what are reapplicants doing for money while reapplying?

This forum made possible through the generous support of SDN members, donors, and sponsors. Thank you.

bipolardoc

Membership Revoked
Removed
10+ Year Member
15+ Year Member
Joined
Jun 24, 2008
Messages
203
Reaction score
3
what are reapplicants doing for money while reapplying? say you have alot of expenses like a morgage, car payments, credit cards, etc... and the research job just wont cut it, what high paying jobs with our science degrees can we do while reapplying and making our applications better?
 
medical monitor? How much money do you need to get by?
 
not much really - depends

with a bio major, work as a lab tech I/II and make 36k/yr

with a chem major, work in an annylitical lab and maybe get up to 45-50k/yr

chem engineer w/ bio experience - look into bioprocessing which starts around 63k/yr

if possible you could try to sneak into a biotech/pharma company depending on your location (boston, SF, SD are best) and work in RnD (still low pay) or marketing/medical affairs which could put you in a comfortable job at about 45-55k
 
not much really - depends

with a bio major, work as a lab tech I/II and make 36k/yr

with a chem major, work in an annylitical lab and maybe get up to 45-50k/yr

chem engineer w/ bio experience - look into bioprocessing which starts around 63k/yr

if possible you could try to sneak into a biotech/pharma company depending on your location (boston, SF, SD are best) and work in RnD (still low pay) or marketing/medical affairs which could put you in a comfortable job at about 45-55k
dang is that all you can do, i have alot of financial obligiations, seems like the hardest majors we study give nothing but a dead end on the job market 🙁
 
dang is that all you can do, i have alot of financial obligiations, seems like the hardest majors we study give nothing but a dead end on the job market 🙁

the only majors that lead directly into specific jobs are: engineering, nursing, and some business majors (eg actuarial science and accounting).

You are looking at "a dead end on the job market" because you only want a career for 1-2 years.

A bio or chem major can get any job that a humanities major can get.
 
the only majors that lead directly into specific jobs are: engineering, nursing, and some business majors (eg actuarial science and accounting).

You are looking at "a dead end on the job market" because you only want a career for 1-2 years.

A bio or chem major can get any job that a humanities major can get.

Not really... anything science based job will always greatly prefer a sceince major over a humanities major. Now, since many science majors get their MDs, PhDs, etc. there is a SOMEWHAT limited pool of BS science majors, while there is a plethora of humanities majors, so the saleries for BS science majors do get driven up A LITTLE.
 
the only majors that lead directly into specific jobs are: engineering, nursing, and some business majors (eg actuarial science and accounting).

You are looking at "a dead end on the job market" because you only want a career for 1-2 years.

A bio or chem major can get any job that a humanities major can get.

one thought would be to check today's WSJ - personal section, they had a reference to the jobs section for all of the political positions being filled by the upcoming administration - range from 30K-175K depending on qualifications. Google search on "federal jobs" shoud also turn up the primary fed job site, I think it's "america's job bank" ?

I have experience in several aspects of business, management, and similar, got a job in this sector.

Would strongly disagree that one should pursue a dead end job and even consider referencing their med school plans when interviewing -- unless you have committed to attending a med school in writing, how can any of us know 1) we'll be guaranteed acceptance next year 2) nothing could possibly change our mind that would cause us to necessarily quit our job.

check out salary.com to get a feel for what different positions pay that you may consider. Go to the library to get a feel for different jobs in various industries - not sure if you're only thinking healthcare, or possibly also pharmaceuticals, business, not for profit, etc. Any job will likely take a few months to land now, craigslist and a metacrawler like indeed.com are good sites to find posted positions. I am quite experienced at landing jobs, it took over 2 months fulltime searching to find my current one. good luck!
 
one thought would be to check today's WSJ - personal section, they had a reference to the jobs section for all of the political positions being filled by the upcoming administration - range from 30K-175K depending on qualifications. Google search on "federal jobs" shoud also turn up the primary fed job site, I think it's "america's job bank" ?

I have experience in several aspects of business, management, and similar, got a job in this sector.

