I'm not sure what field of science I want to go into.

[blackhole123]

Last year while taking AP chemistry I was all decided that I wanted to be a chemist. Now I'm taking AP biology, and I'm having second thoughts about my choice. I went to a lecture series during the summer where they had biologists talking about things like evolution and their research, and hearing all their stories about studying and collecting specimens in exotic places really got me going.

 

I've always been very interested in both subjects, and I'm just so torn. This mainly stems from a fear that biology may not be a practical field to get a job in. I don't want to a doctor or pharmacist, so I don't know what kind of job a chemistry degree would get. Lets say I go on to get my PhD for one of these, what jobs are available to me?

 

What is the most practical way to combine both of these fields? Biochemistry? Molecular biology?What exactly are these and what do they study/what kind of jobs do they have? Am I limited to some day just getting my PhD and then being a professor at a university somewhere?

 

The problem is, I'm not too interested in things like drug research for chemistry, and I don't want to spend my life in industry like a factory somewhere getting paid a lot but not doing anything meaningful (no offense to anyone with a job like that, it just doesn't appeal to me).

 

So how practical is a degree in biology? I heard its a lot harder to get a job since it is an easier course that is more memorization than smarts. I'd love a way to fuse the two fields and get more complex. I think if I could choose my future I would be a college professor like the one I saw this summer, who spends half the year teaching and the other half doing cool research. Ideally I would like to focus on chemistry but have it be related to biology.

 

Help me! I'm going into college next year!

[Zebbygoss]

Heh, noone can help you make up your mind. Just do college courses in as many sciences, maths, etc as you can... Then my friend you will find what is right for you.

 

Good luck

[iNow]

Heh, noone can help you make up your mind.

 

That's not true at all, zebbygoss. There are people who work in these fields who have studied these things who can offer their own insights and experiences. Sometimes hearing of the first hand experiences of others can impact our own decisons tremendously.

 

 

 

 

Blackhole - There are many things you can do. Since you are so interested in so many things, you have several options. I didn't decide what I wanted to study until I got through my 3rd year in college, and even then, I didn't know what I wanted to do when done. Sometimes, life "bounces" us into the right path, so don't fret.

 

Maybe some other members here who work in biology or chemistry can offer more solid examples of jobs, and talk about their experiences.

 

Good luck.

[CharonY]

So how practical is a degree in biology? I heard its a lot harder to get a job since it is an easier course that is more memorization than smarts.

 

First of all, do not assume that what you are learning at college will be anything like the real thing. It simply is not. Undergrad biology courses (unfortunately) tend to be a lot of memorization, though this is about true for all most other courses (I give a lecture in Chemistry atm, though I am a biologist). In the end, however, hardly anyone will care what courses you did. The only degree that is of some relevance is your PhD, where you did serious work on your own.

 

In terms of lab work, biology tends to be more practical than other disciplines which tend to have a better theoretic framework. But the simple truth is that there are simply less biology jobs out there than for the other disciplines. One of the reasons being the overlap with a number of more specialized ones, like e.g. pharmacology or biochemistry. An academic career is always very hard and risky, in all disciplines, and, in terms of money, usually less rewarding. Even in best of times the amount of PhDs eventually getting tenure (and I am talking about more than ten years after the PhD) tends to be around 20% at most (and I am of course not talking about top research universities).

 

Again, courses are really (unfortunately) not a good judge of what you really will be doing. Most if not all will probably agree that the real learning starts at the master or PhD thesis level.

That being said, with regards to non-academic biological jobs. As mentioned, there are often other disciplines that also occupy the same niche, so you do have to specialize the "correct" way as a biologist to be able to compete with them.

 

Typical jobs in companies can be roughly divided in sales, technical support, application specialists, R&D and product management. If you are e.g. interested into getting a job as appication specialist in a company that produces HPLC, make sure that your PhD thesis heavily utilises one (just as an example).

 

But do not make the mistake that if a course was easy (or hard) for you to pass that this will have any impact on that kind of job. Exams and courses just give a rough basic foundation, the real deal comes if you actually use and act upon the knowledge (and learn how to acquire information on your own quickly).

[Zebbygoss]

People can give you advise, and help you, but they cannot "choose" for you if you let them do that then you might find you dont like it after a few weeks of work. Running off other peoples experiences take the fun out of life..

 

Blackhole, lifes a journey, so dont listen to everything other people say to you.. Just do your studies and it will become clear..

[iNow]

I'm confused then. Should he listen to what YOU just told him?

[blackhole123]

Update: I'm 7 weeks into bio and I really don't like it. I just toured the chemistry department at the university I will be attending and I am definitely decided on chemistry now. Just a couple of questions directed to those who have taken chemistry courses.

 

Be honest, how hard is it? I took AP chem last year and now I have a whole year or forgetting it before I go to college next year. I won't be lost will I? I'm definitely planning on not having a life and spending most of my time with TAs figuring out homework.

 

Because I chose to take AP bio this year I have no experience with physics. I will have to take general physics at some point, how hard will it be for me with no physics background whatsoever?

 

It's kind of daunting to think that 4 1/2 years from now I will be going for my PhD if everything turns out as I plan.

[insane_alien]

chemistry shouldn't be too bad on you. also the basic physics courses they make you take are exactly what they sound like, basic. as long as you make sure you understand the method behind the topics then you'll be fine.

 

i'm not going for my PhD so i'm just going to graduate in 1 1/2 years. and technically, if i decided to graduate now, i would have a bachelors degree, which is very scary as i know just enough to know just how much i don't know

[blackhole123]

Well, I heard if you want to go into research then you pretty much have to have your PhD, and thats what I'm interested in.

 

What type of degree are you getting, BA or BS?

 

I'm also looking at the syllabus for undergrad chemistry, and my junior year I'm going to have to take 5 chemistry courses per semester.... There isn't enough time in the day!!! How is that possible?!

[insane_alien]

i'm going for my masters degree and its an engineering one so its a MEng.

 

its plenty possible, i've had 6 classes per semester till now. next semester is entirely project work though.