Jobs available for students with bachelor's of biology degrees

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MasonAPatel

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Hello,
I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction for finding employment or something to do while I am trying to get into medical school. I've recently finished up a post baccalaureate program, and unfortunately i did not do as well as I thought I would on the MCAT. Therefore I'll need to sit for the exam again, and am currently thinking of taking it sometime in January or February. However in the mean time I need something to do aside from studying. I've got a bachelors of biology and was looking for research (preferably in the medical field) but most of the employment opportunities i'm coming across require either prior experience or certifications that I do not have. I'd prefer to find something to do in the Chicago land area because I already have a part time job as a pharmacy technician and have been volunteering at a local hospital, but will take any suggestions that anyone here is willing to provide me.
Thanks,
Mason
 
If you are a girl and if you are hot enough, go apply to work as a lab supplier like eppendorf, vwr, etc. You won't ever have to use your brain, all you have to do is wear dresses and make up and do your hair and look pretty.
 
Haha, well I'm not a girl and I'd really like to use my brain
 
Venom5 said:
If you are a girl and if you are hot enough, go apply to work as a lab supplier like eppendorf, vwr, etc. You won't ever have to use your brain, all you have to do is wear dresses and make up and do your hair and look pretty.
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I feel jipped, none of our vendor reps are that good looking. Pharma reps yes, but not the scientific vendors.
 
Venom5 said:
If you are a girl and if you are hot enough, go apply to work as a lab supplier like eppendorf, vwr, etc. You won't ever have to use your brain, all you have to do is wear dresses and make up and do your hair and look pretty.
Click to expand...

Aren't lab supplier jobs kind of pointless?
 
Research experience with a prof. Teaching? But if you want to use your brain in bio, go for research / consulting. Generally, for a nice paying job, you need at least a Masters, I think.
 
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kami333 said:
I feel jipped, none of our vendor reps are that good looking. Pharma reps yes, but not the scientific vendors.
Click to expand...

dude you are missing out. We have a 22 year old brunette with blue eyes, 8.5/10 face 9/10 body.


moothecow said:
Aren't lab supplier jobs kind of pointless?
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No.... how else are you supposed to order lab **** and get substantial discounts lol.
 
Try and get certified to substitute teach. Not sure how easy it is to get in your state/in demand that job is though, but I have a friend who did it in Florida and they like it.
 
starbucks_barista.jpg
 
MasonAPatel said:
Hello,
I was wondering if someone could point me in the right direction for finding employment or something to do while I am trying to get into medical school. I've recently finished up a post baccalaureate program, and unfortunately i did not do as well as I thought I would on the MCAT. Therefore I'll need to sit for the exam again, and am currently thinking of taking it sometime in January or February. However in the mean time I need something to do aside from studying. I've got a bachelors of biology and was looking for research (preferably in the medical field) but most of the employment opportunities i'm coming across require either prior experience or certifications that I do not have. I'd prefer to find something to do in the Chicago land area because I already have a part time job as a pharmacy technician and have been volunteering at a local hospital, but will take any suggestions that anyone here is willing to provide me.
Thanks,
Mason
Click to expand...

You are fortunate that the area has so many medical schools. You should be qualified to be a lab tech in a research lab at one of the med schools/universities. Scut work at first but you may grow into the job.

Clinical research jobs (recruiting subjects, handling consent forms and regulatory paperwork, and more paperwork) are plentiful and require some common sense and the ability to do office work. Not as engaging but you might get some patient contact (look for projects involving cancer or rheumatology or HIV). You'll find these jobs at medical centers but you should look at Human Resources at the University, not the Hospital as the funding for these studies are through the academic institutions rather than the clinical facilites.
 
I'm currently working at a charter high school, teaching math+science to 10th graders and health to 8th graders. I really enjoy it! Some students take on things and random questions can be refreshing. It's also a challenge to get kids at those ages to care about any of those topics. Science oriented folks seem to a hot commodity in charter schools.
 
LizzyM said:
You are fortunate that the area has so many medical schools. You should be qualified to be a lab tech in a research lab at one of the med schools/universities. Scut work at first but you may grow into the job.

