Education at the Cutting Edge

“Because you should be the centre of your own universe. I want to make life decisions that make sense for me, not just for society. That’s my focus.” She has remained true to her inner compass to this day – even when her professional direction changed after her first years working in human resources. One topic, however, has been present throughout all areas of her life: her interest in health. “I’ve always been fascinated by how the human body works and what it needs to stay healthy,” Nina explains.

Her career began with a Bachelor’s degree in Health Management and Health Promotion at University of Applied Sciences Burgenland and eventually led her into the HR department of a healthcare company. She then completed a part-time Master’s degree in Human Resource Management and Labour Law while working. She found the work at the intersection of people and medicine particularly fulfilling, for example when recruiting new specialists for hospitals. During this time, she also gained insights into laboratory processes.

That is why Nina swapped her office routine for a lab coat and started the new full-time Bachelor’s programme in Biomedical Science at University of Applied Sciences Burgenland.

She finds this highly specialised field particularly diverse and at the cutting edge. “You have to be in the medical field – after all, it’s about the patients. Laboratory results provide a crucial basis for medical decisions. Around 70% of medical analyses are based on them.”

During her studies, Nina acquires the theoretical expertise needed for the profession. She then applies this knowledge in laboratory practicals, where students learn, for example, how to safely handle laboratory equipment such as pipettes and hazardous substances, as well as how to properly prepare tissue samples for microscopic examination. She is especially looking forward to the professional placements. “I’ve known since school that I enjoy working in innovative environments. In the laboratory, I can live up to that ambition and contribute something important to healthcare every single day.”