Would strongly disagree that one should pursue a dead end job and even consider referencing their med school plans when interviewing -- unless you have committed to attending a med school in writing, how can any of us know 1) we'll be guaranteed acceptance next year 2) nothing could possibly change our mind that would cause us to necessarily quit our job.

check out salary.com to get a feel for what different positions pay that you may consider. Go to the library to get a feel for different jobs in various industries - not sure if you're only thinking healthcare, or possibly also pharmaceuticals, business, not for profit, etc. Any job will likely take a few months to land now, craigslist and a metacrawler like indeed.com are good sites to find posted positions. I am quite experienced at landing jobs, it took over 2 months fulltime searching to find my current one. good luck!
So what exact jobs or companies did you work for, really I cant find anything, I live in the midwest but willing to relocate if the company helps with it as I have no family ties here. About those who said that you can get any job that a humanties major can get, i am finding this to be the opposite, as jobs like banking management, etc... look at those majors as ones that are more compatible with the duties of what they are looking for.
Also funny thing, for my undergrad university, you know how they have career fairs and the companies come and list what majors they will be interested in interviewing or pursing, I couldnt find a single company that wanted or looked for biomedical science majors as mine except TFA, FBI, and the adjacent medical school for research positions that pay 12/hr.
 
bipolardoc
It's been a few years since I've been out there, but I didn't find my bio degree to be very marketable. You can get a lab tech/research job, most likely. If you want to be paid more, would look for a biotech job rather than @ a university, but depending on where you are in the country that might be possible vs. not. Easier in Research Triangle/North Carolina or San Francisco bay area than in Arkansas, etc.

Looking for federal jobs, etc. is another idea. FDA, other gov't agencies, etc.

I would consider not telling them about your plans for med school. People don't want to hire someone who is going to leave in 1 year. For a lab @ a university they may, but my experience was some wanted a promise of 2 years at least.
 
bipolardoc
It's been a few years since I've been out there, but I didn't find my bio degree to be very marketable. You can get a lab tech/research job, most likely. If you want to be paid more, would look for a biotech job rather than @ a university, but depending on where you are in the country that might be possible vs. not. Easier in Research Triangle/North Carolina or San Francisco bay area than in Arkansas, etc.

Looking for federal jobs, etc. is another idea. FDA, other gov't agencies, etc.

I would consider not telling them about your plans for med school. People don't want to hire someone who is going to leave in 1 year. For a lab @ a university they may, but my experience was some wanted a promise of 2 years at least.
I agree, sucks that my biomedical science major was once of the toughest degree to get, yet seems like the crappiest asset, its like every decent job wants a business or finance degree, or the typical eng, nursing, otherwise your lost. O well, I am desperate, I applied to district manager position for ALDI, and a coordinator for HCOP (health care opp. program for a university), interviewed at both, hopefully one will materialize, health and dental is very important as I obviously from my screen name have health problems and need my meds/doc.
 
I so want a pharm rep job, its like no one will look at me, I like the job because its health related, highly paid and GREAT benefits (health). The funny thing is, I graduated in '02. In my junior year of college Merck found my crappy resume on monster, contacted me, flew me in for an interview, put me in the nicest hotel ever, and then offered me a job with a car, my ******* said no, lol, i wanted to go to med school and I didnt even know what Merck or Pharm industry was, I just read there online mission and BSed my interview and if you read my other posts you know what happened next. Now I am begging for any pharm company, ANY, to just give me an interview opportunity, able to relocate and all. Funny how the economy, screws everything up so badly, it is almost unbelieveable the change. When I am a junior and 20 I am worthy of a 50K+ comm +free car job, now I am 28 and cant get a 35K job, kinda sad too 😡
 
I live in Galveston and so all the research/clinical jobs are basically no longer existent, and I have therefore resorted to waiting tables. How lame is that. Don't you know that's just the kind of experience every admissions committee wants?

It's so degrading to have spent so many years of your life to earn a degree (mine's in biology)and not be able to find a decent job.
 
