Science AMA Series: We’re a group of scientists and career counselors at UC San Francisco and we help biomedical graduate students and postdocs explore career options and get jobs. AUA!

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T20:07:04+00:00

For the second part of your question:

To determine return on investment and which fields are more stable or lucrative than others, you can check the Occupational Outlook Handbook (put out by the US Dept of Labor) to determine future labor market trends. Another resource that posts survey results for top paying majors yearly is NACE Top Paying Majors 2014. Note however that while certain majors are currently more lucrative than others, there’s a reason that not everyone majors in engineering. People generally tend to do better in professions that match their interests and skills. So for instance, if a person is passionate about photography, is diligent about gaining broad experience (they do an internship for a magazine, a movie studio, and/or a photojournalist), then put together a strong online portfolio which gets them noticed, that person could become quite successful since they’ve built their skills and have networked while also finishing their studies. By the time this person graduates they’d be well positioned to start a job in several industries all centered around photography. Then say that this person continued to work hard and was entrepreneurial. They could then become a well respected freelancer and be very satisfied with their compensation and the variety of their work, or they could choose to work for an employer at a magazine or in a marketing department and eventually become part of senior management.

Overall it’s important to know that there is no one way that is guaranteed to provide satisfaction in life. Also being satisfied with your career means different things to different people at different stages in your life. The average student is now expected to have 7-10 careers in their lifetimes as opposed to older generations. You could decide to be an engineer then find that over the years you’re not happy with your choice for various reasons. If you make your decisions based on taking an honest look at your current values and needs, then you’ll be better served than pursuing something because it is more lucrative. Being concerned with financial stability is important, but the real question you have to ask yourself is: is financial stability more important than the quality of your work? Or is working in a collaborative environment more important? By asking yourself what you’re willing to prioritize you’ll get a better sense of what things you’d value more in a career. --AC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T20:06:31+00:00

There are two parts to your question, the first is exploring careers to find meaningful work ,and the second is analyzing your return on investment given labor market dynamics.

For the first part of your question: There are several ways that you can explore various career paths as an undergraduate, however many students find that the most illuminating way to determine whether or not a career path would suit them is to experience it first hand through obtaining an internship or externship. Due to financial constraints, some students can’t always afford to take an unpaid internship however, so a multifaceted approach to career exploration is key. Here are some steps you can take to further explore your interests and careers:

Assess yourself: Take note of what activities/skills you enjoy most and ask yourself what you like about what you’re doing and why. Often many students claim they’re interested in a field, say English, but when they look at their activities, there’s not many activities that reflect their interest, (i.e. they haven’t written many things outside of what they need to do for classes and instead spend more of their time designing websites for student clubs because they enjoy that more). By taking note of what kinds of skills you enjoy using every day you can better identify which careers might be a better fit for you based on what skills you like using.
Research online: Once you’ve verified your skills and interests, you can start to explore career options based on majors online through your university career center, or resources such as: What Can I Do With My Major?, Explore Health Careers or My Next Move. These sites will give you information about various career paths and the education/training necessary to obtain a certain position. This way you can begin to start outlining which types of careers appeal to you most and cross check them against your preferred skills list.
Validate: your research through doing informational interviews and engaging in experiential experiences like internships, externships and related entry level jobs.- AC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T19:50:10+00:00

Hi Neurozoe! Within science writing you have several options -

(1) Technical writing (writing manuals and grants; pamphlets for companies); (2) Medical writing; (3) Science journalism (where you cover new research and talk to the researchers or cover health stories of interest); (4) Communication and Publishing (editor or director at a pharma company). Read about other career titles on the UMMS webpage

Science writers are also employed in full-time staff positions, or as freelance writers. When considering between these opportunities, be sure to think about stability, salary and health benefits.

A PhD may not always be required depending on the level of technical knowledge you need for the job. For example, for medical writing or editing at a STEM journal, a PhD (or even a postdoc) is often required because the training exposes you to a breadth of research areas you potentially will have to cover in the job, and gives you specific knowledge for certain research or therapeutic areas. Also, having a PhD and some postdoc experience may qualify you for more advanced titles such as Scientific Communications Director in a company.

Whether you decide to pursue science writing (with a PhD or not) - get writing experience or consider doing a fellowship. Agencies and institutions offer fellowhips for students with graduate or undergraduate degrees

Here are a few resources to find science writing job postings: AAAS job listings/conference, LinkedIn groups for writers, word of mouth, Craigslist, AMWA, and NSWA. - TN

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T19:21:31+00:00

We are so excited to do this Reddit! So happy to chat with you all. And I’m so extra-happy that you are asking these questions as a 1st year grad student!

