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WHAT IF YOU DON'T GET IN? (alternative careers in biology)
- Thread starter kelpy
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Surely you wouldn't give up on being a doctor after not getting in once. If you are really passionate about the medical field, you'll keep applying until you do. If you don't get in, do something that will improve your application for the next cycle.
Now, if this thread was about not making it through med school, then it'd be a whole new can of worms. But giving up before you've even applied (or completed the application process) tells me that you don't really want to be a doctor in the first place.
Now, if this thread was about not making it through med school, then it'd be a whole new can of worms. But giving up before you've even applied (or completed the application process) tells me that you don't really want to be a doctor in the first place.
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If you want to get into medschool, barring mental ******ation.. you WILL get in. Maybe not a US allopathic school, but it depends on how bad you want it and what you're willing to go through to do it.
Outside of academia, you have extreme versatility with a PhD...you can work in industry, government, law, journalism, and so forth. The amazing part about being a life scientist at this time is that we are amidst a scientific revolution. In April, the human genome sequence was finalized opening up opportunities in genomics and bioinfomatics. The scientific community needs people who can sit behind a computer to mine through this database, and someone who can design a DNA microarray. To look beyond DNA, you have proteomics. Then, you can take the research from these fields and apply them to medicine opening up an even greater field of study.
kelpy, if the unfortunate circumstance leads you to pursue a career as a scientist, don't fret. Be passionate about it and you will be successful.
kelpy, if the unfortunate circumstance leads you to pursue a career as a scientist, don't fret. Be passionate about it and you will be successful.
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kindergarten teacher
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Hey how about forensic work like the people on CSI. I love that show but I don't know what degree you need to work as a CSI though....
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OH MY GOD!! I love that show too! 😀
Wouldn't mind doing the stuff they do on the show, but sadly, don't know what degrees/skills/training is necessary or where to even begin to look.
I always dreamed of joining the FBI and have a shiney badge. 😀
Wouldn't mind doing the stuff they do on the show, but sadly, don't know what degrees/skills/training is necessary or where to even begin to look.
I always dreamed of joining the FBI and have a shiney badge. 😀
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from what i gather (based on friends interested)...you can do some lower level forensic work with just a bs in lifesciences/chem or whatever..but to be the person they talk to...it seems those people are forensic pathologists....which could be phd OR md i believe...
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I believe you have to be a forensic pathologist to be a medical examiner, but some other positions may require only a masters or B.S. degree.
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you only have to be elected to be coroner, though!
Well, in GA anyway...
-X
Well, in GA anyway...
-X
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In TX, Forensic Science is a Masters, very competetive.
E
ebaydove
If you dont get into a US medical school, dont give up. You should seriously porsue your dreams in an international medical school. But you should only consider this, if you're really serious, and if youre able to put up with a few hurdles. It;s not impossible, so dont just suppress your dream and go into some alternative career, where you'd be miserable...
there are some great universities that have very good educational systems/standards, where you could get just as good an education as in the USA. So look around, and consider these options, before you give up. The ideal areas would be the european schools, Stgeorges, or Guad. The Euro schools and there are quite a few, should be your first option, as theyre the most solid..... atleast, in the past, theyve been most credible...
there are some great universities that have very good educational systems/standards, where you could get just as good an education as in the USA. So look around, and consider these options, before you give up. The ideal areas would be the european schools, Stgeorges, or Guad. The Euro schools and there are quite a few, should be your first option, as theyre the most solid..... atleast, in the past, theyve been most credible...
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I work for a couple of pathologists. As one of the residents who came through our lab said, "Pathology is the best kept secret in medicine.". When the time comes for you to choose a specialty, remember this thread and look into Pathology, it rocks. I want a specialty with more patient contact but I can't deny that this would be a fun specialty, they know everything about everything.
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It is easier to get into Ph.D. programs than to get into medical school. The best way to do it is to pick a target area of research that you really want to do and that you know something about (the more you know about it, the better). Then go to the NIH website and search for people who have grants doing that kind of research, and go to PubMed and see if they have a long history of publications (the more, the better). Then contact those professors and see if they can take a grad student. If they can, apply to that graduate school. The big-name schools are hard to get into. But you can have a good grad school experience even if it is not a big-name place, as long as you have a good mentor.
If you don't have very good grades and GRE scores, your best bet will be to find a good mentor in a little-known grad school.
But it's really important that the mentor has a grant, or at least has an excellent track record of having continuous funding. If not, you might find yourself without funding in a couple years, and that's a problem. Not insurmountable, but a problem.
If you don't have very good grades and GRE scores, your best bet will be to find a good mentor in a little-known grad school.
But it's really important that the mentor has a grant, or at least has an excellent track record of having continuous funding. If not, you might find yourself without funding in a couple years, and that's a problem. Not insurmountable, but a problem.
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Oh yeah, about career prospects:
You won't be unemployed as a Ph.D.
You might not get to do exactly what you want, but you will be able to get work in something moderately interesting at least.
You won't be unemployed as a Ph.D.
You might not get to do exactly what you want, but you will be able to get work in something moderately interesting at least.
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Ditto, except maybe I'll go high school or community college.
