Career/Further Edu. Advice for a B.S. in Biology

[familystone]

I recently graduated with a degree in biology and up until my 2nd semester Jr. year I had always planned on going into med. school.

However, after seriously talking with several physicians and some owners of private hospitals (one of them told me that the person clearing his backyard with a bulldozer was making more than the majority of his physicians) I realized that I really didn't want to pursue that career (and no, it wasn't merely for the waining monetary compensation but a host of other reasons). But, I decided to stick with the degree since sciences interested me the most and I was so close to finishing.

Long story short, I ended up getting a DUI about a month before I graduated (partially due to not really having a plan anymore) and have had to move home until I can get my license back. I am probably going to sign up for some welding classes this semester because I have been interested in that for quite some time and feel it couldn't be anything but helpful for some later possible job (if only for paying for further education).

Anyway, what are some possible careers I could look into or a graduate school path that would be suitable? Oh, and I would prefer them to not be real stringent on the drug testing, for obvious reasons.

And I know this probably isn't the best site for this type of question, but I feel many people on here are fairly like-minded and could offer some real insight.

 

[steppinRazor]

Thats rough man, you spend some big money at a univeristy?
i know alotta people with pricey degree's waiting tables and serving drinks..
shame really

i'm probably no help but i've been thinking about taking a radiology program, but i'm affraid that with my criminal background (soon to be convicted felon) i'm going to have a hard time ..

you lookin to do some sorta trade or industrial work or??

 

[familystone]

Yea, I went the whole pricey private school route.

But as far as what area I'm interested; I really am up in the air. I was soo certain I wanted to go the physician route that I was literally lost when I found out that wasn't the best route for me.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

same thing happened to me and alot of my friends man


that DUI is gonna fuck you in the arse, seriously.

my homie has an INTERNATIONAL BUSINESS degree. he thuoght he would be making 50k right out of college. Welp, he got a DUI the night before graduation. All 3 of his ob offers were taken back.

Now he works as a security gaurd at the front desk of an apartment complex. He recently tried to get hired as a spanish translator and even that got turned down.


Same for me, i got a BS but a DUI and a handful of other things. I cant even work as a pizza delivery driver man. I get turned down for warehouse jobs even though i have hella experiance working in them. The only job i was able to get was internet advertising and selling cars, and growing herb. thats whats been keeping me afloat.

 

[Yummybud]

damn that really sucks. thats why I never drink and drive don't even drink one beer and drive. I'm planning on becoming a lawyer and any criminal charge would disqualify you from admin to the bar.

you really got to be careful. can't you try and get a lawyer and get a pardon for your dui or whatever. don't know how it work in the states.

 

[Yes4Prop215]

naw if you get caught dui its pretty much set in stone, even if you are a lawyer or judge. the only way is to plead with DA and get it reduced to wet reckless.

its legal to drive with 2-3 beers but any more than that is pushing it.

 

[Yummybud]

hmm depends on your body weight, how fast your body processes alcohol so I don't risk it and don't drive at all even if I have one beer not worth getting a crim record.

I drive stoned though and you can still get a dui for being stoned, its called driving under the influence which means all drugs not just alcohol.

but its harder to get a dui for being stoned because the cop has to prove you were stoned at the time of driving which is harder to do.

I never carry weed in my car either if I do its a joint and I even hid that because i'm paranoid.

 

[MickeyBlue42]

This is really heavy to hear guys!! From my part of the world , people get bust every odd week and lets just say , it gets sorted out before it ever reaches a court. Honestly I know people that have been nailed 5 times in 6 months and its not even an issue.

Also most employers wont ever really not employee over a DUI.

Hope you guys find something great to do and people relax a little. I am by no means saying that its a good thing to drink and drive but to be persecuted like that and have your income screwed after you have paid the fine or done the time is very unfair!

 

[Yummybud]

yeah that really sucks a guy I know was a mechanic and lost his job after getting a dui and losing his dv for a year. he also spend like 10 grand for a lawyer.......