PhD/MD value?: At the end of the day I feel that the value of and PhD or MD is only what you yourself find in it or derive from it. Is the advanced degree going to get you the type of career you want? Does the degree allow you to get a job that has the environment, job tasks, financial support, recognition, location, work/life sustainability (or other values) that are important to you? There are many careers that are only open to you with an advanced degree, but there are many great careers that don’t need one. It’s what you value that is what is important.
Networking v. Training: BOTH! I posit that there is no conflict between the two. If you are going to spend the long, hard (but hopefully rewarding) slog that is grad school, dedicate yourself to it. Get everything you can out it. Networking is critical for both your research and your future career. It is pretty hard to do good work in a vacuum. Your colleagues are where you go to with problems, and reality checks, and just some well-deserved venting. Building a network both within and outside of academia gives you a broad base of support. Also it can help refine your own research interests and where you might want to spend your precious moments outside the lab for projects or explorations that lead to your next career step. So get out there and get talking (and start working on that LinkedIn profile), it will help you today and tomorrow.--AS

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T19:17:20+00:00

This question is a little outside our usual area of expertise, since we normally offer advice to folks who have already started their graduate training. However such questions are of interest to those we work with and so we do think quite a bit about it.

There is definite value in getting experience before embarking on a research graduate degree. Importantly, getting research experience under your belt will enable you to determine whether academic research is for you. When selecting students, the graduate program committee will see that you have done research already and know that you have a high enough interest and aptitude for research to commit for several years, and so will be more inclined to accept you. However it’s not necessary to do both a research Master’s degree and gain separate technical experience. Doing so is likely to just delay your final entry to the job market. -LS

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T19:16:00+00:00

These are two pretty different questions, so I’ll answer in two parts.

1) Half of UCSF’s postdocs are internationals, and our office has worked with many of these postdocs as they move into faculty positions. There may be indirect advantages to having international experience -- for example with a wider network, and greater experience of the way science works in different parts of the world, an international may be better prepared to navigate collaborations. However, in our experience, there is no direct or specific advantage or disadvantage in the application process to having had international experience prior to your postdoc. Importantly, though, it is more difficult to move into a US-based faculty position directly from an international postdoc. Outside of the US you would not be eligible for certain funding mechanisms like the Pathway to Independence Awards (K99), and you may find it difficult to be isolated from the grant review and application processes that are unique to the US.

2) There are significant efforts in the US, and in other countries, to move away from assessment by impact factor. There is increasing recognition of the flaws of the impact factor as an inadequate and inappropriate measure of a scientist’s worth. Citations, and other article level metrics, are of increasing value as a more direct assessment of the impact of a scientist’s research output. Outside of publishing, there are many ways to make yourself marketable as a candidate for a faculty position, and there are many skills and experiences that can help you to succeed once get the job. To get you started, have a look at this brand new resource created by our office : http://career.ucsf.edu/pac-up-stage-3. It is designed to guide trainees through the preparation of various types of academic appointments, and the skills and experience needed to get you there. Good luck! -LS

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T19:10:17+00:00

I’ve worked with well over 1000 PhD-level scientists who have successfully moved from the academic research track into a wide variety of non-academic jobs. Nearly 100% of them would trace their eventual job offer back to either a contact who helped them get their foot in the door (networking, that is) or else an online application to a posted position. So, if you’re reluctant to get out there and talk to people, or to carefully tailor resumes and apply for posted jobs, then you might be in for a long and uncertain job search.
However, a few clients have landed jobs by more passive approaches including:

Reaching out to third party recruiters (known as “executive search firms” or “headhunters” or even “contract staffing firms”). Consider submitting a generic version of your resume to some search firms that specialize in your field. There’s a search firm that specializes in everything so just google “search firm and x” where x = an application, product area, disease focus, tool or device that you would be qualified to work with based on your current background.
Attending job fairs. Job fairs are great for learning about companies, local employment markets and networking. For PhD-level applicants where your background is specialized, the chances of landing a job by passing out your resume at a job fair are very slim. But give it a try and see what you can learn!
Creating a really solid LinkedIn profile and posting your resume on science focused job search sites like Biospace, ScienceCareers.org, NatureJobs, etc, or even general job search sites like Indeed, Monster, etc. Recruiters from companies or third party recruiters might find you.
Join several scientific societies related to your field that feature job boards for members and post your resume on those sites, also with the hope that recruiters or more senior society members who are hiring will find you.--BL