Clinical research jobs (recruiting subjects, handling consent forms and regulatory paperwork, and more paperwork) are plentiful and require some common sense and the ability to do office work. Not as engaging but you might get some patient contact (look for projects involving cancer or rheumatology or HIV). You'll find these jobs at medical centers but you should look at Human Resources at the University, not the Hospital as the funding for these studies are through the academic institutions rather than the clinical facilites.
Click to expand...

LizzyM I almost always agree with everything you say but not all of the clinical research jobs are funded through their affiliated university. My position is through the hospital and is largely funded by pharmaceutical companies- and I got the position through hospital HR not the affiliated university. Not sure how it works at hospitals in Chicago! But I would suggest to the OP to look both places.

I do agree that there are some clinical research positions which are better than others- and when interviewing, make SURE to ask about percentages of paperwork (IRB, reporting, etc) to patient contact (recruiting, patient visits, etc). It can be such a worthwhile position if you are in the right one, and especially if you work with physicians who are willing to let you do more of the clinical side of things/mentor you.
 
fabriciusj89 said:
LizzyM I almost always agree with everything you say but not all of the clinical research jobs are funded through their affiliated university. My position is through the hospital and is largely funded by pharmaceutical companies- and I got the position through hospital HR not the affiliated university. Not sure how it works at hospitals in Chicago! But I would suggest to the OP to look both places.

I do agree that there are some clinical research positions which are better than others- and when interviewing, make SURE to ask about percentages of paperwork (IRB, reporting, etc) to patient contact (recruiting, patient visits, etc). It can be such a worthwhile position if you are in the right one, and especially if you work with physicians who are willing to let you do more of the clinical side of things/mentor you.
Click to expand...

OK, so it may vary by location but in big cities with big med schools, most of the funding from Pharma and NIH goes through the school, not the hospital.
 
LizzyM, if you had the option of doing research at harvard (far) vs northwestern (near), what would you do? does it even matter?

Also doesn't it look bad to do Pharma? I thought someone said Pharma pays more but has low yield for premeds...
 
In my area (San Francisco Bay Area), a lot of the Clinical Research Assistant/Clinical Research Coordinator jobs require 1-2+ years of experience, certification, or even an RN degree. I just have a bachelor's in biology... Where are you guys finding these jobs?!
 
moothecow said:
LizzyM, if you had the option of doing research at harvard (far) vs northwestern (near), what would you do? does it even matter?

Also doesn't it look bad to do Pharma? I thought someone said Pharma pays more but has low yield for premeds...
Click to expand...

I am working for a hospital and some of our funding comes from Pharma- but it also allows us to do investigator initiated clinical research, which is a little different than just working for Pharma.

And LizzyM, I live in Boston and am at a pretty good hospital, when I was searching for jobs there were a number of clinical research positions through the hospitals, and I saw more RA positions through our affiliated university. Might just depend!
 
IlDestriero said:
Stanford, duh.
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lolz. after I decided to not go to stanford for my undergrad, I feel like they will hate my presence on their campus. :laugh:

Sorry OP, I kind of highjacked your thread! But yes, clinical/lab research positions are your best bet. It will take some time but you can def find something for one year.
 
Lab tech, HS substitute teacher, etc
 
moothecow said:
LizzyM, if you had the option of doing research at harvard (far) vs northwestern (near), what would you do? does it even matter?

Also doesn't it look bad to do Pharma? I thought someone said Pharma pays more but has low yield for premeds...
Click to expand...

I doubt that it matters.

Pharma... it's a job. In this economy, if that's what's available to you, it beats working for Starbucks (which sells my drug of choice 😉 )
 
LizzyM said:
I doubt that it matters.

Pharma... it's a job. In this economy, if that's what's available to you, it beats working for Starbucks (which sells my drug of choice 😉 )
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And is there anything really wrong with working at Starbucks if it's your best option anyways? I mean if you are not lucky enough to live in an area where your degree is valuable, get what you can get and turn it in to a positive experience. Or am I wrong in thinking this?
 
idontcaureuknow said:
And is there anything really wrong with working at Starbucks if it's your best option anyways? I mean if you are not lucky enough to live in an area where your degree is valuable, get what you can get and turn it in to a positive experience. Or am I wrong in thinking this?
Click to expand...

