, or result in a desirable characteristic found in a domestic animal used in agriculture.

Microbiology and Immunology

Microbes are organisms too small to be seen without a microscope and Microbiology is the study of these organisms and the role they play in health and disease and the environment.

Medical Sciences

Do you want a solid foundation in medical science?

Neuroscience

A major in Neuroscience will allow you to explore how nervous systems work and how nervous system function can be restored after disease and injury to the brain.

Pharmacology

A major in Pharmacology provides a modern understanding of how medicines produce their effects on the body and how such knowledge is used to alleviate suffering caused by disease.

Physiology

Do you differ from a robot? Learn about the molecular and cellular machinery that makes up your body, as well as how it works in everyday life, and what causes disease.

Physics

Physics is the key to understanding the world around us.

Pathology and Laboratory Medicine

With Pathology and Laboratory Medicine you can explore the causes and mechanisms of human disease.

Population Health

A major in Population Health will allow you to study the patterns of health and disease in society and to consider what we can do to improve the health of the community.

Psychological Science

Psychological Science is the scientific study of mental processes and behaviour, and is a challenging and wide-ranging discipline.
Postgraduate Courses To Become

Medical Scientist

Coursework courses to pursue this career

Master of Clinical Pathology Master of Infectious Diseases Master of Infectious Diseases and Doctor of Philosophy If you want an exciting career that stimulates you, challenges you, and rewards you, thena postgraduate degree in science sets you on the right path. Graduate Diploma in Infectious Diseases
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