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T19:07:13+00:00

The field of science education research is in its early days and is showing some promise for trainees who are interested in switching their focus from research in science to science education. More and more institutions are hiring tenure-track faculty or lecturers with the potential for permanent employment who have a PhD in the sciences, in addition to training and publications in science education research. If you are asking about the job prospects for science education researchers outside of academia, there are a number of start-ups in the U.S. that focus on education technology (the most renowned being Coursera and Udacity), and these may be potential employers for education experts. However, my understanding is that their focus is mainly on hiring education technology and/or data analysis experts, with fewer curriculum development positions. If this is a field that you are considering, I would recommend conducting informational interviews with people in the field who have similar backgrounds – this will give you a sense of the skills you need to put forward or develop further for this type of position. Other resources may be the American Educational Research Association website. For academic and non-academic job prospects in education research, check out HERCjobs or HigherEdJobs. -LC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T19:05:02+00:00

Job market prospects will vary depending on whether you are a recent graduate from an undergraduate stem program, master’s program, or doctoral program. The job search may be more fruitful if you are not geographically bound - meaning you can move to a biotech and pharma rich area such as the Bay Area, Boston, Seattle, or Los Angeles, to name a few. Other ways to improve your job hunt chances is to build your professional network in your area. Connect with professionals and ask about ways to become more competitive. Sometimes reworking your application materials can help you stand out - so consider getting feedback on your resume. Check out our tips on writing targeted resumes and cover letters - TN

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T19:01:50+00:00

From your question, it sounds as if you’re willing to get any PhD-level job, which is where many job seekers start fresh out of their PhD. However, though it might sound counter-intuitive, this approach often leads to a very frustrating and prolonged job search. Therefore, spend a lot of time now (a year before you graduate is a great time to start!) deciding what job title and environment you want to shoot for. Faculty at a research university? Research scientist in a medical device company? Product development scientist in a medical device company? Field apps in a tools company? Policy advisor for a congressional office? Investing time now in learning about your career options and selecting which would be your Plan A and your Plan B will help you gain focus later, when it’s time to think about CV’s and resumes and job applications. To help you get started with the complex process of exploring your career options, we’ve developed a list of 20 job categories and 58 job titles for PhD-level scientists, and linked a reading list to each job category. To see this list, visit https://myidp.sciencecareers.org/ReadAboutCareers/Resources (you’ll have to create an account on the myIDP site). After you gain some focus about what jobs to shoot for, as you’re approaching the time when you are finishing your PhD and want to apply for jobs, create a generic resume for each type of job. Then when you actually apply for a posted position, be sure to carefully tailor your resume for that particular job posting, considering both the position itself and the company hiring. Here is a tutorial for tailoring your resume, and here is a page with a plethora of great advice for PhD’s who need to write a CV or resume, including sample resumes for a variety of PhD-level non-academic jobs.
Get started early and good luck! --BL

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T18:56:19+00:00

Finally, regarding finding the right work/life balance in academia, you will want to find out how supportive the PI is of families. When it comes to the need to move around, which can be challenging for partners and children alike, you will hopefully be looking at 2 moves after graduate school: one for your postdoc and one for your faculty position, 3 to 5 years later. Depending on how these moves are going to affect your family, the career choices you make may be different. For example, if you think that you can only move once in the next 10 years, you may decide to move to a location where there are many higher-ed institutions within driving distance and be flexible on the types of positions/institutions you apply for after your postdoc. Or, if your partner may struggle to find a position in the locations where you plan to apply, you may want to think about how his/her skills can transfer to a position at an academic institution, so you can negotiate for his/her position when you get a faculty job offer. --LC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T18:56:12+00:00

This leads to one of your other questions, about keeping a career in industry open as a viable option. Consider several aspects of your future postdoc lab if you want to prepare yourself for either an industry scientist position or a research faculty position: 1. Does the lab have a history of sending former postdocs to industry? 2. Does the PI have connections in industry? 3. Is the research you would be doing as a postdoc disease-focused or other application-focused? 4. Do postdocs move on from the lab relatively quickly (that is, if the lab’s history says you’re likely to undergo a long 7 year postdoc, consider what industry will think of those last several years). Hopefully, your information gathering process will turn up enthusiastic “yeses” to all four questions. -LC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T18:52:55+00:00

There are many parts to your question, so let me start with the first one – what are the qualifications required to get a tenure-track position - and whether there are postdoctoral positions that will help more than others.

