PROFILE As a programme advisor and study administrator, Sarita Nordström is something of a spider in the web at the Biomedical analyst programme at Umeå University. The best part of her job, she says, is meeting students in their ups and downs and seeing them develop.
It is so rewarding to encourage and help students overcome various thresholds in their education
“I enjoy the one-on-one contact with students. It is so rewarding to encourage and help students overcome various thresholds in their education, to make goals visible and to guide them to make choices that feel right,” says Sarita Nordström.
She also thinks it is cool to have Umeå University as a workplace and to be part of the big educational machinery.
Biomedical analysts work in healthcare, the pharmaceutical industry, biochemical laboratories, the National Forensic Centre or in veterinary practice.
The profession can be described as advanced detective work where samples containing molecules, microorganisms and cells are studied and analysed using advanced technology. Students who study the Clinical Physiology specialization will carry out clinical examinations within physiology in their profession. The work also includes interpreting the results, which can, for example, provide the basis that doctors need to make the correct diagnosis of various diseases.
Fourth-semester students Elize Åkerström, Nova Sjöberg and Mina Morad use a microscope and interpret the results.
ImageMattias PetterssonStudents can enrol every autumn and approximately 75 percent of the students are women. The programme has two specializations: laboratory medicine and clinical physiology. When applying to the programme, the student chooses a specialization.
“We have two completely different student groups. Those who choose the specialization laboratory medicine will analyse patient samples in a laboratory and those who choose clinical physiology will have more direct contact with patients. The students are allowed to make study visits during semester 2 and in this way, they get an insight into the profession early on. Every academic year, some choose to change specialization.”
Sarita Nordström explains how the programme is structured and shows in well-used course syllabi. The programme alternates theoretical and laboratory teaching with practical work in clinical practice. The education provides both scientific, technical and medical knowledge, as well as knowledge of documentation and quality assurance. Teaching takes place both at the university and at Norrland University Hospital.
Laboratory week and a group of students (Elize Åkerström, Mina Morad and Nova Sjöberg) practice taking blood samples.
ImageMattias PetterssonThe need for biomedical analysts is great. In Northern Sweden, so large that the government has allocated funds for an investment in decentralized education that will run from 2024 to 2030. The decentralized variant consists of 10 places. These students have a number of mandatory meetings in Umeå each semester when they do their laboratory work. Otherwise, the teaching takes place online. In the fourth semester, all students have an internship, and the campus students do their internship primarily in Umeå. The decentralized students must do this internship in Östersund or Sunderbyn.
“Studying remotely enables a new target group that is not mobile to study, such as slightly older students who may have families.”
Sarita Nordström has been a study administrator since late May 2015 and a programme advisor since autumn 2023. She is part of a good, close-knit group of teaching colleagues, and feels that she has a lot of her own responsibility and great freedom to plan her working day.
The studies place great demands on the students. Some of them get in touch and need help reviewing their study situation. Then Sarita Nordström books a meeting and is prepared to listen and give advice.
“We have quite a lot of dropouts in semester 1 and semester 2. At the beginning of semester 3 there is a first major threshold, and you must have accumulated enough points. There may be conversations that revolve around changing majors, a study break or what opportunities there are for re-examinations to reach the eligibility requirements.”
Other conversations are about structuring the studies and sometimes Sarita herself contacts students who have not been to classes for a long time and asks how things are going.
“I can sometimes guide them to the Student Health Centre at the university or to the University Library where courses in study techniques are given.”
Sometimes the student conversations can be challenging, the students can be very worried or sad. They can reveal a lot and heavy personal things.
“Then you have to think that I am here for their studies and instead ask the student to contact Student Health Centre, or seek help in another way.”
Sarita Nordström is basically a political scientist and has worked in the public sector for ten years. After that, she “changed sides” and started auditing businesses as an accountant.
“The fact that I ended up here at the university was a bit of a coincidence. My husband is also a study administrator, and it was actually he who advised me to apply for the job, he thought I would like it!”
With her background in social sciences, it was quite tough at first. But over time she has gained more experience and understanding of the courses and with that comes self-confidence and she can appreciate her other strengths and what she can bring.
“For example, my experience in dealing with people, given all the interviews I have done previously as an auditor, is something that I have benefited from in my current role. And as a former investigator, I know the importance of always being prepared and well-read. It really is a must.”
In the administrative part of the work, Sarita Nordström works in many different systems, for example updating course syllabi. There is also a lot of administration around travel and accommodation for students who take the decentralized version. Invoices for the programme and schedules must be handled.
As an administrator, Sarita Nordström spends a lot of time in front of the computer. Towards the end of spring, many questions come in via email and phone from prospective students. It takes up a lot of time until April 15th, when the application to the university closes.
ImageIngrid SöderberghAs a study administrator, Sarita also serves as an administrator on the programme council. It consists of teachers, students and professional representatives from Region Västerbotten.
“It gives me great insight into what is happening in the programme, and I become a valuable link between teachers and students.”
The three-year education leads to a professional degree as a biomedical analyst, and they are in demand on the labour market.
“A huge number of our students have a job or a summer job going on at graduation time. It is fun to see!”
The Biomedical Analyst Programme is offered at ten universities in the country. The programme has existed in Umeå since the 1960s and became a three-year program in the 1990s and was then part of the School of Public Health. The name biomedical analyst as a professional title came around 1994-95. The program has existed at Umeå University since 1997-98 and the programme is organizationally under the Department of Clinical Microbiology.