Jobs available with a BS in Biology

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slash473

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After doing some research on this site I found that there was only two other posts with limited replies at best. So I was wondering, since obviously not everyone gets into med school (or any post grad school) on their first try, what jobs are available for those unfortunate not to be in school. :eek: I will be graduating with a BS in bio while applying to schools next year so just planning ahead. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! :luck:

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You could work in a planetarium or some other museum.
 
You could work in a planetarium or some other museum.
LOL, are you serious? I think anyone with a college degree could do that... Some lab tech positions may be available to you but they are not really long term careers...
 
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lmfao. Wow.
Eloquently put right? lulz... seriously though, a bs in bio is not a "pre-professional" degree, you will not really be "sought after" in the job market...
 
After doing some research on this site I found that there was only two other posts with limited replies at best. So I was wondering, since obviously not everyone gets into med school (or any post grad school) on their first try, what jobs are available for those unfortunate not to be in school. :eek: I will be graduating with a BS in bio while applying to schools next year so just planning ahead. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! :luck:


Have you thought about working for law firms or regulatory agencies? There are literally thousands of jobs in those fields where they require someone with at least a bachlor's degree in a biology or biochemstry to understand scientific concepts and write reports on experiments or the effects of pollution or pharmaceutical compounds. You could try to get a job with the EPA, USDA or FDA by going on their websites and looking at the careers page.
 
Please keep this thread coming as I am currently still waiting to hear from med schools and need to move on plan B if I need to wait a year to get in. I actually have a double major in biology and psychology, both subjects having a BS degree. I want to have a job that can give me money as well as enhance my app to medical school. Any ideas?
 
Many people just do research during their year waiting to reapply.
 
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Can you even do that without a teacher's license though?

Yes. Most places have a tiered pay system. So, certified teachers are paid slightly more.

A person can even teach full-time with being certified. Especially if they have a degree in the sciences or math, they can get emergency certification because of the shortage of certified teachers in those areas. The emergency certification allows them to teach full-time for a limited number of years while they pursue certification.
 
Please keep this thread coming as I am currently still waiting to hear from med schools and need to move on plan B if I need to wait a year to get in. I actually have a double major in biology and psychology, both subjects having a BS degree. I want to have a job that can give me money as well as enhance my app to medical school. Any ideas?

The standard answer to that is "research assistant."

Several SDN members have found nicely paid positions as Clinical Research Coordinators, a job that sometimes has quite flexible hours.
 
I am looking into being a short-term teacher at a local high school in southern california... but I don't know if they will allow it although I don't have my teaching credential. I do know that if a school does get desperate they can still hire me and fill out a temporary form for me.
 
I have a B.S. in Biology and several of my friends also have a B.S. in Biology.

Some of the friends jobs: Lab assistant, lab tech, lab aide, quality analyist, phram sales, and research assistant.

My jobs: Healthcare recruiter and Editor.

My biology degree didn't get me these jobs. My previous work experience got me the jobs. Both hiring managers told me that they don't really care what degree you got in college because to be a recruiter you can major in any degree and it won't matter. It is your ability to do the job that matters. You either have the skills to do it or you don't. I got th editor job because I wrote articles for various companies during my undergraduate days. So I have previous work experience with an Editor job title.

The people that I'm graduating with that are having the hardest time getting a decent job with their B.S. Biology are the ones that didn't work a "real" job while they were college students. Most of them never did an internship.

A few of the biology students that are a year below me already work as a CNA in the local clinics.
 
The standard answer to that is "research assistant."

Several SDN members have found nicely paid positions as Clinical Research Coordinators, a job that sometimes has quite flexible hours.

Yes, a Clinical Research Coordinator is an ok job to have for a few years. You could even become a home-based Clinical Research Associate (I think that is the job title) and have a salary of around $80k-100K and get the chance to travel to various clinics for the study that is being conducted.

A person can search for these jobs through the Medzilla website.
 
I worked as a phlebotomist (tried to do the substitute teaching thing, but my state required certification courses to work in public schools). I got free TB skin tests before med school, so I didn't have to have it done during med school, and I learned how to draw blood.

My sister worked as a Starbucks' barista. She got free coffee or tea every week and a discount at Starbucks.

We're both med students now.
 
Please keep this thread coming as I am currently still waiting to hear from med schools and need to move on plan B if I need to wait a year to get in. I actually have a double major in biology and psychology, both subjects having a BS degree. I want to have a job that can give me money as well as enhance my app to medical school. Any ideas?


Just apply to "real" jobs and take the best job that you can get that pays decent (not some stupid $7/hr job like some freak on this website almost did) money and that you would enjoy.
 
Have you thought about working for law firms or regulatory agencies? There are literally thousands of jobs in those fields where they require someone with at least a bachlor's degree in a biology or biochemstry to understand scientific concepts and write reports on experiments or the effects of pollution or pharmaceutical compounds. You could try to get a job with the EPA, USDA or FDA by going on their websites and looking at the careers page.

A Legal Assistant would be a good job. I doubt you could just take a day off here and there to travel for interviews though. Law firms will want a person that is serious about the job.
 
thanks for all the replies. I was wondering, is there any jobs where you can be outside and do research or even do something in a state park. I dunno, if I have to spend a year off working, it would be kool to be like a park guide or something. :rolleyes:
 
Do you want to stay in science and actually use your biology degree? If that's the case I'd say Forensic Science is a good choice. It's a normal entry-level wage usually (~$40,000), only requires a BS in most places depending on the competition, and you get to use your knowledge of science. I know it's definitely one of my backup plans.
 