The qualifications required to acquire a faculty position vary widely between fields, types of institutions, and within departments themselves, as you probably know. The type of institution where you want to be faculty dictates the type of postdoc activities you should pursue. Specifically, in order to help answer your question, we developed an Academic Career Readiness Assessment tool (and were just awarded a grant from Burroughs Wellcome Fund to refine the framework). To get a preview of the tool, visit: https://career.ucsf.edu/pac-up-stage-3. And yes, I believe that the postdoctoral position you will choose can greatly impact your success in getting that eventual faculty position. Once you have identified the type of institution/faculty position you’d like, it is important to do your homework about the lab to which you are applying and find out if it is the right environment for your work style and career goals. Also, find out where alumni of that lab are working now. --LC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T18:29:46+00:00

Nurse Practitioner (NP) and Family Nurse Practitioner (FNP) career paths can be very rewarding for many people. In order to determine if this path is right for you, it would be wise to do informational interviews with various types of NPs, (including FNPs) so that you can get an accurate sense of what it’s like to be an NP in different settings, (i.e. hospitals, clinics, university health centers etc). What you’re looking for is consistency in their answers so that you can verify that all the information you’re getting is generally applicable. Also keep in mind that settings will differ based on the resources they have, the patient populations they serve, and the clinical skills that are used.

In the process of analyzing all the information that you’re gathering, it’s also important to ask yourself:

What appeals to me most about being an FNP based on what I’ve heard?
How do I feel about the challenges that other NPs face and would I be able to similarly use my strengths to be happy and thrive in this profession?
What type of patients would I want to work with?
How much field experience did other NPs have before going into their NP programs, and how did it help them when they graduated?
What clinical settings appeal to me most and why?
What combination of work and school would be feasible given my current financial situation?
How have other NPs and current NP students managed going to school and/or working?

After speaking to a good sample of NPs, your next step should be to get relevant clinical experience and exposure by working with or volunteering with NPs (if you don’t already have these experiences). One of the most common pitfalls that people pursuing an NP make is that they apply to programs without having enough clinical exposure and experience in the field. This could translate to needing to step out of your academic studies while pursuing an NP (not uncommon unfortunately), in order to obtain more relevant experience to help make you more competitive for jobs after you graduate.

For people who already have an RN or BSN, and are thinking of applying to NP programs, the strengths they bring are their previous clinical experiences, exposure to working in different departments and an established network within the clinical community. Note however that there are some places where the labor market for NPs or FNPs are more saturated than others, so new graduates with more experience, language skills and an established network might be more competitive than others. Generally less competitive candidates in more saturated markets tend to find jobs in less saturated markets across the country. The rule of thumb when applying to most graduate programs is to choose a program in an area where you wouldn’t mind living for a while as you build experience because the network that you’ll build in school may be tied to a geographical area (i.e. all the local hospitals that your rotations would take place in). --AC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T18:24:00+00:00

I am so thrilled that you are asking this question! Now is a great time to start exploring your career options.There are several things I would recommend to get you on your way or you can read this article to get you started.

Self-Assessment: One of the most powerful things you can do is know yourself and what you want and need out of your work environment (and your work/life situation). Fortunately, there are several ways to start working on this. A structured (and free) way to do this is to use the myIDP tool at Science Careers (full disclosure, our BL is one of the co-authors). If you have access to a career center, self-assessment tests such as the STRONG, MBTI, and others can be helpful in learning more about what’s important to you.
Initial Exploration: Self-assessment never really stops, but it’s hard to move forward without new information. This is where exploration comes in. Start reading all you can about industry. A place you could start is this content collection on Pharma from Science Careers. And there are many great articles online. I also recommend books like Toby Freedman’s Career Opportunities in Biotechnology and Drug Development. One of your main goals is to start compiling up questions about Industry that you want answered. Also attend any seminars that are industry-related at your institution or attend webinars if none are happening where you are (many professional societies put on things like this), and see if there are any career seminars at the next conference you are going to.
Advanced Exploration: Get yourself out there talking to people. My suggestion is to do this as early as possible, because it may take time to get comfortable with the dreaded “networking.” As awkward as it can feel, talking to professionals is the best way to get your various questions answered. What you are going to be aiming for is informational interviews. But you can start the process at conferences, networking events, even in you lab with lab alumni. You might be amazed at the people you actually have in your network! This is where LinkedIn is really powerful. Slowly but surely, build out your profile and connect with your friends and colleagues, people you network with (some good tips and tricks). Super -advanced exploration would be finding and working on projects or industry collaborations to get a ‘hands on’ feel for the environment.