Retail jobs can be OK when you are still in school and you can learn a lot about human nature in food service or retail sales.

After graduation, I'd rather see someone wiping behinds in a nursing home than serving coffee or folding sweaters.

If you have nothing in your geographic area after graduation, move!
 
LizzyM said:
I doubt that it matters.

Pharma... it's a job. In this economy, if that's what's available to you, it beats working for Starbucks (which sells my drug of choice 😉 )
Click to expand...

But LizzyM....I heard Harvard boys are good looking 😎 hahaha might be nice to be surrounded by models while doing intense research + volunteering + creeping on doctors' lives! :laugh:
 
LizzyM said:
Retail jobs can be OK when you are still in school and you can learn a lot about human nature in food service or retail sales.

After graduation, I'd rather see someone wiping behinds in a nursing home than serving coffee or folding sweaters.

If you have nothing in your geographic area after graduation, move!
Click to expand...

While I value this advice, I wonder about this last quote. The viewpoint of an adcom member is very appreciated.

Why move out of an area in the middle of applications when I have an opportunity to live cheaply, with my parents, and a decent place of work (quick description: flexible, manager level, specialized retail)? Isn't a smart financial decision better than simply trying to "survive" while going through a quite painful process. That was my decision at least, but perhaps I'm wrong. I guess at this point it's quite too late to care, but I'm curious if you don't mind.
 
idontcaureuknow said:
While I value this advice, I wonder about this last quote. The viewpoint of an adcom member is very appreciated.

Why move out of an area in the middle of applications when I have an opportunity to live cheaply, with my parents, and a decent place of work (quick description: flexible, manager level, specialized retail)? Isn't a smart financial decision better than simply trying to "survive" while going through a quite painful process. That was my decision at least, but perhaps I'm wrong. I guess at this point it's quite too late to care, but I'm curious if you don't mind.
Click to expand...

Well, obviously, if you have a job there is "something" in your geographic area that you think is worthy of your time.

On the other hand, I've seen adcoms question applicants' motivation for medicine when they've stuck with jobs in other fields (restaurant manager) or that didn't use their skill set (parking garage attendant) over the long term. The thinking is, if you want to be a phyician, if you are motivated to use science to help people why are you spending your time (supervising employees who are) serving spaghetti?
 
I think it's strange that people on here are always talking about how much debt they will have after med school, and the payoff time depending upon specialty, and how unforgiving the whole thing is financially...yet LizzyM you're saying most ad coms will judge an applicant who is working a restaurant/retail job prior to med school just to make ends meet??

Sorry, but this doesn't make sense. No offense to you LizzyM and I'm not trying to attack anyone here especially because, thankfully, I don't have a problematic financial background, but this seems kind of messed up. I may not have to work at Old Navy during my gap year (or during summer breaks from undergrad for that matter), but some people do, and I respect that, especially in this economy.

Just my 0.02
 
SixStringPsych said:
I think it's strange that people on here are always talking about how much debt they will have after med school, and the payoff time depending upon specialty, and how unforgiving the whole thing is financially...yet LizzyM you're saying most ad coms will judge an applicant who is working a restaurant/retail job prior to med school just to make ends meet??

Sorry, but this doesn't make sense. No offense to you LizzyM and I'm not trying to attack anyone here especially because, thankfully, I don't have a problematic financial background, but this seems kind of messed up. I may not have to work at Old Navy during my gap year (or during summer breaks from undergrad for that matter), but some people do, and I respect that, especially in this economy.

Just my 0.02
Click to expand...

The point is, a strong applicant will have options and one of those options will be in a laboratory, classroom, or patient care setting. A strong applicant will, usually, prefer that type of job over working at Old Navy (and those jobs often pay better, too).
 
Go work for pharma or a biotech for 2x university slave wages. Good benefits, retirement matching, etc. It won't hurt you to use your degree during your gap year, anyone who suggests otherwise is not in touch with reality. Just make sure you're continuing to do all the other things that support your application.
 
