Biochemistry

[MindCastle15]

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What are the job prospects for biochemistry? (I am speaking about after PhD level- not undergrad) The field in general. Are they well-paying jobs? Is it better than bio? I keep hearing such bad stuff about life sciences. Are those with a biochem degree in a better position than the rest?
How is the job outlook for going into toxicology, analytical chemistry, etc after biochem?
I really love biochem- I'm a little confused between biochem research and medicine.
Will it be a good idea for me to take biochem as premed? By that I mean, if I don't get into medicine, will I still have the oppurtunity to have a decent life instead of all I hear about life science PhDs who keep doing post-docs? No offense to them, I'm just not sure if I'm ready for that life.
If not, what are some other alternatives relative to my interests?
Thanks 🙂

 

[Petrichor1]

What are the job prospects for biochemistry? (I am speaking about after PhD level- not undergrad) The field in general. Are they well-paying jobs? Is it better than bio? I keep hearing such bad stuff about life sciences. Are those with a biochem degree in a better position than the rest?
How is the job outlook for going into toxicology, analytical chemistry, etc after biochem?
I really love biochem- I'm a little confused between biochem research and medicine.
Will it be a good idea for me to take biochem as premed? By that I mean, if I don't get into medicine, will I still have the oppurtunity to have a decent life instead of all I hear about life science PhDs who keep doing post-docs? No offense to them, I'm just not sure if I'm ready for that life.
If not, what are some other alternatives relative to my interests?
Thanks 🙂

proteomic or metabolomics studies at government/private institutes? Are you interested in this? Most people (even in engineering) are doing post-docs now so I don't know if this is just encumbered by being in life sciences.

 

[avgn]

Sh*tty

 

[MindCastle15]

proteomic or metabolomics studies at government/private institutes? Are you interested in this? Most people (even in engineering) are doing post-docs now so I don't know if this is just encumbered by being in life sciences.

I guess? I've researched a lot, and it seems that almost all the sciences are like that, life sciences being more so. Altho I don't know if those are mostly med school rejects :/ Speaking of which, is medical school rejection very common? I'm not talking about the slackers who dont bother/can't maintain their gpa, but generally good students. As for engineering, both my parents are engineers, and say that is not the case.

 

[Hospitalized]

I guess? I've researched a lot, and it seems that almost all the sciences are like that, life sciences being more so. Altho I don't know if those are mostly med school rejects :/ Speaking of which, is medical school rejection very common? I'm not talking about the slackers who dont bother/can't maintain their gpa, but generally good students. As for engineering, both my parents are engineers, and say that is not the case.

If you have clinical exposure, social skills, good GPA, solid MCAT, average ECs, and solid LORs, your chance of getting admitted is pretty good. All the things I mentioned would probably encompass a "good" premed student.

 

[md-2020]

I guess? I've researched a lot, and it seems that almost all the sciences are like that, life sciences being more so. Altho I don't know if those are mostly med school rejects :/ Speaking of which, is medical school rejection very common? I'm not talking about the slackers who dont bother/can't maintain their gpa, but generally good students. As for engineering, both my parents are engineers, and say that is not the case.

Many good/great students enter college and realize that maintaining a high GPA is absurdly difficult. It's not just the "slackers."

Half (yes, 1 out of every 2 kids) at my undergrad were either valedictorians or salutatorians, and 97% of my specific school (arts and sci/engineering/business etc.) graduated top 1% from HS. The average GPA was a 3.32.

I would hardly call many of these kids slackers.

 

[yeasureyoubetcha]

What are the job prospects for biochemistry? (I am speaking about after PhD level- not undergrad) The field in general. Are they well-paying jobs? Is it better than bio? I keep hearing such bad stuff about life sciences. Are those with a biochem degree in a better position than the rest?
How is the job outlook for going into toxicology, analytical chemistry, etc after biochem?
I really love biochem- I'm a little confused between biochem research and medicine.
Will it be a good idea for me to take biochem as premed? By that I mean, if I don't get into medicine, will I still have the oppurtunity to have a decent life instead of all I hear about life science PhDs who keep doing post-docs? No offense to them, I'm just not sure if I'm ready for that life.
If not, what are some other alternatives relative to my interests?
Thanks 🙂

I'm in industry. PhD's starting at a top 10 pharma/biopharma typically start out at like Senior Scientist level. $110k+ range is typical just after your PhD with stock incentives and a nice 30% bonus. Base will only go up from there.

 

[MindCastle15]

Many good/great students enter college and realize that maintaining a high GPA is absurdly difficult. It's not just the "slackers."

Half (yes, 1 out of every 2 kids) at my undergrad were either valedictorians or salutatorians, and 97% of my specific school (arts and sci/engineering/business etc.) graduated top 1% from HS. The average GPA was a 3.32.

I would hardly call many of these kids slackers.

