Overrated Career: Medical Scientist

Medical scientists?: job for egomaniacs!

Okay, this is something from someone who has been in this hole for 17 years of my adult life! If any young woman or man is reading this, please run away as fast as possible from a PhD in Biomedical Science. Research is a lot of fun; there aren't many jobs where people pay you to test your thoughts, even when those thoughts are sometimes foolish. However, it appears that this is not a job for people who value modesty. You will work with people with egos as tall as Mount Everest and, before you know it, they will suck you into this extreme ego worship. People doing Life Science research to solve problems are few and far between; most people do it simply to feed their ego! Some are so bad you dare not ask them to rethink their bogus ideas. Biomedical research is the best job in the world if only the charlatans could be removed. But they are so entrenched at the top it is almost impossible to remove them, and they are very good at reproducing themselves!

jamie @ Nov 21, 2009 03:39:09 AM

Only a few percent should EVER do this

So, I agree that you can make more money. But there is not enough money in the world to make me want to do research. It is very lonely. Yeah, maybe you collaborate once in a blue moon, generally via email. Yeah, maybe you talk to your coworkers while interrupting an hour of silence. But there is little to no interaction when you think about the spectrum of jobs available. This is another reason scientists are generally poor at socializing, conversing, and communicating.

Secondly, you will spend your entire life discovering something that will most likely end up being insignificant. I agree that the more science that is done, the more progress we make. But there is a lot of garbage being published that is likely to help no one, and people spend years on it.

I will say that over the years I've met maybe a handful of people who truly belong in research. They love it for everything it is worth. They love discovery and are curious about things that people can't even fathom. But I am telling you the vast majority of people in the career got here because they are smart and wanted to do something prestigious. I can't tell you how many grad students, post docs, and professors complain about their jobs. I do not see a high level of satisfaction. What I will say is that there are a few people out there who LOVE it, but the majority don't. They got into this career for the wrong reasons.

hater of CO @ Nov 13, 2009 18:38:07 PM

Medical Scientist

Yes, the article is true. In fact, the experience can be much worse when you personally experience it. I've yet to meet a research scientist who is truly happy. On the other hand, I've met many clinical medical people who are happy. The dentists are the happiest. Although I like the idea of science and have made my fair attempt at it (more than fair), I wouldn't like to put my family through the suffering. Oh wait, I guess if I continued on a research path I may not have a family to worry about.... hm...

Ex-Researcher, Ph.D. of NY @ Oct 16, 2009 21:10:33 PM

The Reality

While you may need to be more creative to find work it is not as bleak as this makes it out to be. Besides Medical Librarian, there are opportunities in patent law and intellectual property rights for PhD trained scientists. Post-docs are not especially difficult to secure but admittedly the pay is low, 35-45K/year.

I strongly disagree with the assertion that there is little contact with people. The days when long researchers toiled in the lab alone are over. Research teams and collaboration are the norm not the exception.

The big discovery is not what drives most scientists. Every week or every day little discoveries are made that propel the field incrementally further. These little things are what the big discoveries are built upon.

XX @ Jul 02, 2009 21:22:14 PM

The Reality

While you may need to be more creative to find work it is not as bleak as this makes it out to be. Besides Medical Librarian, there are opportunities in patent law and intellectual property rights for PhD trained scientists. Post-docs are not especially difficult to secure but admittedly the pay is low, 35-45K/year.

I strongly disagree with the assertion that there is little contact with people. The days when long researchers toiled in the lab alone are over. Research teams and collaboration are the norm not the exception.

The big discovery is not what drives most scientists. Every week or every day little discoveries are made that propel the field incrementally further. These little things are what the big discoveries are built upon.

XX @ Jul 02, 2009 21:21:48 PM

The Reality

While you may need to be more creative to find work it is not as bleak as this makes it out to be. Besides Medical Librarian, there are opportunities in patent law and intellectual property rights for PhD trained scientists. Post-docs are not especially difficult to secure but admittedly the pay is low, 35-45K/year.

I strongly disagree with the assertion that there is little contact with people. The days when long researchers toiled in the lab alone are over. Research teams and collaboration are the norm not the exception.

The big discovery is not what drives most scientists. Every week or every day little discoveries are made that propel the field incrementally further. These little things are what the big discoveries are built upon.

XX @ Jul 02, 2009 21:21:06 PM

The Reality

While you may need to be more creative to find work it is not as bleak as this makes it out to be. Besides Medical Librarian, there are opportunities in patent law and intellectual property rights for PhD trained scientists. Post-docs are not especially difficult to secure but admittedly the pay is low, 35-45K/year.

I strongly disagree with the assertion that there is little contact with people. The days when long researchers toiled in the lab alone are over. Research teams and collaboration are the norm not the exception.

The big discovery is not what drives most scientists. Every week or every day little discoveries are made that propel the field incrementally further. These little things are what the big discoveries are built upon.

XX @ Jul 02, 2009 21:20:34 PM

The Reality

While you may need to be more creative to find work it is not as bleak as this makes it out to be. Besides Medical Librarian, there are opportunities in patent law and intellectual property rights for PhD trained scientists. Post-docs are not especially difficult to secure but admittedly the pay is low, 35-45K/year.

I strongly disagree with the assertion that there is little contact with people. The days when long researchers toiled in the lab alone are over. Research teams and collaboration are the norm not the exception.

The big discovery is not what drives most scientists. Every week or every day little discoveries are made that propel the field incrementally further. These little things are what the big discoveries are built upon.

XX @ Jul 02, 2009 21:20:07 PM