Testimonials

Nationality

Nederlands

Programme

Medical Neuroscience

Country of previous education

Nederland

Myrthe Pieck is a Master's student Biomedical Sciences with a specialisation in Medical neuroscience.

What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? 

I really like that you are free to choose your own courses and your Masters route based on your interests, even within one specialisation. There are already different Master’s programmes within the field of Neuroscience in Nijmegen, but since I completed a Bachelor’s degree at a University of Applied Sciences and subsequently a pre-master’s programme, I was only eligible to enrol in the BMS Master’s programme. This Master really gives me the opportunity to shape it into my interest and I feel super happy with it, especially in comparison to my previous education where everything was very fixed and specialised.

What do you think about the atmosphere in class?

The atmosphere is really good. You have a lot of different courses and therefore a lot of different lecturers. It is interesting to meet a lot of different people from different research labs. You can even get a lot of inspiration for your internship, if you are interested in their research. You easily approach them. You also meet a lot of different students. 

What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? 

I find the two-courses-a-month set up the most challenging about the master because this creates a very high paced programme. For some courses it is only an exam, but for others you also have to create proposals or reviews, and this adds up. It feels like you always have either an exam or a deadline. And every four weeks you have a really quiet weekend, University wise, which is nice. The setup will be changed to one course per month, which I think will be a huge improvement pace wise. 

Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?

I am currently doing a general research internship part-time next to part-time courses at the Centre for Mindfulness of the Radboudumc. My internship is about the exploration of mindfulness based cognitive therapy as a part of support for transgender and gender diverse people who are on the waiting list of the Radboud Expertisecentrum Geslacht & Gender (REGG).

Why do you think it is important that there are people with this degree? 

The society faces an increasing neurological and psychiatric disease burden, and so much of neuroscience is not yet understood. I think this master's is quite important to not only add to the knowledge of neurosciences but also to contribute in the areas of the profiles as the consultancy and the communication of research. 
Besides taking some time off to travel, I have no clue what I am going to do after this Master's. I really enjoy that your career perspective is not shaped from the start of the programme and that you have plenty of room to explore in what direction you would like to go. I really enjoy my internship now and I am looking forward for my communication internship. These experiences will also ground my plans for after the master. 

Nationality

Nederlands

Programme

Medical Neuroscience

Country of previous education

Nederland

Rick Arends is a Master's student in Biomedical Sciences with a specialisation in Medical Neuroscience.

What do you like about the programme/specialisation and why? 

During my master’s in Biomedical Sciences, I chose the Medical Neuroscience specialisation. My academic path did, however, not start in biomedicine, because before this master’s I completed an Applied Sciences (HBO) bachelor’s degree in chemistry. Only later did I realise that what truly fascinated me was neurochemistry. This made it clear to me that I wanted to broaden my knowledge of the brain from multiple angles, which is exactly what drew me to Medical Neuroscience.

The specialisation has fully met those expectations. What I like most is the width. Within a few courses, you move from neuroanatomy to molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying neurological processes and disorders. Coming from a chemistry background, this was both refreshing and challenging. I had a solid foundation in molecular thinking, but much less experience with anatomy and physiology. Looking back, the programme clearly takes students with different academic backgrounds into account, which makes it very doable. 

What do you think about the atmosphere in class (for example the relationship between students and with the teachers/researchers)?

The atmosphere in the class varies between courses. Some are mainly lecture-based, after which everyone goes their own way. Other courses actively invite discussion, for example, through paper discussions or group assignments, which naturally leads to more interaction between students. One memorable example was the very first lesson of a course where we had to dissect a human brain together. That experience immediately broke the ice. Apparently, dissecting a brain is a great way of making new friends.

The relationship with teachers is professional and approachable. Lecturers are always willing to help and clearly invested in the students’ learning. While I would not describe the student-teacher relationship as particularly distinctive, the openness and accessibility of them creates a supportive learning environment. 

What do you find most challenging in your Master’s (specialisation)? Have you encountered any obstacles?

In terms of challenges, the fast pace of the programme stood out for me. All courses last only four weeks, this means there is a lot of material in a short period of time, which can make it difficult to fully summarize and study everything. At the same time, I found that actively attending and participating in the lectures made the theory courses very manageable.

In addition to my specialisation, I participated in the communication profile. Several of these courses really ask you to step out of your comfort zone, something I knew beforehand, but still found challenging in practice. Looking back, however, these experiences have been incredibly valuable and have helped me develop skills that I can use in my future career. 

Are you currently doing an internship? Or what is your thesis about?

As part of this communication profile, I am currently doing an internship at the Donders Institute, within the Department of Public Outreach. Here, I learn how to communicate complex neuroscience topics to a general audience. My work includes writing blogs, creating social media content on new breakthroughs, organising open days, contributing to a magazine, and reaching out to schools. 

Why do you think it is important that there are people with this degree? What are your plans once you have received your Master's degree?

I believe this degree is important because science is continuously evolving. There is a constant need for well-trained scientists who not only generate new knowledge but also can share their expertise and collaborate across disciplines. With so many specialised fields, collaboration is essential. After completing my master’s in Biomedical Sciences, I aspire to pursue a PhD within the field of neurochemistry.