After doing some research on this site I found that there was only two other posts with limited replies at best. So I was wondering, since obviously not everyone gets into med school (or any post grad school) on their first try, what jobs are available for those unfortunate not to be in school. :eek: I will be graduating with a BS in bio while applying to schools next year so just planning ahead. Any insight would be greatly appreciated! :luck:

If you don't get into school just get a "real" that you would enjoy and that pays decent. There are jobs out there. Everyone keeps assuming that a Biology degree sucks. Sure it sucks if your work history is nothing more valuable then a rock in a dessert.
 
Do you want to stay in science and actually use your biology degree? If that's the case I'd say Forensic Science is a good choice. It's a normal entry-level wage usually (~$40,000), only requires a BS in most places depending on the competition, and you get to use your knowledge of science. I know it's definitely one of my backup plans.

This would be a good job. You will need to have taken Biochemistry and Genetics and have done good in both courses (my state requires an A in both courses to get this type of job).
 
Do you want to stay in science and actually use your biology degree? If that's the case I'd say Forensic Science is a good choice. It's a normal entry-level wage usually (~$40,000), only requires a BS in most places depending on the competition, and you get to use your knowledge of science. I know it's definitely one of my backup plans.

There really isn't any "using your biology degree" in the real work world. You don't learn any specific skill type that will be used for a specific type of job when you are a biology student. A biology student learns the very basics of science and very basic lab techniques. Thus, a crappy lab tech job is about all most biology graduates can get for employment because they don't have "real" work experience.

For any job that you get after college, you do your work the way your employer wants it done, not the way your teacher tought you.
 
There really isn't any "using your biology degree" in the real work world. You don't learn any specific skill type that will be used for a specific type of job when you are a biology student. A biology student learns the very basics of science and very basic lab techniques. Thus, a crappy lab tech job is about all most biology graduates can get for employment because they don't have "real" work experience.

For any job that you get after college, you do your work the way your employer wants it done, not the way your teacher tought you.

I feel insulted. I'm an undergrad. My job title for the summer is "lab tech." Neither my pay, nor my work conditions, fall in the "crappy" category. The hours are as flexible as I want, and I have a great deal of autonomy. A title is merely a general description for payroll and hiring purposes. Jobs within a category may vary greatly. I also spell well.
 
A lot of times you can find jobs working for state governments that only require a BS in biology. The website for my state is currently down, so I can't give you an example.
 
Yes. Most places have a tiered pay system. So, certified teachers are paid slightly more.

A person can even teach full-time with being certified. Especially if they have a degree in the sciences or math, they can get emergency certification because of the shortage of certified teachers in those areas. The emergency certification allows them to teach full-time for a limited number of years while they pursue certification.
Do you have more information about this? I am interested... in case those waitlists fall through...
 
Can you even do that without a teacher's license though?

Funny story....my younger brother is in 8th grade and in spanish class the teacher was gone for a couple of days. His substitute teacher was a kid that was a few years younger than me and was quite the pot head in high school. So to answer the question...you most definitely DO NOT need a teachers license:laugh: Isnt the education system lovely
 
thanks for all the replies. I was wondering, is there any jobs where you can be outside and do research or even do something in a state park. I dunno, if I have to spend a year off working, it would be kool to be like a park guide or something. :rolleyes:

I would definitely look into it, but I think in a lot of cases you need a B.S. in like forestry or something along those lines. I have a friend who wants to be a park ranger, and thats what he is doing I think. There are lower levels though, I'm sure.
 
follow up with a MS in anasthesia, and become an anesthesiologists assistant and you start off with 6 figs
 
follow up with a MS in anasthesia, and become an anesthesiologists assistant and you start off with 6 figs

Not such a workable idea for this OP, but maybe for others. S/he's just looking to productively fill time for a year or so. Enrollment in a degree program that won't be finished by matriculation would put him at a disadvantage.
 
Do you have more information about this? I am interested... in case those waitlists fall through...

The laws differ from state to state. You can usually find that info on the State Dept. of Ed website, but it's easier to call local school districts. Rules can vary district by district depending on which ones are considered to have critical need shortages.
 
Funny story....my younger brother is in 8th grade and in spanish class the teacher was gone for a couple of days. His substitute teacher was a kid that was a few years younger than me and was quite the pot head in high school. So to answer the question...you most definitely DO NOT need a teachers license:laugh: Isnt the education system lovely

the rules are state dependent. in ca you have to pass some exam before you can sub.

and youre right, a kid that smoked some pot in high school should be barred from all responsibility baring jobs in the future...

right.
 
follow up with a MS in anasthesia, and become an anesthesiologists assistant and you start off with 6 figs

It looks like the average debt to get the MS in anasthesia from Emroy is around $70k. There are only 5 schools that offer this program. The starting salary is in the 6 figs area. So the salary is good with the amount of debt to get the degree. So the cost-benefit analysis shows that an MS in anasthesia is worth it.

The salary isn't everything though. You will want to make sure you like the job and the work envrionment before getting the masters degree.

It looks like admissions isn't that hard. You will need around a 3.0 cGPA and take the MCAT. Pre-req courses look basicallly the same as the pre-med courses.

In hindsight, it looks like this would be good career for those that are unable to make it into medical school to become a doctor but still want a job in the medical field.
 
Shouldn't be to difficult to get a quality assurance job in the pharma/medical device industry with a B.S.
 
the rules are state dependent. in ca you have to pass some exam before you can sub.

and youre right, a kid that smoked some pot in high school should be barred from all responsibility baring jobs in the future...

right.

well jimmy....for starters, we arent talking about some pot, boat loads is more like.I still know the kid well and when he continues his high school habits up till this day and still lives at home with mom and dad maybe thats the only responsibility he shouldn't be barred from....trying to teach other kids, excellent!
 
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