Student profile - Georgina Neagu

BMedSc Medical Science, 2014

Now studying for an MSc in Pharmacology at the University of Oxford.

Georgina Neagu "The chance of choosing two favourite modules to study in the third year, along with opting for a research project to base the dissertation on, are the best aspects of the course to me."

Why did you originally apply to study this course at the University of Birmingham?

Initially I wanted to specialise in genetics and follow a PhD in this field.

What do you think were the best parts of the programme?

I think the course was well organised. I had an amazing personal tutor who guided me throughout the three years, listened to my problems and helped me to solve them.  The chance of choosing two favourite modules to study in the third year, along with opting for a research project to base the dissertation on, are the best aspects of the course to me.

It is a good course which gives you a broad spectrum of knowledge and experience. However it requires a lot of work!

What advice would you give to current students/applicants of the course?

Identify what you enjoy and study as hard as you can! The reward you will feel at the end of the course is hard to express into words.

How did you grow as a person during your time at university?

I became much more mature during my time in Birmingham. I learnt how to take care of myself, to become more organised and to treat the issues more seriously.

Why did you decide to pursue your chosen path post-graduation?

I think that throughout I instinctively guided myself towards Pharmacology. It was just that I was not paying attention to all the choices I was making. However, at the end, when I drew a line I realised that everything I did (the internship, the research project and the module choices) were pharmacology-related. 

In what way do you think the course prepared you for this?

We had two major pharmacology modules in the first and the second year as well as the chance of opting for another two modules in the third year. Also, some of the other modules were linked to drugs and treatments, so the Medical Science course gave me the chance of ‘exploring’ this field.

Did you attend any sessions during your course designed to prepare you for your future career?

I attended the Careers Network sessions and I also booked individual sessions with one of the representatives. These sessions made me ask myself a lot of questions about my personality as well as about my choices considering the options I have with the Medical Science degree. They helped me with my CV writing, job applications, preparation for my interview (due to their help I actually got a job, but I had to turned it down for the Masters, but that was just my choice). The good part is that the members of the Careers Network especially the ones in the Medical School, who I had the chance to meet more often, are very good at giving advice and helping with any questions regarding the future career of a medical scientist.