 

[Hal]

Go get a masters in Botany, keep growing herb so you become an expert on our special plant, and you will be primed to take advantage of the soon-to-blossom cannabis horticulture industry in not-too-distant future.

 

[ddrew]

Someone I know well has a PhD. in Microbiology, and is out of work at this time, he says they are not hiring scientists right now, more laying them off then anything.

 

[Sam the Caveman]

Hey familystone, I'm in the same boat. Expensive private school for a Biology degree. I now owe $26k to sallie, and that was with 2 years at a community college.

I always wanted to be a dentist until I did some shadowing and asked a few questions. Dentist will continue to get paid less and less per operation by insurance companies, which is 90% of their payments. So in the future and now, they will have to work more and more hours to achieve the same income.

On top of the diminishing income or increasing work hours, your looking at about a million in debt for dental school and starting a practice.

A million in debt for a job that doesn't pay what it used to and a guarantee that I will have to work more and more hours as I get older, no thanks.

They also have the highest suicide rate of any profession, which I think is due to them filing fraudulent claims with insurance comapnies to recoupe the 70% payments on every job they do. With dentist generally being good folk, they can't live with what they have done.

Anyways, about welding skills, my buddy was looking into getting a metal fence around his front yard and the quote was $40k. I almost shit my pants when I heard that, and people all in his neighborhood are getting it done. He is on about a half an acre lot and the quote was just for the front yard.

What ever you decide to do, work for yourself, thats the only way you'll make a reasonable income.

 

[ddrew]

Interesting Sam, my dentist is wildly successful, but he has switched more then half his practice to restorative(porcelain crowns, veneers, hollywood smiles) work where the bigger money is.
I guess it depends on the individual like anything, mine is in private practice, and promotes his business like crazy.

 

[Sam the Caveman]

ddrew, restorative dentistry is very profitable, but it fluctuates with the economy. Around here at the moment, most restorative work has come to a stand still.

I will also say any dentist specialist (endodontist, oral surgeons) is a much better job than general dentistry, they haven't allowed the insurance companies to dictate to them their prices and I don't see them in the future allowing it. If one specialist accepts terms from insurance companies, the whole wall comes tumbling down because all the customers go to them and forces the other specialist to accept the same terms to get business.

To be a specialist though, you have to be at the top of the class in dental school. Which means your a true "academic scholar", i.e. memorizing mass quantities of information very quickly. And to me, that is not educating at all, its hoola-hoop jumping and I can't lower myself to do it. When I'm studying, I have to go through it slowly and answer any questions that come up in my head. Memorizing is ignoring those questions. This destroys critical thinking.

Just do what we say and don't ask any questions, and you'll do real good.

 

[MoldyFrogToe]

Famstone I can't offer much advice aside from what helped me out thus far. I have a BS in general bio, sort of in your same spot, thinking of what to do. I have no idea but have it a little narrowed down.
Wanted to do ecology but could only find jobs in biotech so ended up doing that for a year. Now it's back to the drawing board, I hate biotech, it's horribly boring work to me.
There's a lot to do with a degree in biology though, tons.

When I read that you're taking welding classes, to me, I thought that those classes would be a waste of time. It has nothing to do with bio!!
If you want a bio career focus your efforts on that, not side jobs....working is ok, I wouldn't waste $$/time on classes though.
You won't need side jobs if you work on your bio carreer. If you don't wana do bio at all, you're in a different boat.
I spent a year in biotech and I'm almost sorry for it, because had I put my efforts into ecology rather than a good biotech job, my long term career path miiiight be a little better but w/e.

My advice boils down to: Do what you WANT to do.
Do you want a lab job? Outdoors job? Private sector? Academic? Health related? What do you enjoy?
It's hard to decide, it really is..but that's the beauty of it, you have so many doors open.

The only thing all of this rests upon is me assuming you can work around the priority of doing what you enjoy.
Some people don't like that and for them work is work, it sucks and that's that, and other things direct their career.
It all depends on who you are what your personal priorities in life are and what you enjoy doing, that's how I see it.

