Just got a B.S. in biology. What next?

Hiphoplives4eva

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Miami dade college/medical campus....cheapest PA school in the nation and you still get to sit for the boards. Pas r like the hottest growing field in the US. Two yrs of school and your practically a doc... Without having to deal with MCats, residencies or the step exams... And u can switch specialties. Nothing better:win:

:usure:
 

OneManGang

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i am a dual degree md/phd student at a mstp program in the country, about almost half way done(if you know what that means - its an NIH funded spot for about the top30-40 programs that provides you with full medical school tuition support and ~25k stipend support for each of your med and grad school years). its on average a 7.7 year program

if you are interested in either the medical or the scientific line, i can answer the questions. I sit on the admission committee as a student rep and I can evaluate your credentials with full anonymity if need be.

It is a long process to evaluate whether or not this is the career path that you want (same for just MD or PhD) but I would say its worth it and its never too late to start.

Im actually interested in MD/PhD....one thing ive always wondered though is this, if im gonna spend another 7.7 years out of the working force going to school, how well is the average MD/PhD eating once they start working? Also what kind of MCAT score and school are you at if you dont mind?
 

kash10003

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well as an MD/PhD you want to have a research career (and you have about 3-7 interviews during the day so they can make sure you are set on academia). As you know, research careers are not as lucrative as a clinical career. However, the biggest advantage is that, if you are highly certain that you want to be in academia, you will not have to deal with an ounce of debt (maybe you can even save up money) compared to MD doing academia.

my PI is also a MSTP graduate from WashU within the last 10-12 years and did his derm residency at an Ivy league institution in CT. I think when he started around a 150k stipend when he got his first real job (and I think at that point had a K award). Most of that comes from his clinical department. He has no problems living comfortably, and has more money now. Our lab his 2 R01s, everyone has written their own grants and works pretty well. I'm pretty sure he has broken the 200k per year mark now with 0 debt to pay back (which is a huge deal). He spends 4.5 days "in" the lab, 0.5 days in the clinic seeing patients like he wants to (which is a huge deal). He repeatedly gets offers from other bigger/prestigious academic institutions since he is productive and also from private clinics starting at 350-500k a year hovering around the mean of 400k (he doesn't look at those).

The PhD doesn't influence how much money you make once you are starting your career. However, if will get you to a faculty position faster. It will make you more attractive towards the residency spots in competitive areas and prestigious institutions. Most people aim at a "fast-track" research residency, either in IM (3 years clinic, 3 years research) or others (like 2+2 derm). So hopefully you can end up where you want to and have a greater control of your career.

In terms of a research career, go MD/PhD over PhD alone since you will really only spend 2/3 more years in it and get a lot more out of it.

If you want to make the big money quick, go MD and a state school to minimize debt.


As far as me, I am in a top30 institution (public school out of my home state). My stats are 3.8/3.85sci and 38 MCAT (14/12/12/N - no one gives a shyt about the science section). You want to go to a place where you can have the best training in your research interest (if you know it). I applied to 30 schools, interviewed at 27. Decided to no longer be in ny/philly since the cost of living there was just too much. Undergrad at columbia - graduated in 3 years doing math/chem - and did research for 2 years after that to see if the field was for me (which you almost need to do to get in nowadays). I did not buy a property with my MSTP stipend, even though that was the goal (market fluctuated too much and I was in a relationship that could have possible ended up in me settling down).

The average stats at our institutional MSTP is 3.8+/35ish (that is interviewed and accepted). Of course the range varies and shyt.
 

kash10003

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My thought process as I was graduating/graduated -


Use your on campus recruiting. If you go to a decent school, you should have great reps.

I started interviewing my 3rd (final) year of college. Going to school in NYC, finance was still popping until almost the exact time that I graduated. I had no business background but there were recruiters who wanted math-y people and screened giving exams.

I took a basic math test (80 questions in 8 minutes), its set up so you have to get 60qs right to get an interview. I think about 3-5% pass to the next round. I had no problems at that step and went on. They wanted me to train abroad in Europe for the series 7 on their expense, but I wanted to apply to med school so I declined even though the salary and bonuses should have topped me to 80-90k starting salary.

I kept looking, but the science jobs are hard to get in big cities since laboratories are not there. In the NJ/PA region, they are plentiful though, so after I graduated I sent shotgun resumes - about 1100 job applications.

