Employment

[Dr Yiot]

Is anyone else having a hard time getting a job? I have a BA in Biology and I have sent out my resume everywhere and have heard nothing back. I have also called the positions I have applied to and they have said that if there interested in me they would call. I am all done with school and now just studying for the MCAT. However I would like to be employed as I could use the money. What is everyone who is taking a year off between Med School and undergrad doing? What kind of jobs can we get with out degree. Sometimes I wish I just graduated with a degree in business and took the required pre reqs for med school. Weres the jobs at?

---

Members don't see this ad.

 

[Everglide]

Lab research, entry level clinical research, CNA? Flipping burgers... depends on how low you want to go just for money.

I went the clinical research way for my year off. I also had to send my resume out to over 40 different places... just in one health system.

 

[Generic Student]

Ever thought of teaching? I teach at a Community College with my Bachelor's Degree.

 

[demayette]

Is anyone else having a hard time getting a job? I have a BA in Biology and I have sent out my resume everywhere and have heard nothing back. I have also called the positions I have applied to and they have said that if there interested in me they would call. I am all done with school and now just studying for the MCAT. However I would like to be employed as I could use the money. What is everyone who is taking a year off between Med School and undergrad doing? What kind of jobs can we get with out degree. Sometimes I wish I just graduated with a degree in business and took the required pre reqs for med school. Weres the jobs at?

You got your work cut out for you as a bio major. This is the disadvantage of that degree. I still dont understand why most premeds major in bio as oppose to something like nursing etc... which will give them the flexibility to get a job if they are unable to get into med school...

 

[CHOCCHIP1207]

I had the same problem..couldnt find a job and felt like my bio degree wasnt much help. pretty much only found a job through friends...they knew somebody hiring...told them about me...since i was their friend's friend i got it. the economy sucks too so its kind of hard. i currently take care of mentally challenged people and study for mcat too. this is what i wanted to do though...find something you want to do.

 

[CHOCCHIP1207]

You got your work cut out for you as a bio major. This is the disadvantage of that degree. I still dont understand why most premeds major in bio as oppose to something like nursing etc... which will give them the flexibility to get a job if they are unable to get into med school...

if i would have know i was going to have a yr or two off between undergrad and med school i would have got a nursing degree! i even asked my advisor about it and he said no...if you want to be a nurse do that. if you want to be a doc do bio. lame man! i would have done things differently if i only knew.

 

[ShinyDome19]

Ever thought of teaching? I teach at a Community College with my Bachelor's Degree.

Since when could you teach at a community college with a bachelors degree... I thought you had to have a masters degree to teach above high school level.

On that note, teach at a middle or high school. If its only going to be for a year, I know a lot of school districts give you 1 year after employment to get your teaching certification... Plus, schools are always looking for science teachers.

 

[FrkyBgStok]

i once had a doc tell me never major in bio because if being a doctor doesn't work out, you can't do anything that will support a family without getting your doctorate and being a prof. bio degrees in my area make $8-12/hour

 

[farnesylatedDO]

Is anyone else having a hard time getting a job? I have a BA in Biology and I have sent out my resume everywhere and have heard nothing back. I have also called the positions I have applied to and they have said that if there interested in me they would call. I am all done with school and now just studying for the MCAT. However I would like to be employed as I could use the money. What is everyone who is taking a year off between Med School and undergrad doing? What kind of jobs can we get with out degree. Sometimes I wish I just graduated with a degree in business and took the required pre reqs for med school. Weres the jobs at?

I am in the same situation as you are when it comes to finding a job. I have to work in some low low low job while working lots of hours to pay bills and make a living. Tough times.

I am looking for any medically related job I could get for hmm 10 months, I have applied to countless jobs 300 perhaps or more and I've got only few interviews. I had experience with doing research, study design stats, as a volunteer I was a lab supervisor.
I supposed to start one job in labcorp, my papers supposed to get forwarded to human reasorces to start on lab assistant but I never get the job anyway (big dissapointment).
I live in Florida, and from what I heard is that in the South, hospitals require state licenses for rediculus things. Example of interesting job seeking experience: I went for interview to one of the microbio labs at the hospital. The job I applied to was a part time position as a receptionist (just answering phones and taking orders). Interview went great, but I did not get the job anyway lots of people apply, but what was interesting is that things the certified techs did in that lab I knew from microbiology lab I took in school and in order for me to work there I would have to go to school for one year to get licence.

Good thing that I get accepted to medical school so I don't have to worry about future that much. I guess its Bad thing that I switched from Business degree to Biology while in college because I see there are a lot of supervisor and manager positions open. However, it would be harder to understand and love medicine if I would go for business and therefore in a way harder to get to medical school and do good while in med school.


If someone will wonder why not go to graduate school?

In my case I finished graduate certificate where I had to take courses with medical students at my school, got A's and decided that the only thing that I am good at is medicine. I decided not to get master because of extra loans that I would have to take and time spend studing for master I could use to study for MCAT which I had to take and apply to med schools.


