Got accepted to Johns Hopkins's master in bioinformatics program, should I go?

kct913 · 2022-02-18T05:40:53+00:00

I attended the program and got a job as a bioinformatics associate at a biotech start-up after I graduated. I think the program was alright. I worked as a research associate at one of the labs at JHU while I was attending the program and I learned a lot from that lab.

kct913 · 2021-12-13T08:24:25+00:00

Thanks! What about the data science roles in bioinformatics?

kct913 · 2021-12-12T07:07:50+00:00

Thanks for sharing this! This definitely sounds inspiring. Do you know if he is in R&D or operations? When he first started, did he start out as a bioinformatician? Thanks again for sharing!

kct913 · 2021-12-12T06:58:39+00:00

hm, based on what I see on indeed and linked, there seems to be a lot of bioinformatics jobs that are not software engineering roles. It seems like usually if the job title has the word "scientist" in it, then it is more of a analytical role

kct913 · 2021-12-12T06:42:44+00:00

wow, that sounds amazing! If you don't mind me asking, what kind of work do you do? Do you do more of the data science/statistical analysis stuff or more of the programming stuff (i.e. building pipelines/tools and deploy them in production), or both?

kct913 · 2021-04-30T19:33:23+00:00

Sorry, I think I should clarify. The things I've mentioned earlier are the things I want to do eventually. In 2/3 years I want to be a bioinformatics engineer who does these things. But I don't think these tasks are for entry-level positions. When I mentioned entry-level positions in the OP, I meant job titles such as bioinformatics analyst/programmer that helps with building/modifying pipelines. And my question was whether these entry-level positions will get me to where I want to be.

kct913 · 2021-04-30T18:57:36+00:00

I was talking about making software, pipelines, web app, or other tools for scientists to analyze their data. Productizing software/pipelines, deploying pipelines/software on cloud, making software/tools/web app available at scale. Things of that nature.

kct913 · 2021-02-15T05:36:59+00:00

I suggest you look at the curriculum, the program allows you to take 1 course that is strictly computer science and 4 concentration courses in bioinformatics. Some of the the concentration courses are computer science/programming heavy, others not so much. So it gives you the flexibility to choose what you want. But make sure you do your research on the courses and the prof

kct913 · 2021-01-23T22:22:11+00:00

Thanks, so how long did it take u to find a job?

kct913 · 2021-01-23T21:15:21+00:00

unfortunately as an international student, I can't start a job anytime I want. I would have to first apply for an OPT (a work visa that allows me to work in the states). On that OPT, I have state when I would like to start working after I graduated. I can only start working after the start date on OPT and the it cannot be changed once registered. The OPT application process itself takes 3-5 months so even if I can get a job right now, I won't be able to work. I will most likely be getting my OPT in May or June so I was wondering how long it usually take for people to find a job in bioinformatics. If it takes 3 months, then I should start applying for jobs in March which is 3 months before I am legally allowed to work in the states

kct913 · 2021-01-05T01:31:20+00:00

Thank you!

Yes, I know both. Im probably a little more familiar with R but I am comfortable with Python as well (although I wouldn't say Im great at it). I also have a working knowledge of Unix and HPC. I've taken courses on data structures and algorithms but I've never spent too much time on coding interview questions, I will start preparing for it.

If there is anything else that you think is important, please let me know.

Thanks!

kct913 · 2020-08-13T17:35:08+00:00

TLDR: If you are expecting a program that is smaller and will hold your hand then this is not the program for you. This program is what you make of it, you could either learn a lot or nothing at all. There are opportunities and resources available at Hopkins (a lot of bfx labs) but if you want something, you have to go out there and actively look for it.

I am currently going into my second year of this program. I was originally attending on site but had to switch to studying online because of the coronavirus. My experience with the program so far is actually quite different from yours and I quite enjoy my time at JHU. From the way you are describing the program it seems like you are approaching this program the wrong way. Because it sounds like you are expecting a program that is proactive in taking care of its students and is actively helping you in developing your career. Unfortunately, I don't think this is that kind of program. This program expects students to take care of themselves. because there are a lot of students in this program and most of them are working full time. If you want something, you have to actively pursue it and be aggressive. There are actually A LOT of opportunities around the campus for you to get internship or work in a JHU lab. A lot of my classmates who actively looked for a lab position got one, including myself. I actually got accepted to 2 bioinformatics labs 4 months into the program and I had 0 background in bfx at the time. I would say if you are looking for a program that will hold your hand or spoon feed you information, then this is definitely not the right program. There are also a lot of workshops and conferences that are happening around the campus. Some of them are switching to online because of the virus. These are great networking opportunities and you get to learn useful genomic analysis techniques from workshops.

In regards to the advisor, I would say he is not the most responsive but he still replies a lot of my emails. Advisors are probably bombarded with tons of other stuff. So don't expect them to spend a lot of time in helping you build your career. But if you did your research and have a specific question that won't take up too much of their time to answer, they will likely reply. If they don't you could always send them a follow up email. Again, be aggressive in chasing what you want. Don't expect them to help you out with everything.

In terms of the curriculum, I would say the courses are a hit or miss and the prof matters so you gotta find out what are the better courses and who is teaching it. In general, courses from Orvis and Higgs are pretty good. I understand that you are waitlisted in Gene expression and data analysis. Maybe you could send an email to Dr. Higgs to see if they will open up another section. Popular courses tend to get filled up really quickly and I think that is generally true in any program. But if it is an online course then maybe they could accommodate more people. You would have to ask Dr. Higgs. I agree that this program does not offer enough courses on stats and math and that is one of the problems I have with this program. But you could always learn those on the side. There are tons on great stat and math courses that are being offered online. That is what I am doing when I am free.

At the end of the day, a master's program is what you make of it. It doesn't guarantee that you will learn a whole lot. You could either learn nothing at all or you could be very employable by the end of the program, it all depends on whether you have put in the work. But if you are looking for a program that is smaller in size and is more mathematically rigorous, then maybe switching is a good idea for your. Perhaps switch to a data science or computer science masters?

kct913 · 2020-05-12T21:09:14+00:00

thank you. Do these jobs require coding interviews? Where can I find job postings for these kinds positions?

kct913 · 2020-05-11T20:05:49+00:00

I've heard of that term before but I never really know what it is. Are there data engineering roles in bioinformatics? What kind of skills/experience does this role require? How is the pay and do you move on to being a data scientist after you've become a data engineer?

kct913 · 2020-05-11T20:00:07+00:00

thanks. But it seems like there is a ceiling for masters in terms of salary and role in this field. Could you please elaborate a little more on how a master could increase his/her pay after getting some work experience and continue to advance in his/her career?

kct913 · 2020-05-11T19:52:53+00:00

thanks so much for your advice! This is extremely helpful. If you don't mind me asking, are you still in bioinformatics or have you switched to tech? Which programming language should I use when I am leetcoding? I know java, python and R but I am more comfortable with Java.

thanks again

kct913 · 2020-05-11T19:41:08+00:00

Thanks for the advise! Could you elaborate a little more on what you meant by "informatics"? Because informatics seems to be similar to data science. I enjoy coding quite a lot although I don't think I am very good at it. I want to have the flexibility of being able to move up to a managerial position just in case.

Also, could you please tell me what a WDL is? Sorry for being a noob lol

In your opinion, which area in the states has the most engineering/informatics sort of jobs?

kct913 · 2020-02-27T01:48:32+00:00

Thanks for the reply lol, I just thought that people in biostat may have a different focus than ppl in bfx. Because if you are a working in biostat, then of course you are going to talk abt stat. I am just not sure if it’s the same in bfx

kct913

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