Love science but dislike research. Give me career advice.

I would strongly suggest becoming a teacher.

Josh Hamilton's Addiction wrote:

I would strongly suggest becoming a teacher.

^ this

Step 1: Get a job with a consulting company. There are plenty of them out there and they always want smart people. The fact that you are a science major is in your favor. The fact that you like consuming knowledge created by others rather than creating knowledge is a strike against you so just don't mention this.

Step 2: Get to know as many people and as many companies as you can during your first 3-4 years consulting.

Step 3: Pick one.

LRC's Your welcome.

You like to read old books but you hate thinking for yourself? Preacher it is!

Former science teacher wrote:

Josh Hamilton's Addiction wrote:

I would strongly suggest becoming a teacher.

^ this

^^ Double this.

In case you don't know, as a teacher you get summers off!!!!!!!!!!!!

vw wrote:

You like to read old books but you hate thinking for yourself?

That's about the most ridiculous interpretation one could make of what I said without being completely nonsensical.

Was this a weak attempt at a teacher bashing thread?

Second the teacher part, or even becoming a technical science writer. You might consider a law degree and becoming a ~patent lawyer or get into business like pharmaceutical sales, which requires a lot of technical knowledge on what you're saling.

For what it's worth, I got my Master's and decided to stop there because I realized I LOVE working in the lab and wanted to do the work of the PI. I get paid more than someone with a ~B.S. such as yourself, but I don't have the responsibility and expectations of someone with a PhD. I'm more marketable and a ~cheaper hire than someone with a PhD. There are always jobs available to work in a lab, esp. academia, as long as the PI you work for is well-funded. It's not something you do for the money, but rather because you enjoy it and it allows you to have a life outside of the lab.

What part of "dislike research" did you not understand?

It must be really nice to not have ambition. I honestly wish I could be happy like that.

I'll secong science writer or science journalist. Society needs to understand medicine, science, and the importance of the findings of new important research. This way, you get to learn (consume) the science and distill it correctly for the public consumption.

What don't you like about research? I personally didn't love being in the lab (found it tedious and boring) but liked trying to figure stuff out and getting answers to questions. I did go the PhD route and now am a clinical researcher in Pharma, making much better money than my friends in academia.

There are a lot of science careers to be had that don't involve bench research, but getting a PhD is still the path to a lot of these jobs.

You should just hang out and have sex with hot chicks.

that's crazy man. I loved both! I cant believe you don't like the actual discovery part of science. Science IS research. As you aptly put, you like consuming science. I/m happy to hear that. All this said I was in your shoes 5 years ago but I decided to go to med school. I second the teaching option and pharma/ medical device sales.

Former science teacher wrote:

Josh Hamilton's Addiction wrote:

I would strongly suggest becoming a teacher.

^ this

Ditto

How about being a doc?

If you have any aptitude for stats and computer science, you might consider the rapidly burgeoning field of genomics/bioinformatics. You can go the route of I.P. lawyer, but generally you need to have a PhD to make headway there. An MBA from a good school might afford you the opportunity to become a biotech analyst, which sounds like it suits your personality. If you like people, become a doctor, though I think the P.A./N.P. route will be better under Obamacare- better hours, solid pay, not as much burueaucratic crap or liability. If you are a good bull$hitter, pharmaceutical or medical device sales are lucrative. If you care about kids, even just impacting two or three per class while you babysit the rest, get into teaching. Plenty of options. Biomedical engineering too, but you would need another degree and it's not easy.

I'm jealous wrote:

It must be really nice to not have ambition. I honestly wish I could be happy like that.

Don't assume I'm not a world beater at something else, cause I am. The lab part is the side job.

What part of "dislike research" did you not understand?

I'm giving the OP some perspective because there's a middle-grounds to where he is now (having a Bachelors) and having a PhD. I loved going to grad school, learning to appreciate the science/know the intricate details, and learning my love IS the lab (which I didn't know going into grad school- thought I was like the OP and loved the knowledge aspect).

Mad Scientist