The end result being 30-40 interviews about 10 job offers out of that. Most notables of which were at Baxter and some small generic drug company as a quality control chemist starting at 65k. Those jobs looking ridiculously horrible and would have made me hate my life. I honestly do not want a job that is a 9-5, I wanted something that would make me want to think about work 24 hours a day (my parents were physicians, so I was set on that mentality)

So I turned down all those jobs and kept at the research lab that I was volunteering with my own time. People noticed, it lead to a shytty 30k job but not as a lab tech. I was done with my MCAT/courses before I graduated, so I concentrated and really enjoyed the science. Ended up applying MD/PhD, and I was able to prove to people that I really thought about it (that's really all that I can say).
 

kash10003

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I agree on the above mentioned claims of being a PA. It depends on the state but you have great control over patient care and you definitely can be involved in traditional physician roles. You do go though almost a similar schooling procedure as far as subject matters go and probably a better quality of life/work balance.
 

kash10003

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If the #1 goal is money, go the route of dentistry, pretty sure they will be the highest paid group of people soon. People seem to enjoy it from what I can tell. There is an avenue of academic exploration in it as well, whether it is in technology, surgical procedure, oral commensal flora, pathogenic microbia, mucosal immunity, etc/etc.

don't forget to look at consulting either

i don't think mckinsey hires a lot of people just out of a BS in biological sciences but BCG, Bain, Booz and Accenture might take a shot if they are on your campus
 

OneManGang

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I'll read through this later. Workign on a paper for a course right now actually. But i can tell you off the bat with no shame, you are clearly way more qualified at this than i was when i graduated. Of course, im a much better student now than i was in undergrad, but your stats and your school you went to (Columbia) are lightyears ahead of me. One of the main reasons i even did grad school was to give myself a second chance so to speak. Your MCAT score is crazy too. 38 :why: Tbh med school isnt completely out of the equation for me, but my immediate goal right now is to graduate with my masters and apply to pharmacy school. I concur research looks good in any science field. Im working in a lab doing carbohydrate synthesis with antimicrobial applications. I appreciate the feedback though. Out of curiosity are you black? This is really where the community could come together and help each other advance.
 

kash10003

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Yea. being black or hispanic can help at some places, but it really depends on if your program is hurting for diversity. I would love to see more brothers (and just general diversity) in med school and I would like to point people in the right direction if they want. The Ivy League schools do a great job at recruiting us too.

I almost copy pasted the GPA/MCAT off our next interviewees. They are around 3.5-4.0 from 27 - 40. Centered on 3.8/35.7. The kid with a 27 literally swam his way out of Cuba and had Nature pubs.

I will say that I was at the bottom of the med school class during the first two years. My excuse being it was pass/fail and we don't rank, so I don't give a shyt but I straight up ran through undergrad with 0% effort. I got a 240 on my step1s, which is okay (above avg).
 

AITheAnswerAI

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Did you guys know that the Mcdonalds CEO has his BS in Electrical Engineering? and he's also a black man:

DonThompson_McDCEO.jpg


Don't let this whole "Well I got my degree in this area, so I can only do this" etc. fool you. Most places, if you're starting at the bottom, (which you probably are unless youre connected) only care that you have a degree...and that it's not in theater or some BS like that. I think this economy and how well you interview, are bigger indicators of getting a job in a field you want rather than your major.
 

kash10003

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Did you guys know that the Mcdonalds CEO has his BS in Electrical Engineering? and he's also a black man:

DonThompson_McDCEO.jpg


Don't let this whole "Well I got my degree in this area, so I can only do this" etc. fool you. Most places, if you're starting at the bottom, (which you probably are unless youre connected) only care that you have a degree...and that it's not in theater or some BS like that. I think this economy and how well you interview, are bigger indicators of getting a job in a field you want rather than your major.

i agree 100%. Interviewing is a big part but diligence in applying for those jobs is pretty big. Have a variety of resumes/CVs that tailor to those fields and take a shot. Its worth it.
 

Serious

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. I honestly do not want a job that is a 9-5, I wanted something that would make me want to think about work 24 hours a day (my parents were physicians, so I was set on that mentality)

:obama: Kash has to be realest cat on the-coli since VVD.

This my philosophy to a T breh. I can't just do a mundane job that I'm not passionate about. 9-5's will literally kill me. I consider myself an analytical thinker, sohh I a job where I can put my knowledge to the test. I want a job that I roll over in the middle of the night, and jot down new ideas.
 

Ace Money

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:wow: I feel as if Kash styled on me for no reason. :damn: I ain't ever did nothing to that cat. A 38 on the the MCAT? :noah: nikka came through and crushed the entire skyline.lol.
 
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