BMS MSc Student Case Studies: Jose Vazquez

Jose Vazquez
jmvazquez1@sheffield.ac.uk


MSC Stem Cell and Regenerative Medicine (SCRM) 2010/11
Department of Biomedical Science
The University of Sheffield

Ever since I found out that I had been selected for a scholarship from my home country (Mexico) to go to the Department of Biomedical Science of the University of Sheffield, I knew that I was in for quite an amazing experience that was going to change dramatically my perspective of life as a whole.

One of the first things I realised when I knew that my application had been successful was the fact that I was going to be right in the middle of an academic world full of challenges and opportunities. And sure enough, I think the Department of BMS has proved to be true to this vision in every sense. Not only has my being here allowed me to expand my scientific background, but also it has encouraged me to pursue even bigger dreams of scientific fulfilment.

Being part of the BMS community as an MSc student has proven to be of great importance for my formation as a future researcher. Both class-based and lab-based learning have had a positive impact on my formation as a scientist. Attending lectures has not been as "boring" as I had expected and I think it´s thanks to the lecturers who have made them quite enjoyable; providing us with insightful bits of information that prompt you to investigate further into the topic. In addition to the lectures, there are practical modules which complement seamlessly with what is learned from the lectures.

But the good things are not confined just to the BMS Department. The University of Sheffield in itself is quite an amazing micro-world full of lively students and friendly staff which are always happy to give you directions if you need them or hold out the door for you. Whatever you may need, you just have to ask and sometimes listen very carefully so as to understand the people that have a kind of "difficult-to-understand" accent.

Another important asset of the University of Sheffield that must not go without mentioning is its superb Union of Students. It´s well known that Sheffield´s Student Union is the best in the UK and it certainly has played an important role in my life at Uni. It´s provided me with the opportunity to travel to various parts of England at a very cost-effective way through its great "Give-it-a-go" programme.

And now that I´ve brought the subject of England to focus, I´ll just say that ever since I arrived in London with my girlfriend and travelled here to Sheffield, it´s really been an amazing experience since the very beginning. Settling in Sheffield was a bit difficult at the start but that was only because we hadn´t sorted out our accommodation beforehand. Nevertheless, we had the great support of some friends during that time and everything turned out well. We´ve managed to get to know the city up close since then and we are just fascinated by it. From its friendly people to the impeccable quality of its green spaces, Sheffield is a city that has a perfect balance between outdoor activities (the fabulous Peak District is just a few minutes´ walk away) and vibrant city life.