You should be able to work something out. I was surprised to see my physical therapist had a BA in English before she got her masters/doctorate for physical therapy...random!

 

[texsativa]

clinical lab scientist, lab technician, or physician assistant are few to consider.

 

[GrowingHigher]

I have a bs in biology... I have been planning on going to grad school since I graduated several years ago, but am just now getting around to studying for the GRE's.

I have been working forest research jobs on and off. My emphasis had always been on botany and ecology. There are plenty of opportunities with Universities, non profits, the government (USDA, DOI, BLM, even the DOD). I spend my working days outside, exploring grade A wilderness.

This is an especially good option if you are mobile. This category of jobs is geographically widespread and you can really explore wherever you want to go.

Granted this career path will not make you rich, it does make me happy on a day to day basis. I love going to work, when the job is right; Its a great feeling to wake up at 5 am for work... and actually be excited about it.

If you are more of an indoor person I have a friend with the same degree working comfortably indoors at a diagnostics laboratory; he seems to enjoy it.

With that said I don't want to rely on being someone else's research grunt forever and that's why grad school is still a goal of mine. But immediately after college I needed time to figure out what subject I want to study (especially if I am going to spend more money going back to school); getting work experience in the field helped hash that out, got me motivated, and kept my knowledge current.

As far as the DUI... it all depends.

A fiend of mine was in a similar situation... he was put under house arrest his last semester in college for 15 days for his DUI. Graduated with a Chemical Engineering degree and made 60,000 dollars first year out of college.

 

[hippie_lettuce]

Well my cousin's husband is an LVN and he makes upwards of $40/hour. I think he went to a University in the Philippines, which means that if you went to a university here, you would most likely get hired. I do not think the schooling costs as much as it would going for a doctor, though you still work the crazy hours.
Or, you could always work in a management-type thing...like veterans hospitals, childrens hospitals, retirement homes and hotels, etc.

 

[texsativa]

There are plenty of nursing jobs that pay decent, but there are a lot of disadvantages with the field I won't go into. But yeah there is job security. I would consider several other jobs before nursing. Just my perspective. Anyway there are lots of opportunities available and try not to let the DUI get you down too much, lots of professionals with that on there record. Just don't show a pattern, but everyone messes up occasionally and people understand that.

 

[familystone]

Man! that is terrible to hear all of the negative news about people's experiences with getting a job (or lack there of) with a DUI on their record. It is terrible to hear that this misdemeanor will be such a pariah on my future especially since not having my license has been debilitating enough and having to move back home to my little southern hometown has been more than depressing. I didn't really think businesses would really be able to find out about the DUI since most applications I have seen ask for Felony charges (of which I have been lucky enough to avoid).

There's a lot to do with a degree in biology though, tons.

When I read that you're taking welding classes, to me, I thought that those classes would be a waste of time. It has nothing to do with bio!!

I am thinking about taking these welding classes because it has interested me for a long time (along with woodworking and watercolor) and it is something to pass the time while I wait out my punishment. Plus, there aren't really an abundance of schools (that I feel relatively safe driving to) that offer graduate level classes near me. Also, maybe also having a welding degree could help me get a good position at a nuclear reactor or something. As a side note, I have been interested in traveling and getting out of bum fukin egypt since I was old enough to comprehend my surroundings and feel that having a welding cert. could only help open up possibilities in possibly Alaska or somewhere else, far far away.

MudFrogToe: I would really like to hear about more of these options for a bio major. I have looked fairly extensively on the internet as to what other bio students are planning on doing, but find it really hard to find a real good site listing possibilities ( I really wish I hadn't been so set on becoming a doctor so I could have kept my ears and mind more open while I was in the educational system)

I really am open to anything. Please everyone keep the discussion going I really appreciate it.

P.S. I had thought about a civil servant type position or other federal job but was skeptical that I would be able to continue the one activity that I truly enjoy so much (not to mention the other physical/mental/emotional benefits it provides).