One interesting job that I've seen for people with a degree in bio or science in general is working in youth education programs outside schools. For example with residential outdoor education programs lasting up to a week where middle schools bring their students to learn about science, teamwork, responsibility, etc. It's not clearly medicine related, but one of the things that really draws me towards medicine is the ability to know so much about a topic and teach it to other people. Would this be seen as a quality teaching type job using a skill set in teaching and science, or as closer to a job in retail?
 
LizzyM said:
The point is, a strong applicant will have options and one of those options will be in a laboratory, classroom, or patient care setting. A strong applicant will, usually, prefer that type of job over working at Old Navy (and those jobs often pay better, too).
Click to expand...

It's not always so feasible to just get a job in a lab, especially if you live in an area with no academic institution/hospital around. Just sayin'. And what if you can't afford the super expensive train ticket to commute into the metropolitan area near you? I dunno, just doesn't seem right. But I'm sure if someone applies as disadvantaged they can explain this in their app. Maybe I'm just too antagonistic today 😛
 
Tutoring.

I just graduated this Summer with my Bachelors in Biology and I am also studying for the MCAT in Jan. 2013.

I am working as a tutor, it is a great job.

The timing is flexible, the pay is great ( I get paid 25/hr ), it also helps my study for the MCAT-- I tutor physics and chemistry ( I get paid to reassure what I think I know... )

It will look GREAT to committees.. as a doctor you have to be able to explain/teach your patients about their health.

Plus, you get to make connection, I have already tutored for kids of doctors, so I know I will have a very good LOR from 2 MDs.
 
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SixStringPsych said:
It's not always so feasible to just get a job in a lab, especially if you live in an area with no academic institution/hospital around. Just sayin'. And what if you can't afford the super expensive train ticket to commute into the metropolitan area near you? I dunno, just doesn't seem right. But I'm sure if someone applies as disadvantaged they can explain this in their app. Maybe I'm just too antagonistic today 😛
Click to expand...

I'm right there with you. If one has a "strong" applicant, then chances are the employer would only have an employee for a year (and required time off for interviews). Labs/industry HATE that concept. A lot of very good research programs view the first year as training. As "pre-meds," we are not worthwhile investments most of the time. It makes perfect business sense to me. I only have my current job due to a stroke of luck, and it's not even in science/healthcare. Unless you are a superstar applicant (in which case, whatever you do you are likely fine) or quite networked, you are very replaceable from a business stand point.

As for wiping crap off a nursing home patient, that is far from an "end-goal" in my mind. It's a way to make ends meet. While yes it's patient care, I really don't see any leadership experience in that at all either.

Life is a business, and while I wanna help people, I need to make sure I survive first and prioritize (holds true in medicine too, e.g. EMS: Scene Safety). My current job is flexible, which gives me interview freedom, and time to volunteer, along with money to be stable on. The whole thought that adcoms will "question your resolve" based on pre-med employment is a scary side effect of applicant saturation I fear. But I guess the lesson is if interviewed, defend our career choices till this point, and hope adcoms don't nit pick us too much before then.
 
LizzyM said:
Well, obviously, if you have a job there is "something" in your geographic area that you think is worthy of your time.

On the other hand, I've seen adcoms question applicants' motivation for medicine when they've stuck with jobs in other fields (restaurant manager) or that didn't use their skill set (parking garage attendant) over the long term. The thinking is, if you want to be a phyician, if you are motivated to use science to help people why are you spending your time (supervising employees who are) serving spaghetti?
Click to expand...

It's not a question of worthiness, it's a question of "is there a job." I'm applying to schools after I graduate in December. I'll be doing manual labor in the meantime because there are few while collar jobs in my town. Moving to a city, assuming I could find a job, is pointless: why spend thousands of dollars on rent, moving expenses, living expenses, etc. for a research job that might pay $30k/year, which I would only work until medical school starts?

As for jobs like CNA, EMT, etc, the pay is horrible: $9-10/hour. I can make $15/hour working in a factory. Yes, money is that important when I have loans, applications, interview flights, bills, etc. to pay for.
 
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