My advise for you is to keep applying for jobs but number one priority is working on getting to med school, that's your future. If you get interview for job don't say that you will go to med school otherwise they will not hire you especially if you will stay at job for short period. However, the interviews that you get while looking for job will be great experience when you will go for interview to med school.

Good luck. I hope I was helpful.

 

[Generic Student]

Since when could you teach at a community college with a bachelors degree... I thought you had to have a masters degree to teach above high school level.

Then call me Neil Armstrong.

 

[Dr Yiot]

Lab research, entry level clinical research, CNA? Flipping burgers... depends on how low you want to go just for money.

I went the clinical research way for my year off. I also had to send my resume out to over 40 different places... just in one health system.

I have looked into research positions and they either a) don't pay and your pretty much a TA who does research with a teacher and b) I havent found any. I will keep looking though as I know it looks good.

Ever thought of teaching? I teach at a Community College with my Bachelor's Degree.

where do you live? I would love to do that

You got your work cut out for you as a bio major. This is the disadvantage of that degree. I still dont understand why most premeds major in bio as oppose to something like nursing etc... which will give them the flexibility to get a job if they are unable to get into med school...

If I only new this as a freshmen/sophomore I would have either went with chem or business.

I had the same problem..couldnt find a job and felt like my bio degree wasnt much help. pretty much only found a job through friends...they knew somebody hiring...told them about me...since i was their friend's friend i got it. the economy sucks too so its kind of hard. i currently take care of mentally challenged people and study for mcat too. this is what i wanted to do though...find something you want to do.

I want to be a lab assistant I have applies to HUNDREDS of openins with no sucess. I have even applied to burger flippin joints and did not get the job. I am thinking its because they don't want to pay the college salary for a job a HS kid can do or someone without a college education. Maybe the are thinking they would have to pay me more? I dunno, as for my interview I havent even been invited to ONE. so its obbviously not that and my resume is pretty good.

Since when could you teach at a community college with a bachelors degree... I thought you had to have a masters degree to teach above high school level.

On that note, teach at a middle or high school. If its only going to be for a year, I know a lot of school districts give you 1 year after employment to get your teaching certification... Plus, schools are always looking for science teachers.

I am going to look into that. For sure. thank you.

My advise for you is to keep applying for jobs but number one priority is working on getting to med school, that's your future. If you get interview for job don't say that you will go to med school otherwise they will not hire you especially if you will stay at job for short period. However, the interviews that you get while looking for job will be great experience when you will go for interview to med school.

Good luck. I hope I was helpful.

thank you for your advice. Getting into Medical School is my #1 priority as you have said and it has remained that way. I have been studying for the MCAT and I am very excited to be applying this may. I too have realized that the only good thing I am at is medicine as well. Also my gf calls me a science geek and I'm OK with it lol. Sucks to hear you had a hard time as well but your done buddy YOUR IN congrats to you on getting into med school and good luck with your studies.


I am very surprised that this thread got so many replies in such a short amount of time it has been created. It just goes to show you how bad the economy is. When it rains it pours and rite now it sux for all of us.

 

[Generic Student]

where do you live? I would love to do that

I live in East Tennessee. I teach Anatomy & Physiology and Microbiology to a lot of pre-medical professionals. It's fun and GREAT review of material for medical school.

 

[quynhhuong]

If you are fluent in 2 languages, you can do medical interpretation. WA state pays $20/hr and mileages, Flexible hours and looks really good on your application.

 

[TopQuark]

If I only new this as a freshmen/sophomore I would have either went with chem or business.

I second this. Who would've thought a MCD Biology degree could be so useless. Luckily, I worked as lab assistant and as a CNA in college. My CNA experience was the deciding factor why I got my current job as a clinical research coordinator. It's alright for the time being, but I'm really looking forward to med school. My engineering friends found jobs twice as fast and are paid twice as much (though probably half as much as the experienced people they most certainly replaced).

 

[lentilfarm]

I'm taking the temping route. I have been finished with school for 2 years now and have been temping for about 1.5. Surely not using my chemistry degree, but it's fun and paying the bills.

 

[RG73]

Is anyone else having a hard time getting a job?

Umm, the entire country? We're in the middle of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression. No one can get a job right now because no one is hiring.

I have a BA in Biology and I have sent out my resume everywhere and have heard nothing back.

I know lots of PhDs in Biology who can't get hired right now. They're competing for those same jobs (they're willing to get hired at lower level positions just to get work). There are just way more job seekers than jobs, and a lot of those job seekers are more qualified. It sucks, but that's the state of the country right now.

Unemployment for those right out of college is exceptionally high right now. All you can do is keep trying and know that everyone else is in the same sinking boat.

What kind of jobs can we get with out degree. Sometimes I wish I just graduated with a degree in business and took the required pre reqs for med school. Weres the jobs at?