Yes, I've been warned about this. I actually don't live in the US, tho I'm an US citizen, so I have some choices. Its because of what you said, that I'm reconsidering applying to the US, specially if I'm interested in medicine. (But then, as i said, I'm interested in research as well) But there ARE people getting into med school after all, so what exactly is the difference between those who get good gpa's and those who don't? If it was just about good study habits, wouldn't those valedictorians also get good gpa's? Sorry about the questions, but I have a lot of difficult choices to make so I'm trying to collect as much info as possible. :/

 

[MindCastle15]

I'm in industry. PhD's starting at a top 10 pharma/biopharma typically start out at like Senior Scientist level. $110k+ range is typical just after your PhD with stock incentives and a nice 30% bonus. Base will only go up from there.

Then, is all I hear about life science PhDs only in academia? If I choose to work in industry, things are way better? I know there's competition for all jobs, but are there PhD "gluts" that people keep talking about in biochemistry?
Also, how is a bioengineering degree if I want to enter the bio/pharma industry?

 

[md-2020]

Yes, I've been warned about this. I actually don't live in the US, tho I'm an US citizen, so I have some choices. Its because of what you said, that I'm reconsidering applying to the US, specially if I'm interested in medicine. But there ARE people getting into med school after all, so what exactly is the difference between those who get good gpa's and those who don't? If it was just about good study habits, wouldn't those valedictorians also get good gpa's? Sorry about the questions, but I have a lot of difficult choices to make so I'm trying to collect as much info as possible. :/

Well if you want to go to a stateside medical school you'll want to go to a US undergrad. And yes, you want to go to a US med school because by the time your match comes around, foreign grads will be shut out in the cold.

~3.3 (the average GPA at most non-inflated schools), isn't bad, per se. In fact, for anything but medicine, it's quite good! At top schools, many students w/ a 3.3 get into MD school. This will vary by institution. It's not all about study habits, there's definitely luck, competition, and grading scales to consider as well.

If you go to college overseas your chances at medicine take a huge shot.

 

[MindCastle15]

Just a few other questions:
Would you say a large part of medicine is based on biochemistry (applied) ? Is biochemistry an important part of it? (Or chemistry in general) What are some specialties of medicine which deal with biochemistry exclusively?

 

[MindCastle15]

Well if you want to go to a stateside medical school you'll want to go to a US undergrad. And yes, you want to go to a US med school because by the time your match comes around, foreign grads will be shut out in the cold.

~3.3 (the average GPA at most non-inflated schools), isn't bad, per se. In fact, for anything but medicine, it's quite good! At top schools, many students w/ a 3.3 get into MD school. This will vary by institution. It's not all about study habits, there's definitely luck, competition, and grading scales to consider as well.

If you go to college overseas your chances at medicine take a huge shot.

I have actually asked about the US vs overseas thing on the residency forum, and there was a huge convo which didn't particularly help much -_- While many agreed with what you said, there were quite a few people who said many IMGs DO get in, programs concentrated on the east coast etc etc. I have actually already dropped an year due to some unavoidable circumstances, and I'll be spending 8 more years (if not more, if I don't get in) rather than 5 in UK/India-where I stay. Not to mention less cost. But I ultimately want to work in the US, so I'm looking at all sides of the matter.

 

[md-2020]

I have actually asked about the US vs overseas thing on the residency forum, and there was a huge convo which didn't particularly help much -_- While many agreed with what you said, there were quite a few people who said many IMGs DO get in, programs concentrated on the east coast etc etc. I have actually already dropped an year due to some unavoidable circumstances, and I'll be spending 8 more years (if not more, if I don't get in) rather than 5 in UK/India-where I stay. Not to mention less cost. But I ultimately want to work in the US, so I'm looking at all sides of the matter.

Do foreign grads match? Sure.


But the match rate is atrocious and it's an absolute bloodbath. By the time you enter the match (atleast 8-9 years from now) most people expect it to be even worse.

2015 Match stats: http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Main-Match-Results-and-Data-2015_final.pdf

 

[Glazedonutlove]

Do foreign grads match? Sure.


But the match rate is atrocious and it's an absolute bloodbath. By the time you enter the match (atleast 8-9 years from now) most people expect it to be even worse.

2015 Match stats: http://www.nrmp.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/05/Main-Match-Results-and-Data-2015_final.pdf

Yup especially since they're combining md/do residencies

 

[avgn]

OP you have asked your question over and over again. The answer is clear: if you want to practice in the U.S., you need to start by going to college here. No ifs, ands, or buts. Asking the question multiple times isn't going to get you a different answer. This is as cut and dry as it comes in the admissions process. U.S. grads win. Period.

No specialty specifically uses biochem exclusively. Biochem is the molecular basis of disease and explains how many diseases come about at the cellular level. In this sense, you could say that clinically relevant biochem is all applied. Doctors do not need to know PhD level biochem to do their jobs.

You do not waltz into industry with a PhD in the life sciences. To get the high paying jobs in industry, you would want to be at a top school, and admission is obviously difficult. If your PhD is from a good school, your job search is not hard; if you go to a random school that doesn't have good prestige, your job hunt gets much much harder and then the PhD glut problem will be your problem.