# The value of Life Sciences in an Integrated Curriculum: A Reflective Perspective of studying two Life Sciences Degrees a decade apart and the challenges faced in professional life

## TL;DR

The author reflects on the importance of Life Sciences in education and professional practice through their personal journey in Pharmacy and Medicine.

## Contribution

The paper offers a personal perspective on the underrepresentation of Life Sciences in medical education and the author's experiences in academia and clinical practice.

## Key findings

- The author highlights the dominance of anatomy in medical education and its strong research and social media communities.
- The author emphasizes the need for other Life Sciences to adopt a similar scholarly approach to teaching and learning.
- The author shares personal challenges and insights from pursuing careers in Pharmacy, Medicine, and academia.

## Abstract

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In a recent MedEdPublish article by
Keenan and Jennings (2017), I was interested in why some Life Sciences are under-represented in the wider medical literature. The article states anatomy to be the dominant discipline within medical schools and describes a close link between anatomy and educational research with the presence of an “established medical education research community and social media community linked to anatomy”. Unfortunately, this does not appear to be the case with other scientific disciplines. In my career, I have been fortunate to have studied both Pharmacy and Medicine as an undergraduate. I also possess an MSc in Clinical Pharmacy and am undertaking an MSc in Clinical Research. I have seen at first-hand how integral the Life Sciences are in the practice of Pharmacy and Medicine. It is therefore necessary that, like anatomy, other Life Sciences should enjoy a similar commitment to “maintaining a scholarly approach to teaching and learning (
Keenan and Jennings, 2017). Currently, I am an Academic Clinical Registrar in Anaesthesia working in the North-West. I am part funded by the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR). Considering my background, I would like to share a personal reflection of my experience of undergraduate training and professional life. I will compare the undergraduate teaching styles I experienced whilst studying for my Pharmacy and Medicine degrees. I will also describe the challenges I faced and the moments of enlightenment I felt when I chose to embark on a career in academia with clinical practice.