It wouldn't matter one iota if you had a business degree, you'd have an exceedingly hard time getting employed right now with any degree. One sector that is generally hiring is K-12 education and I know a lot of states/districts have various fast track teacher's training programs to get science and math teachers. Some of my aforementioned PhD friends have turned to this to get them through the downturn. So that is one option, although it isn't easy work and it is a major time commitment. Allied health positions are also available in a lot of places, but that will also require more training on your part.

Also, you mentioned applying to a lot of research positions. I work in an academic lab and so I can tell you that a lot of those positions listed as "open" on university websites are not really available. A lot of schools have official or unofficial hiring freezes--even if labs are paying for those positions out of NIH money, they're not allowing hires right now. Or some of those positions are already filled internally, but they have to list the position externally for legal reasons. On top of that, schools are trying to cut back on administrative staff now, so the HR people are having to do more, and thus your resume might be sitting in a very large pile of paperwork for an overworked HR admin. None of this is to discourage you from applying, but just be aware that positions listed may not actually be available.

It sucks out there, but all you can do is keep trying.

 

[RG73]

Since when could you teach at a community college with a bachelors degree... I thought you had to have a masters degree to teach above high school level.

I believe you can teach at technical colleges with just a BA/BS degree. I know one person who did this, but then again he had publications and patents as a ugrad.

For traditional CCs that transfer students to 4-year U's, I have never seen any list anything less than a Master's as a pre-req to applying. I'm sure there are exceptions, but you have to be exceptional for those exceptions.

 

[Drrrrrr. Celty]

thats why i decided to major in psychology
its major which can branch me out into a lot of fields like clinical psychology, law school and teaching.. =)

 

[123165]

thats why i decided to major in psychology
its major which can branch me out into a lot of fields like clinical psychology, law school and teaching.. =)

I feel like psychology is another degree where you cannot do much with a bachelor's.

 

[Laryngophed]

thats why i decided to major in psychology
its major which can branch me out into a lot of fields like clinical psychology, law school and teaching.. =)

I feel like psychology is another degree where you cannot do much with a bachelor's.

I'll second Kevon. You are limited with a BA/BS in Psych as well. As for clinical pysch and law school, there is no degree requirement for those, aside from having one. All of the training and education you need you receive at the graduate/professional level (not unlike another profession I can think of... ) and there is only a mild benefit to corresponding undergraduate degrees. Teaching also requires certification that can be attained post-BA/BS, but it's easier/more convenient to acquire that with the undergrad degree, AFAIK.

 

[csmittyB]

The BA/BS is becoming the new high school diploma. 20-30 years ago it helped you stand out from the crowd in the job market. Now they seem common place.

 

[Laryngophed]

Very true CSmit. Really, I think that's evening happening with various graduate degrees (MBA comes to mind) and thus devaluing them as well. I suppose its a good thing a degree in medicine is a terminal degree, though I suppose we could always double of doctorates with DO/PhD or MD/PhD or exchange the PhD for JD.
​

 

[just one]

Since when could you teach at a community college with a bachelors degree... I thought you had to have a masters degree to teach above high school level.

On that note, teach at a middle or high school. If its only going to be for a year, I know a lot of school districts give you 1 year after employment to get your teaching certification... Plus, schools are always looking for science teachers.

I believe you can teach at technical colleges with just a BA/BS degree. I know one person who did this, but then again he had publications and patents as a ugrad.

For traditional CCs that transfer students to 4-year U's, I have never seen any list anything less than a Master's as a pre-req to applying. I'm sure there are exceptions, but you have to be exceptional for those exceptions.

I teach at a community college and I am WORKING on my bachelors degree.
Although the class I teach is a vocational class and I graduated from their program 11 years ago and went on to achieve a level of certification that less than a thousand in the world held when I completed it.

 

[ShinyDome19]

I teach at a community college and I am WORKING on my bachelors degree.
Although the class I teach is a vocational class and I graduated from their program 11 years ago and went on to achieve a level of certification that less than a thousand in the world held when I completed it.

Okay...that makes sense. When I took an EMT class, we had regular paramedics as part of the teaching staff, so I guess that would be equivalent to what your talking about. But, its probably safe to assume however, that in order to teach a hard science, english, math or general education course at a CC you still need a masters.

 

[just one]

Nope, just bachelors. As a matter of fact, the pay scale for full time faculty is the same for bachelors and masters while the doctorate degree earns a little more.

 

[kypreos]

Nope, just bachelors. As a matter of fact, the pay scale for full time faculty is the same for bachelors and masters while the doctorate degree earns a little more.

Really? Can u post a link that states this? I will look into this

 

[just one]

While the position listings at the school I teach at say masters level, it is an unwritten rule that you just need to be pursuing a masters. My bio for majors class at my uc was taught by someone that started a masters and never finished. He teaches entryl evel bio (majors and non) and is the biology lab manager.
I understand you want proof, but in the real world there are written rules and there are exceptions, many exceptions.