Every biotech student has that one class—the one that felt hurried, didn’t have enough hands-on experience, or just didn’t get the focus it really needed. Sometimes it’s a topic packed with theory, and other times it’s a lab course that never actually happened in the lab.
What was that one subject during your biotech program that you felt was overlooked or needed more practical focus?
As per my personal experience, one subject that really needed more attention in biotechnology program was “scientific ethics and research integrity”. It is often treated like a boring theory topic, but in real lab scenarios and research-related jobs, it is actually one of the most important aspect. Students are not taught how to deal with real-world situations like pressure to publish results, managing confidential data, sharing credit in group research, or even handling mistakes during experiments. There is also not enough discussion around ethics in using genetic data, using other tools in research, or navigating complex situations where scientific outcomes do not align with expected goal/pressure. If students had more practical training experience through real case studies and roleplays and about lab-focused decision-making, they will be better prepared for the challenges they will actually face in biotechnology careers ahead.
This is so relatable for many biotech students. Some subjects are taught with so much theory that we miss out on understanding how they actually work in real life. Practical learning is such a big part of biotech, and when that’s missing, it really affects how well we grasp the subject.
For me, it was Bioprocess Engineering. This subject has so much scope in the biotech industry and offers great career growth, including good salary potential. But in my experience, it needed far more practical exposure. We covered a lot of theory, but hands-on training with real equipment and processes would have made a huge difference in understanding how things work on an industrial scale.
I totally get where you’re coming from! @Nandhini_23
Honestly, for me, the whole biotech program felt like that—too much theory, rushed classes and very little real hands-on experience. It’s frustrating because the government does fund biotech departments a lot but somehow, it doesn’t always translate into solid practical learning or meaningful research opportunities. Biotech is such an exciting field that’s all about research and innovation, yet many of us don’t get the chance to really dive deep or experiment in labs. It makes you wonder how we can change this and get the education we really need to succeed.