Looking for commentary and insight

[Requiem]

Hey everyone,

Having just completed a B.Sc. Pharmacy, I've turned to looking into a couple of master's programs and was looking for some input or suggestions.

I'm currently looking to some biomedical masters, e.g. cardiology (mostly physiologically based) or pharmacology. In terms of what I want to get out of these programs are perhaps long term a PhD, cognitive challenge, problem solving and opportunities to do interesting clinical research and teach.

I'm not a huge test tube fan, and I'm typically more interested in theory. Knowing this, which direction would you recommend as the better fit for my goals/skill set?

I've always performed better in areas like math, chemistry (and English surprisingly), opposed to pure biology or biochemistry. Hence my desire for more problem solving than merely looking for genes all day long or what have you.

If anyone has any ideas of what I should look into, or what they think is a better fit, please feel free to share! Thanks a lot.

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[Requiem]

Ok guys almost 70 views and no opinions? Let's hear it!

 

[Dimoak]

Have you considered Computational Biology, Bioinformatics, or Bioengineering? Those may be nice fits based on what you wrote in your posts.

 

[rahuldave]

Seriously.... but you don't get to the fun stuff till the end of your masters. And, for me, I started to feel really confident by the midpoint of my PhD. Choose a PhD topic based on a subject that interests you. The rest is gravy.

Doing a PhD in biology/biomedical is very different than studying biology in undergrad. The former demands thinking and analysis, whereas the latter is more memorizing (at least for me). My PhD encompassed everything from in vivo studies to hard core biochemistry and molecular modeling.

You have to have the initiative to be involved, and find the right environment (ie, lab / group / PI / mentor). Some people go through PhD/MS doing exactly what their PI tells them to do, and never experience the thrill and joys of solving problems. Find a mentor / PI that encourages independence, that gives you the freedom to choose and solve your problems, who provides the guidance and mentorship you need to succeed. Others run their groups like small factories. This is an individual issue, not a departmental or institutional issue.

I have no doubt that you have the right mindset to be a successful scientist. Just choose your environment carefully.

Also, PhDs (and to some extent MD/PhDs) tend to be more basic science oriented. Some are really interested in biologic processes for their own sake, while others are interested in disease. if youa re interested in clinical work, take a look at MD-run groups that focus on epidemiology.

 

[Anu Smith]

It is really difficult to decide the topics until and unless you know it and you can not know it till you enter into it and start reding or working on it. But main thing depends upon the interest. If you are interested and you like it you can make anything interesting.