Immerse yourself in the fascinating world of disease as you build a strong foundation for your future career in Laboratory Medicine.

Clinical terminology like haematology (the study and treatment of blood), immunology (the study of the immune system and how our bodies protect us from pathogens), histopathology (the study of how disease causes changes in tissues) and molecular pathology (the examination of molecules within organs, tissues and fluids) will become part of your professional vocabulary as you develop skills in the handling of patient material and laboratory testing to guide medical decision making.

Laboratory Medicine is a four-year course in which you can pursue a specific area of interest by selecting one of three streams – Biomedical Science, Genetics and Molecular Biology or Forensic Biology and Toxicology. In the fourth year, you will also take part in Murdoch's Work Integrated Learning, which allows you to apply your knowledge in a workplace environment.

7 reasons to study Laboratory Medicine at Murdoch

• Five-star rating for student-teacher ratio, overall experience, student support and teaching quality.*
  *Source:Good Universities Guide 2020.
• You’ll study in a major health precinct including three hospitals and a medical research institute.
• You’ll learn from lecturers who are making a real-word impact with their research and have extensive experience in laboratory medicine.
• Prepare for the workforce or further study with the inclusion of cutting-edge advances in modern diagnostic science.
• Learn on the latest instrumentation as part of our extensive hands-on practical training, including industry placements within diagnostic pathology laboratories.
• If you’re aiming to study postgraduate medicine (or other medically-related vocations), you’ll be well prepared to apply when you finish this course.
• You will have honours and higher research opportunities both on and off campus thanks to our strong links to Perth’s medical research institutes.

What you’ll learn

Build the knowledge and skills you need to meet your career or study goals. Here are some of the things you’ll learn:

• clinical microbiology
• clinical biochemistry
• clinical haematology
• pathological basis of disease
• diagnostic genomics.

Pursue a range of roles in public or private diagnostic pathology, research or working in laboratories as a technician. You could also explore the fields of medical and life science research, marketing, media and academia, or take on further studies in medicine, pharmacy, dentistry and veterinary science.

Careers could include:

• Medical Scientist
• Technical Officer
• Laboratory Technician
• Research Scientist
• Medical Representative.

Professional recognition

This course is accredited by the Australian Institute of Medical Scientists (AIMS).