The course in brief
The degree is structured in such a way as to provide adequate preparation for professional training as a biomedical laboratory technician.
The degree course aims to provide a comprehensive educational pathway capable of training professionals ready to enter the world of work. At the same time, it ensures high-profile preparation for eventual access to subsequent levels of study.
The professional profile acquired by Biomedical Laboratory Techniques graduates allows them to find employment in public and private laboratory facilities dedicated to biomedical and biotechnological analysis or research in the fields of clinical biochemistry, microbiology, pharmacology, immunology, clinical pathology, haematology, pathological anatomy, genetics and toxicology.
In the 2017/2018 academic year, a new university system, approved in the 2016/2017 academic year, came into force. According to this new system, the training programme of the degree course is divided into three years, through the teaching of topics related to basic propaedeutic disciplines such as Human Anatomy and Histology, Applied Biology, Chemistry, Propaedeutic Biochemistry and Biochemistry, Pharmacology and Pharmacotoxicology, Applied Physics, Human Physiology, Information Processing System, Medical Statistics, most of which is carried out during the first year of the degree course; and characterising disciplines, such as Pathological Anatomy, Clinical Biochemistry and Clinical Molecular Biology, General and Applied Hygiene, Immunology and Immunohaematology, General Histopathology, Blood Diseases and Oncology, Forensic Medicine, Microbiology and Clinical Microbiology, Business Organisation, General Pathology and Medical Genetics, Psychology, Statistics for Experimental and Technological Research, Basic Clinical Biochemistry Techniques, Basic Biomedical Laboratory Techniques, Immunohaematology Investigation Techniques, Histopathology Techniques, Diagnostic Pathology Techniques, Diagnostic Medical Genetics Techniques, Diagnostic Clinical Microbiology Techniques, most of which is carried out in the second and third year of the course. In addition, topics from related disciplines such as Molecular Biology, Occupational Medicine, Risk Prevention Techniques in Laboratories and Risk Assessment and Management in the Biomedical Laboratory are covered over the three years. All the above-mentioned training activities are aimed at the acquisition of knowledge and comprehension skills on the part of the students, through the continuous updating of the topics covered and the encouragement of discussion.
In addition, the ability to apply knowledge and understanding is significantly stimulated and exercised through the experience of professional laboratories and internships, which occupy a significant part of each year of the degree course and enable the achievement of an excellent level of professionalism and technical skills that can be used in the world of work and research. For the practical training activities, the degree course makes use of the availability of various highly qualified and highly specialised laboratories belonging to the Azienda Ospedaliero-Universitaria di Parma. In these laboratories (spread over several rooms with large areas and equipped with up-to-date and innovative technology), high volumes of healthcare activities are carried out. Internships may also be carried out in contracted facilities outside the university. All laboratories are accessible to students according to a predefined schedule to ensure they can practice as many of the relevant procedures as possible, under the guidance of specific tutors who ensure interactive and personalised teaching. The training concludes with laboratory activities aimed at developing useful topics for the preparation of the thesis. The final examination of the degree consists of two parts: the practical test qualifying successful candidates to practice as biomedical laboratory technicians, and the thesis.