Year off: what to do?

[nateholman]

Man, I just made a tough decision to defer for a year from the med school I was accepted to. I spent like an hour just staring at the "send" button on my email account! Anyway, I think I am going to get a job at a research lab for the gap year and was wondering what sort of salary I should be looking for? I have a biology degree and really have no idea what the going rate is. Any tips? Any other job suggestions? I am open to anything...my life is totally without structure for the next year as of this moment. Thanks!!

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[Isoprop]

Man, I just made a tough decision to defer for a year from the med school I was accepted to. I spent like an hour just staring at the "send" button on my email account! Anyway, I think I am going to get a job at a research lab for the gap year and was wondering what sort of salary I should be looking for? I have a biology degree and really have no idea what the going rate is. Any tips? Any other job suggestions? I am open to anything...my life is totally without structure for the next year as of this moment. Thanks!!

a little over minimum wage. maybe 10$ an hour starting? there are way too many bio grads on the market.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

My advisor told me and others to not accept anything under 33K.

 

[154465]

You can work at a gas station for 8.50 an hour. Careful though, cause apparently you need experience, or else they wont hire you.

 

[Isoprop]

My advisor told me and others to not accept anything under 33K.

when did you last talk to your advisor. there's a huge influx of bio grads this summer. maybe 33k b/c of debt load, but you'd better have experience to be making 16$ per hour starting.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

when did you last talk to your advisor. there's a huge influx of bio grads this summer. maybe 33k b/c of debt load, but you'd better have experience to be making 16$ per hour starting.

me??

sophomore year...and yeah I have 2 years of experience

 

[Isoprop]

me??

sophomore year...and yeah I have 2 years of experience

sorry i don't mean you personally. i mean generally speaking, you should have lab experience to be making "big bucks" as a bio grad in a research lab.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

sorry i don't mean you personally. i mean generally speaking, you should have lab experience to be making "big bucks" as a bio grad in a research lab.

damn...when was 33K considered big bucks...grrr

 

[chinamazing]

Man, I just made a tough decision to defer for a year from the med school I was accepted to. I spent like an hour just staring at the "send" button on my email account! Anyway, I think I am going to get a job at a research lab for the gap year and was wondering what sort of salary I should be looking for? I have a biology degree and really have no idea what the going rate is. Any tips? Any other job suggestions? I am open to anything...my life is totally without structure for the next year as of this moment. Thanks!!

Are you in Utah still? I work at molecular path. lab in Salt Lake city and get paid a tad bit under $20 an hour. You can work as an unregistered med tech or just as a lab tech but watch out for those labs that would have you washing glassware and doing meaningless stuff for 12-13 bucks an hour. Enjoy your gap year and in case you're a fan, GO JAZZ! what a game today (sorry Laker fans)

 

[Isoprop]

damn...when was 33K considered big bucks...grrr

haha 33k is actually a pretty decent living for starting salary. you can actually afford a (used) car and to eat out once in a while if you live in the right area.

i guess i have a different perspective since i used to be dirt poor.

 

[ChubbyChaser]

haha 33k is actually a pretty decent living for starting salary. you can actually afford a (used) car and to eat out once in a while if you live in the right area.

i guess i have a different perspective since i used to be dirt poor.

damn gf is too expensive!!!

 

[SaveThisLabRat]

Masturbate.

I'm sorry, I never really have any good constructive advice.

 

[wisconsindoctor]

My advisor told me and others to not accept anything under 33K.

Tell that to the loser college graduate that recently asked if s/he should take a $7/hr job.

 

[BabyJ]

I make 28K+ but I am only going to be in this lab for a few months so I took a discount. Low 30's seems about fair. Working in a research lab = low to no stress whatsoever.

 

[CarlyM]

I know that most labs in the Boston area start around $30K. Looks like I'll be living in Mission Hill...

 

[Kaustikos]

when did you last talk to your advisor. there's a huge influx of bio grads this summer. maybe 33k b/c of debt load, but you'd better have experience to be making 16$ per hour starting.

I figure it's how you sell yourself and WHERE you want to work, honestly. Right now I'm working at Lilly in investigative tox getting 16/hr and I don't have that great of experience. I imagine that getting more wouldn't be too difficult, the only problem being you have to sign a contract. Mine required no contract .

If this were going to be something I would seriously consider, 16/hr would not be the salary I would want. Sure, it's manageable (I have enough money to pay bills and save money) but it's still low. Really low.

 

[kami333]

Are you in Utah still? I work at molecular path. lab in Salt Lake city and get paid a tad bit under $20 an hour. You can work as an unregistered med tech or just as a lab tech but watch out for those labs that would have you washing glassware and doing meaningless stuff for 12-13 bucks an hour. Enjoy your gap year and in case you're a fan, GO JAZZ! what a game today (sorry Laker fans)

And I thought my gf making $15 had it good
(I make under $12, but I still make more than the post-docs)