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Gumby
Fishnologist


Registered: 06/13/01
Posts: 26,656
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Confused about what to do in grad school... suggestions?
#8137562 - 03/12/08 04:04 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Science minds, I need your help.
So I'm currently in college working on my BA in biology. It's a well known fact that unless you want to be an underpaid, over-worked lab bitch or do something completely unrelated to biology, you have to go to graduate school of some sort. These days a BA in bio is about as useful as a BA in art.
I've been dead set on going into neuroscience ever since taking my first psych class. But after working in a neuroscience research lab for about a year, I'm thinking I don't want to do neuroscience. Taking neurobiology this semester seems to be confirming that neuroscience isn't quite what I had hoped it would be. I absolutely HATE electrophysiology, and that's a huge part of neuroscience. I'm more interested in neural networks and the effects of drugs and neurotransmitters on the brain. I'm seriously contemplating a going for psychopharmacology. I think I could get into that, but don't know a whole lot about what is involved.
Aside from neuroscience, I find immunology and histology very interesting. I'm a big fan of flourescense microscopy. Since I've done a lot of flouresence microscopy in the lab, I've realized how difficult it can be to get right. A good flouresence stain takes a ton of know how and experience. So I was wondering, if you became very skilled in flourescense microscopy, do you think a career could be made from that? Like contract work with labs to get them good stains for their research? What kind of career could be made in that field? I would like to be the guy who creates the flouresence dyes and such, but I think the physics involved would be over my head (not a fan of physics at all).
Another thing I'm contemplating is going a totally different route. I'm a huge fan of animals. I was big into herpetology (study of reptiles and amphibians) when I was younger. I still enjoy it greatly. My biggest love of animals is fish. I could see myself going into marine or aquatic biology or perhaps becoming an icthyologist. My biggest worry with those is that I won't be able to find a job. It's a strange niche that may not have many job opportunities and I'm pretty sure the pay would be craptastic.
So do I go into some sort of experimental biology that will probably pay well or do I go into some sort of field biology that would probably be a little more fun and make little money? Hard decision.
What do you guys think?
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badchad
Mad Scientist

Registered: 03/02/05
Posts: 13,379
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Re: Confused about what to do in grad school... suggestions? [Re: Gumby]
#8138134 - 03/12/08 06:06 PM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Nowadays, a lot of schools have more "interdisciplinary" programs. In these programs you are accepted into a broader, more general "biology-based" graduate program. From there you do rotations throughout different departments/labs and decide whats the best fit.
Remember, you will be judged on the papers you publish, and the work that you do. The title on your degree means very little.
It sounds cliche' but your best bet is to find something you enjoy doing. Graduate school is too long and hard of a process to spend doing something that makes you miserable.
-------------------- ...the whole experience is (and is as) a profound piece of knowledge. It is an indellible experience; it is forever known. I have known myself in a way I doubt I would have ever occurred except as it did. Smith, P. Bull. Menninger Clinic (1959) 23:20-27; p. 27. ...most subjects find the experience valuable, some find it frightening, and many say that is it uniquely lovely. Osmond, H. Annals, NY Acad Science (1957) 66:418-434; p.436
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Seuss
Error: divide byzero



Registered: 04/27/01
Posts: 23,480
Loc: Caribbean
Last seen: 3 months, 8 days
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Re: Confused about what to do in grad school... suggestions? [Re: Gumby]
#8140440 - 03/13/08 06:49 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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> What do you guys think?
I don't think you are going to be happy without a phd. Probably not what you wanted to hear. Get a masters in something that you enjoy doing (not neuroscience). It is hard to get anywhere in science with a BS. With a masters, you can get decent jobs in a wide range of different areas... the masters shows them that you can learn and adapt; they will train you from there. However, if you want freedom to do your own research, it comes after earning the phd. Remember, different fields for bs, masters, and phd, and a different school for phd after the masters. (When hiring, avoid people that got a masters and phd from the same school.)
-------------------- Just another spore in the wind.
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GGreatOne234
Stranger
Registered: 12/23/99
Posts: 8,946
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Re: Confused about what to do in grad school... suggestions? [Re: Gumby]
#8140469 - 03/13/08 07:15 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Yeah Phd/Masters are a good avenue.
Or you could just drop out and start your own field of biology, call it Gumbyology. You know build your own school to train new gumbyologists.
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badchad
Mad Scientist

Registered: 03/02/05
Posts: 13,379
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Re: Confused about what to do in grad school... suggestions? [Re: GGreatOne234]
#8140554 - 03/13/08 08:33 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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As Seuss said, I would suggest going for a Ph.D.
Don't bother with a Masters, it'll only hold you up another 2 years and cost you money. A Ph.D. will be paid for.
-------------------- ...the whole experience is (and is as) a profound piece of knowledge. It is an indellible experience; it is forever known. I have known myself in a way I doubt I would have ever occurred except as it did. Smith, P. Bull. Menninger Clinic (1959) 23:20-27; p. 27. ...most subjects find the experience valuable, some find it frightening, and many say that is it uniquely lovely. Osmond, H. Annals, NY Acad Science (1957) 66:418-434; p.436
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TheCow
Stranger

Registered: 10/28/02
Posts: 4,790
Last seen: 15 years, 10 months
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Re: Confused about what to do in grad school... suggestions? [Re: Seuss]
#8140776 - 03/13/08 10:07 AM (16 years, 2 months ago) |
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Quote:
Seuss said: > What do you guys think?
I don't think you are going to be happy without a phd. Probably not what you wanted to hear. Get a masters in something that you enjoy doing (not neuroscience). It is hard to get anywhere in science with a BS. With a masters, you can get decent jobs in a wide range of different areas... the masters shows them that you can learn and adapt; they will train you from there. However, if you want freedom to do your own research, it comes after earning the phd. Remember, different fields for bs, masters, and phd, and a different school for phd after the masters. (When hiring, avoid people that got a masters and phd from the same school.)
Getting a PhD and masters from the same school is quite common really. Many people after their bachelors, get accepted into a grad school program which is labeled as a 'masters'. After a year or two you take the qualifying exam to go into the PhD program. I wouldn't switch schools and take the qualifying exam at a different school. I know many people in industry: friends, relatives, places Ive worked etc.. Never heard of it being an issue getting a masters and PhD at the same place. A PhD is certainly helpful if you want to do your own research at a company, or run a research team. Though it is not necessary. Some places say they will only hire PhD's for certain jobs, however you can work your way up to those positions with a masters. Hell, one of the top research engineers at Intel only has a masters. Personally, I don't think I am gonna go for the PhD. If I had to stay another 4-5 years in school I think Id shoot myself. However, I also might be dropping out of science in general so my opinion is slanted.
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