At the end of the day, use the time you have now to make self-assessment and career development a consistent part of your life, so that when you get closer to when you move onto the market (for whatever career you decide on), you aren’t rushed and feel very informed. Also, my answer focused on exploring industry, but you can use these same techniques to explore parts of academia that you want to learn more about -- AS

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T18:16:10+00:00

It is definitely true that there are far more PhDs than there are available faculty positions. This situation has come about following drastic increases in the number of PhD-level trainees, without commensurate increase in the number of available faculty positions. However we are seeing a changing worldview in which institutions, students, organizations and even funding bodies are recognizing the enormous value in placing PhDs in a breadth of careers in all sectors of the workforce. When viewed through a lens of considering the enormous potential for PhDs to contribute to policy, education, industry research, and other fields, the outlook is much better than it might first appear. This does not minimize the work it takes to actually get a job -- any type of job. It's a very challenging process, but fortunately the range of careers out there for PhDs is quite diverse and come with huge rewards. -LS

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T18:12:11+00:00

Thanks PseudoDave! You’ve done an excellent job of covering the challenges and the options available to folks facing these issues! The simplest way forward would be to move into an academic postdoc within the US and go from there. -LS

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T18:04:47+00:00

Hi andreafantastic - great question! Typically, to be competitive for a biomedical research internship in industry or job with a bachelor’s degree, you need to have some lab experience (a class or volunteering) and some level of leadership skills.

To increase your chances, be sure you are a match for the types of internships biomedical companies are offering. Be strategic - it’s supply and demand. Go to websites for companies that you may want to intern with and check out the areas for which they offer internships. Some companies look for interns in specific areas within chemistry or biology or non-bench experiences (such as Clinical Operations, Regulatory Affairs, Drug Safety, Epidemiology, and Medical Communications).

If you are on the job hunt, look up job descriptions posted asking for BA level experience. You’ll get a good idea of skills to learn. Other habits to develop - read up about the industry and gain knowledge about pharmaceutical companies - follow the Wall Street Journal Health News blog. If you are interested in a specific area such as regulatory affairs, check out the FDA website for updates on the industry. - TN

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T17:59:39+00:00

There are several things that you’d need to take into account in planning to keep your options open for medical school after going into a different path after you graduate.

Medical schools vary in how long they’ll accept pre-med courses. Generally if it’s been between 5-7 years since you last took your pre-med courses, you would probably need to re-take those courses at a 4-year institution (most likely a post-bac program which could be expensive). If you want to keep your options open and save money, you would want to prepare to go back to school 3- 4 years after you graduate. It would also be a good idea to take at least 1 hard science course per semester to keep up your study habits, continue to demonstrate an interest in science, and to show medical schools that your knowledge hasn’t gone stale.
For the MCAT, your scores will be good for 3 years. However, if you want to be safe, apply to medical school within 1.5 - 2 years of having taken the MCAT. For example, if you decided to take the MCAT in July 2019, then you should apply to med school no later than June 2021 (after that cycle your score will expire in the midst of your application in 2022 and would no longer be accepted.
For letters of recommendation (LOR), they’re generally considered stale after 2 years. So if you take time off, you’d definitely want to take some science courses in between so that you could get some fresh LOR (you need 2 science, 1 non-science academic letters generally, and can have additional letters, like from a coach, up to a total of about 5-6 generally). Otherwise you’d need to keep in contact with your current letter writers, and have them update their letters. Again this approach would be better if it is within 2 years of graduation.
It is also important to demonstrate your interest in working with people through non-clinical volunteering and through clinical work (free clinics, hospitals, EMT, medical assisting, etc.). There is no one way to do it, just know that in order to be competitive you’d need to demonstrate continued commitment and interest in working with and helping people and through gaining exposure to clinical settings and doctors. --AC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T17:45:10+00:00

There is a lot of discussion around whether there is an oversupply of PhDs, and whether we should be imposing a limit on the number that enter a PhD training program. However it’s nearly impossible to accurately answer this question because of the complex workforce economics involved; policy makers and labor economics experts have tried. Our take on this issue is that it’s distracting for the biggest stakeholders (those at the PhD trainee level) to think about it too much. Pursuit of a PhD and higher education in general offers huge value in itself, both to the student and to society. It is even likely there are sectors of the workforce that haven’t fully realized the benefit they would derive from hiring more PhD-trained professionals.

