Re: OT: I wanna be a scientist


Frank Sullivan wrote:
> Hey guys, after spending a lot of time here as a lay person, I decided
> that I want to be a scientist when I grow up. =)

Good on you!

> I could really use
> some advice, if anyone here can offer any to me. I need to have some
> sort of career path for this. Maybe I should be asking my school's
> career counselor about this. My family sure can't help.
>
> Here's my basic situation. I'm 24. I have a GED. About the best school
> I can get into is the local cmmunity college.

Not a problem.

> The nice thing about
> that, though, is it is actually a fairly nice community college (Salt
> Lake Community College) and the credits are transferrable to any state
> college or university in the state, including the U of Utah. So that
> may be an open door for me. Or not. I really don't know.

It will. But don't give up on applying elsewhere; a GED is NOT a
hindrance. CCs can be good transitional places, though.

>
> I don't know much about higher education in general. What is usually
> required to get a job? A Masters? A PhD?

Depends on your field. In biomedical sciences (and chemistry or
physics) I strongly urge you to go for a PhD. It isn't required but
there will be serious limits on your career if you don't, especially if
you only get a B.S.. In other branches of biological sciences (say,
forestry, fisheries or zoology) a Master's can still give you very good
career growth, though a PhD is better.

> What does getting a PhD
> entail?

Lots and lots of beer. Seriously. Convenient to cry into.

>Do I have to do research papers and get them published?

Yes. At least at most University.

>
> Sorry about the vagueness of my questions. I do not know what field I
> want to get into at the moment. The only reason for this is that there
> are so many fields that I am interested in.

Go for it. Even if you never go on to a PhD and instead find that you
have other career interests, a college education is worth it for its
own sake. Your life will be MUCH richer (even if your bank account
isn't).

I admire your courage and envy your choices.

.

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