Class picture

Meet the class of MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology 2022

I’m excited to introduce you to the first MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology class! We are 37 students from 16 countries with a variety of backgrounds. Most of us have come to Karolinska Institutet to learn more about human physiology as well as pharmacology and to find ways to translate discoveries from the lab to patients. Here you’ll find out a bit more about our backgrounds.

Nationalities

Looking at the map, somehow all of our class for this year happened to come from the northern hemisphere. Overall, we have students from 4 continents and 16 countries with the most students from China (12) and Germany (6).

The 16 nationalities represented by students in the MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology class of 2022.
Nationalities represented by students in the MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology class of 2022. Created with mapchart.net

Languages

As a group we speak a lot of different languages – 18 to be precise – which means that often we start to discuss the similarities and differences between each one. This type of multilingual environment really makes learning about other cultures and customs very fun and easy. As an example, once we were discussing what sound an animal e.g. a dog makes in our languages. For this some memorable examples include a dog saying “hab-hab” in Tunisian, a duck saying “prääks-prääks” in Estonian, and a Finnish rooster saying “kukkokiekuu”.

The 18 languages spoken by MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology class of 2022.
Languages spoken by MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology class of 2022. The larger the word, the more students speak that language. Created with menti.com

Age

The majority of us have just finished our bachelor’s studies, so a master’s degree was the next logical step. However, that’s not the case for all of our classmates, some have done other master’s programmes, others have worked in research as well as in the clinic. So this just goes to show that everyone has their own journey in their education and career, confirming that there’s no “best age” to do a master’s degree.

Ages of the MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology class of 2022 range from 21 to 28.
Ages of the MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology class of 2022.

Academic background

The two most common academic backgrounds for this year’s class are biomedical and pharmaceutical sciences, however, we also have students who have previously studied neuroscience, molecular biology or bioinformatics. This means that everybody brings a unique perspective to the topics and discussions. It is particularly valuable when we are working in groups and analysing case studies as some students have more clinical experience and others know more about the molecular mechanisms underlying a specific disease. 

Be sure to keep in mind that as everyone’s programme is different, it’s important to check the specific entry requirements on the official MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology website before applying.

The different backgrounds of MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology students.
The different backgrounds of MSc in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology students.

Thoughts on the future

The question that any person who’s studying a master’s degree gets the most often is “what do you want to do next?” The honest answer is that we aren’t totally sure yet, but when asked to speculate, most people said that in the near future they are looking to continue in academia and do a PhD. The rest either said that they would like to work in the pharmaceutical industry or in a clinical setting. Luckily, we have 3 more semesters to consider our options and decide what we want to pursue!

I hope this overview of the current Translational Physiology and Pharmacology students and their backgrounds is insightful for prospective students. If you are interested in applying for this programme, be sure to keep an eye out for more blog posts!

Karolina - Translational Physiology and Pharmacology

Karolina - Translational Physiology and Pharmacology

I am Karolina and I am a digital ambassador and a blogger for the Master’s Programme in Translational Physiology and Pharmacology here at KI. I was born and raised in Estonia, but for the past five years I have lived in the UK where I studied biomedical sciences with a focus on pharmacology. Outside of school I like baking with friends as well as doing water sports. When the weather starts to get warmer, I look forward to kayaking through Stockholm's world-famous archipelago.

3 comments

  1. Lucio says:

    Hello Karolina.
    My name is Lucio, I am a doctor, graduated in Paraguay, I want to study this master’s degree, but I have no idea how to apply it. I need guidance to apply.
    Could you help me?
    From: Lucio Figueredo.

    1. Avatar photo Karolina - Translational Physiology and Pharmacology says:

      Hi Lucio!
      Thank you for your interest in the Translational Physiology and Pharmacology programme! Firstly, I encourage you to look into the entry requirements to make sure that you are eligible and have all the documents ready and certified as required. From my experience that can take longer than you initially expect e.g. to hear back from previous supervisors/work places etc. Then when you write your statement of intent, make sure that you really answer the question why you want to apply for this programme specifically and what makes you a good candidate, so relate it back to your interests or previous experience as appropriate. In general, my advice is to get started sooner rather than later, as it’s good to write several drafts and have a friend or family member read them over to make any improvements. It might also be useful to check out previous blog posts for some more application tips, for example Anna’s recent post. I hope that was helpful and if you have any specific questions about the courses or student life in general, feel free to email me!
      Best of luck with your application!

Leave a Comment

Related posts