I went to the career counseler and he was not trying to help me! He told me I should take time off of school to figure out what it is I want in my life and then he would advise me on what major to take. I don't have that kind of time!! So I'm asking if anyone knows what the best kind of job would be for people with a bio bachelors degree. What path would make the most money? I don't know if med school is right for me, any other ideas are GREATLY appreciated. I should have maybe taken a different major but it's too late now- but I love science so it's okay anyway.

Biomedical research - work towards a Bio PhD, then enter the research fields. Lots of options, depending on what specific fields you are interested in.

Likewise, Biochemical - if you want to work on the pharmaceutical side of things.

What kinds of fields are there?

Pharmaceutical? Is that labwork?

Thanks for talking to me!!

inkaStepa wrote:What kinds of fields are there?

Pharmaceutical? Is that labwork?

Thanks for talking to me!!

It can be lab work, or you could be independent, the lab workers get paid pretty well. But the independents get paid quite a lot of money, millions in some cases. The holidays for the independents can be a little long though, sometimes stretching into years.

Not trying to be a dick, but if your doing a bio degree, shouldn't you already have an idea of what jobs you can go into?

My university promotes career opportunities as much as it possibly can, and then there's the enate sense of what you can do with your degree with your preferences.

Its not like you doing a shit degree like english or media.

On a serious note, if i was you, i would go into the energy creating business. I'm sure there's a spot there for the kind of degree your on about. Its the future.

Shit

Lots of money in shit and a neverending demand. Double major in Environmental Engineering and waste management will keep you going, with the option of bioremediation if you get bored.

"bio" degree is a very broad term though, everything from ecology to abiogenesis to medical research. Can you narrow your interests down at all?

Get a minor in chemistry and start a meth lab.

With a bio degree you can go into the healthcare industry, the business side of it that is. I did a Masters, spent some time in research, started a PhD, but the writing's on the wall for the research career I reckon. Unless you're in a big well-funded lab, with well-connected seniors, it's very hard yards*.

When my wife (also bio, also doing research) 're-trained' by going to med school, I bailed from research and went and got a job as a drug rep. A great job for a few years (for me anyway, some people spend their career in sales), then I bridged into marketing and management, and have recently switched into medical devices.

It's a been a well-paid, stimulating, and rewarding career. So far.

* My wife's a subspecialist physician who's now started a PhD in a group with very strong leadership and funding, and is still struggling to make it work. I can't for the life of me fathom why anyone would choose a career in research any more.

Wow I feel so uninformed about the world and job/careers. Idk what to do!!! I wish they would just talk to me at the career center!!!

inkaStepa wrote:Wow I feel so uninformed about the world and job/careers. Idk what to do!!! I wish they would just talk to me at the career center!!!

Why won't they? My advice is not to take advice from me. Don't you have professors to talk to?

james1v wrote:

inkaStepa wrote:What kinds of fields are there?

Pharmaceutical? Is that labwork?

Thanks for talking to me!!

It can be lab work, or you could be independent, the lab workers get paid pretty well. But the independents get paid quite a lot of money, millions in some cases. The holidays for the independents can be a little long though, sometimes stretching into years.

Whatta schmuck!

Joe09 wrote:Not trying to be a dick, but if your doing a bio degree, shouldn't you already have an idea of what jobs you can go into?..

I didn't.

Horwood Beer-Master wrote:

Joe09 wrote:Not trying to be a dick, but if your doing a bio degree, shouldn't you already have an idea of what jobs you can go into?..

I didn't.

What for your entire degree?

I had an idea before I even started uni...

And I literally get monthly career newsletters from my uni and department with job and internship offers specifically for my degree class.

If everyone chose the careers which made the best money, there's be no one to do the crappy ones, and the world would be a much crappier place as a result.

Landrew wrote:If everyone chose the careers which made the best money, there's be no one to do the crappy ones, and the world would be a much crappier place as a result.

In an idealistic world all the menial jobs would have been replaced with robots allowing humans to pursue entertainment or research jobs.

In a realistic world humans will never all be equal, and you will still have many in positions that result in them only being able to take menial jobs.

Joe09 wrote:

Landrew wrote:If everyone chose the careers which made the best money, there's be no one to do the crappy ones, and the world would be a much crappier place as a result.

In an idealistic world all the menial jobs would have been replaced with robots allowing humans to pursue entertainment or research jobs.

In a realistic world humans will never all be equal, and you will still have many in positions that result in them only being able to take menial jobs.

That's essentially what's been happening. No one manually digs ditches or scythes hay any more. The first farm machines were destroyed by angry mobs of farm workers in the Swing Riots. Good thing they were punished, otherwise a loaf of bread might cost half a day's wages today.

With a bio degree you can go into the healthcare industry, the business side of it that is. I did a Masters, spent some time in research, started a PhD, but the writing's on the wall for the research career I reckon. Unless you're in a big well-funded lab, with well-connected seniors, it's very hard yards*.

Not to hijack the thread but what do you mean Made of Stars?

I'm going to be applying for grad school (hopefully I get accepted for direct entry into PhD) for either Microbiology/Virology, Immunology or Biochemistry all trying to focus on infectious diseases and such.

And good luck to you Acetone, plenty of people make it work.

What I mean is that a career in research is not what it used to be. It's harder than ever to get funding, even in clinical research fields. If you're looking to get into grad school, make sure it's one with a large, active and very successful research program. Success breeds success, and nowhere more so than in research where the publication record, senior researchers' reputations, and political connections play a big role in securing future funding.

I note that you're interested in getting into infectious diseases; make sure to develop an interest in diseases where there are unmet needs in either vaccines or therapies. Avoid (for example) research in fields where there are already good therapies or vaccines in place, as pharma and vaccine companies see diminishing returns on investment where there are existing therapies (even if the funding is coming from government or NGOs, commercialisation funding will often have to come from industry). When looking at disease states, consider how 'hot' the disease is - I imagine every virology and infectious diseases department in the world is trying to get funding for HIV research.

Beyond your grad years, finding fellowships (including serial fellowships if no tenured spots are available) is the next step, and have to be fitted in with other life priorities like partners, partner's careers, and children. And when you find a tenure track position, universities (in the southern hemisphere at least) are more wary about locking in tenure. A friend's partner, for example, has a lecturer's position at a Queensland university, and has a probation period of FIVE years where they're dictating terms on her workload and benefits.

Yes you can make it work, and plenty of people do. But do your homework, ask lots of questions about the departments and researchers you're looking to work with, and don't take anyone's word for it that the money will be there when it's needed. Ask about funding sources, if they're secured, when they run out and so on. (My wife and I relocated to Toronto on a promise from a supervisor who walked into the lab one day and said 'sorry guys, you're on your own'). Find out who else is enrolled in a PhD program at your target departments and talk to them - find out how long they've taken, how they're funding themselves, and what issues (if any) they've had with supervision and funding. (For example, at the same Toronto department, the two PhD candidates before us had both taken seven years to complete their programs as they'd had to go out a work part-time from early in their programs).

So be smart about departments, supervisors and funding sources. Ask lots of questions, and don't take anyone's word for it, ask around and get alternative views.

Wow, thanks a lot for the detailed post.

I'll definitely be making more contact regarding funding, thanks.