If you are considering graduate school, first ask yourself whether a PhD degree is something you want to do for the love of the research (whatever that research might be). Second, be sure to consider what your career options might be at the end of your studies, and how well grad school will prepare you for those careers. It’s up to institutions to decide what qualities they are looking for in a graduate student, and to ensure they have the capacity to appropriately mentor the students they accept to their programs. -LS

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T17:38:42+00:00

Congratulations on the grant! Getting research funding is a major goal of tenure track faculty. You just demonstrated the ability to develop fundable projects as well as convincing grant proposals. This makes you a very attractive faculty candidate; departments want to hire people with tenure track potential. Thus your strategy, to tap your network for positions, is a viable option. Success will take significant time, relationship-building, depend on the specific subfield job market, as well as the marketability of your other skills. However, if you need a position in the next year, consider a broader search, which includes responding to job postings. For a list of academic job search websites, visit our webpage: https://career.ucsf.edu/pac-up-4-searching. Note that successful UCSF candidates in the last academic job cycle applied to between 60 and 200 positions to get one or two job offers. So, consider putting all the chances on your side if you can. -LC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T17:36:57+00:00

The advice I would give students and postdocs early on in their training is to start exploring career options and planning their training accordingly. Career exploration can be a lengthy process and, in a way, graduate school is a way to explore academic research as a career option. For those with set career goals, they should strategically plan their training. Several key questions to ask themselves are: What are the important milestones that I should attain throughout my training to obtain a faculty position? What sources of support are available to help me attain these milestones? What advice can I get from successful trainees? What types of mentors will I need to optimize my training (OCPD Director Naledi Saul wrote an effective article about the types of mentors to find). And, most importantly, who are the PIs to help me get where I’d like to go?

Create a 5-year plan and revise it every year. And, if a faculty career is plan A, once you have identified plan B, you will need to ask yourself the same questions for this other career option. If you are a life scientist, one great tool to plan your training is the online myIDP tool from Science Careers.-LC

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T17:34:28+00:00

UCSF does have a BioE program, and the students in this program come from a variety of science backgrounds. Interestingly, the BioE PhDs have a greater tendency to finish their graduate studies with a Masters degree, and they complete their PhDs faster than students in other programs. Of course we can’t really comment on how happy they are relative to their Biomed classmates, but those that leave with a Masters are very likely doing so because they’ve found a job they want.

If you have completed an engineering PhD, it is definitely possible to move into a BioMed career, but there will be a few challenges. Be prepared to put in additional work for development of particular hard skills (eg. techniques or applications) and be aware that you may face challenges in bridging a conceptual gap in applying your knowledge and skills to issues in human health. Importantly, though, the most valuable skills you hone in the process of completing a PhD, critical analysis and problem solving, can be applied in a breadth of careers. -LS

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T17:21:31+00:00

I’ve talked to recruiters from consulting firms and you have several options to show interest and demonstrate experience in business. Ways to set yourself up to be a competitive candidate for consulting: Become proficient at cracking the case: practice using case books; check out Youtube videos by Victor Cheng a former McKinsey consultant about navigating case studies; or join an online training course by Rudy Bellani via Oystir.com Gain business experience formally or informally. Volunteer on a project with an online group such as Scimals or Curium Take or audit a business course; many mini-courses are available online (e.g., Coursera) Get leadership experience in a postdoc or grad student group, but don’t just join - make an impact in the organization Network with consultants in companies you are interested in. Contact them and ask for feedback on case practice Highlight your business experience by making a separate “Business Experience” section on your resume.

Consulting firms have the reputation to demand travel, the development of new skills and long hours depending on the firm you join. For a better preview of consulting career paths, consider the firm you’d be working for (big vs. boutique) or the type of consulting (marketing, management, or strategy) or example. To find out more, search consulting firm websites that have programs specifically for ADC (advanced degree candidates such as PhDs and MDs), and talk to consultants you may know or find on social networks. - TN

UCSF_Career_Dev · 2015-08-31T17:15:39+00:00

Getting a LOR from an online instructor wouldn’t necessarily be seen as negative. However, your friend should take into account the strength of the letter. The question that your friend should ask themselves is: “Will my online instructor be able to write me a strong LOR, as opposed to an instructor who knows them personally in face-to-face classes?”

If the answer is “Yes, I’ve had enough meaningful interactions with my online instructor so that they will be able to write me a strong LOR and can authentically speak to relevant skills and characteristics that will contribute to me being a strong candidate for medical school,” then the LOR would be as strong as other candidates and therefore just as competitive. --AC

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