I so want a pharm rep job, its like no one will look at me, I like the job because its health related, highly paid and GREAT benefits (health). The funny thing is, I graduated in '02. In my junior year of college Merck found my crappy resume on monster, contacted me, flew me in for an interview, put me in the nicest hotel ever, and then offered me a job with a car, my ******* said no, lol, i wanted to go to med school and I didnt even know what Merck or Pharm industry was, I just read there online mission and BSed my interview and if you read my other posts you know what happened next. Now I am begging for any pharm company, ANY, to just give me an interview opportunity, able to relocate and all. Funny how the economy, screws everything up so badly, it is almost unbelieveable the change. When I am a junior and 20 I am worthy of a 50K+ comm +free car job, now I am 28 and cant get a 35K job, kinda sad too 😡

Pharm reps are the devil. Or maybe the devil's minions.
 
Pharm reps are the devil. Or maybe the devil's minions.
Big Pharm maybe evil with being just profit oriented, but usually pharm reps are the small guys, just trying to make a living, alot of them with science backgrounds and were pre-med. Probably best bet you can get salary, benefits and interestwise with a scientific degree.
Any better ideas?
 
I live in Galveston and so all the research/clinical jobs are basically no longer existent, and I have therefore resorted to waiting tables. How lame is that. Don't you know that's just the kind of experience every admissions committee wants?

It's so degrading to have spent so many years of your life to earn a degree (mine's in biology)and not be able to find a decent job.

I don't know, you'll probably do well transitioning to medicine; I recall the shock from going from negotiating & evaluating multi-million dollar deals for large firms to... applying hospital grade cleaner to a bed (as a clinical volunteer). And then putting sheets on the bed. And then wheeling the bed over to the pre-op area. And then repeating. For over 100 hours.

Guess both your experience & mine are good practice for starting at the bottom.
 
I don't know, you'll probably do well transitioning to medicine; I recall the shock from going from negotiating & evaluating multi-million dollar deals for large firms to... applying hospital grade cleaner to a bed (as a clinical volunteer). And then putting sheets on the bed. And then wheeling the bed over to the pre-op area. And then repeating. For over 100 hours.

Guess both your experience & mine are good practice for starting at the bottom.
Your case is different, all volunteer work is grunt work. What did you expect, be giving a white coat and be able to direct surgeons. Plus your work is Volunteering, meaning it was your choice, not a forced career needed for financing your life.

And yes, to the OP, it sucks having a bio degree and waiting tables, but its a temp. job. How old are you/ stats/etc... Btw, waiting tables is more common than you think for college grads as a transitioning job. Watch how much you will see more and more with this depressed economy.
 
Volunteer work may or may not be grunt work, have done quite a bit of it; specifically at community centers, academic environments (kids' school), and mentoring programs. Primary difference between clinical volunteer work and other volunteer work has been the attitude of the organization - non-profit organizations often have more of an understanding that managing unpaid volunteer is fundamentally different than running a business, that in order to retain volunteers, there needs to be more "back and forth".

The back and forth is that the volunteer does work, but the "manager" does more teaching than they would for a typical paid person, as the "compensation" of the volunteer consists of what they learn, rather than pay. This would not mean that a volunteer begins telling MDs how to behave, but it does mean that if a hospital wants to retain volunteers, it considers this; for example by requesting a short meeting with different healthcare persons (who are willing to do this) to provide 1 on 1 time with the volunteer to better understand the roles of different persons.

I don't know about bio jobs that may be available, but there are lots of majors that don't directly lead to a job -- what do you do with an english major? or liberal arts? One thought is customer service? Saw a sign in my area for telephone reps at a cable company starting at $12 an hour + sales incentives; I would rather do the telephone rep job than wait tables, others may disagree. No job will be "given" to you regardless of all those As in college; now's the time for spending many hours finding companies and responding to posted jobs in place of studying for exams. Just be prepared that the majority of companies you speak with won't even care if you have a college degree; smile and nod (and walk away) when they explain how college doesn't matter and those salary statistics you see on salary.com are meaningless in today's economy.
 
Top