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| Insulin Mishap |
 Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 8:53 pm Post subject: Would I be able to get work in a forensics lab? |
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Forum Freshman
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
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| Double-majoring in biology and biochemistry, and I'm getting training this semester in DNA extraction from one of the professors here. I'll need some kind of work to support me through grad school. I need to know what my options are. |
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| paralith |
| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:38 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 06 Jun 2007
Posts: 1041
Location: Washington, DC
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Well, as long as DNA extraction is only the beginning of what your prof will be teaching you, then yes. You'll need to know processing and analysis techniques as well. There are a lot of job options for someone who can do genetics work, though. I had relatively basic genetics experience and I got a position in a biomedical genetics research lab. A lot of these labs often have coordinated graduate programs with local colleges as well.
_________________
Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count on no one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities, without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself, with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth.
~Jean-Paul Sartre
Monkeys in Clothes - hosted by SFN blogs |
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| Insulin Mishap |
| Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2008 10:40 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Freshman
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
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| Yeah, this would be my first year doing research, assuming I can get the position. |
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| serpicojr |
| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 1:08 am Post subject: |
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Forum Professor
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
Posts: 1128
Location: JRZ
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| What sort of grad programs are you applying for? My impression is that most science PhD programs give tuition remission and a stipend. If you only want your masters... well, you could always go the dishonest route, apply to PhD programs, and skip out after you've completed enough work for a masters. (And some programs even give masters degrees along the way anyway.) Additionally, if you do change your mind and decide to get the PhD, you're set, whereas if you start off getting your masters and decide to keep going, you'll have to apply to grad school again, relocate, etc. |
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| Insulin Mishap |
| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:23 am Post subject: |
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Forum Freshman
Joined: 14 Jan 2008
Posts: 15
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| PhD. I'm in this for the long-haul. |
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| serpicojr |
| Posted: Tue Jan 15, 2008 7:08 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Professor
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
Posts: 1128
Location: JRZ
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| Yeah, so I imagine you're good so long as you don't mind living on ~$20K a year. Your university will may hire you as a TA, or your department or advisor may have enough money floating around to hire you as a GA. You can also apply for all sorts of external fellowships, some quite lucrative (NSA, DOD, etc.). |
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| Scifor Refugee |
| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:05 am Post subject: Re: Would I be able to get work in a forensics lab? |
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Forum Professor
Joined: 02 May 2005
Posts: 1103
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| Insulin Mishap wrote: |
| I'll need some kind of work to support me through grad school. I need to know what my options are. |
Have you actually looked into grad school? Generally the school pays you. |
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| paralith |
| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 8:40 am Post subject: Re: Would I be able to get work in a forensics lab? |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 06 Jun 2007
Posts: 1041
Location: Washington, DC
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| Scifor Refugee wrote: |
| Insulin Mishap wrote: |
| I'll need some kind of work to support me through grad school. I need to know what my options are. |
Have you actually looked into grad school? Generally the school pays you. |
But through what method and how much you get varies with your acceptance package. If you're very unlucky, you might get nothing at all.
_________________
Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count on no one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities, without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself, with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth.
~Jean-Paul Sartre
Monkeys in Clothes - hosted by SFN blogs |
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| serpicojr |
| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:07 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Professor
Joined: 17 Jul 2007
Posts: 1128
Location: JRZ
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| Another thought... Getting your PhD while working on the side requires a great investment of time and energy. This is doubly true if your PhD is in lab-based science. Additionally, a job through the university carries the benefit of flexibility--you can get away with shirking your responsibilities in favor of your research from time to time. An outside job would not be so considerate. If, on the off chance you don't get any sort of financial offer, I'd suggest taking a year to get acclimated to grad school before deciding whether to get outside employment. |
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| paralith |
| Posted: Wed Jan 16, 2008 9:37 pm Post subject: |
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Forum Ph.D.
Joined: 06 Jun 2007
Posts: 1041
Location: Washington, DC
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| serpicojr wrote: |
| Another thought... Getting your PhD while working on the side requires a great investment of time and energy. This is doubly true if your PhD is in lab-based science. Additionally, a job through the university carries the benefit of flexibility--you can get away with shirking your responsibilities in favor of your research from time to time. An outside job would not be so considerate. If, on the off chance you don't get any sort of financial offer, I'd suggest taking a year to get acclimated to grad school before deciding whether to get outside employment. |
That's another good point. Non-profit research labs in general, even those not directly affiliated with a university, are relatively flexible and often encourage and aid you through graduate school.
_________________
Man can will nothing unless he has first understood that he must count on no one but himself; that he is alone, abandoned on earth in the midst of his infinite responsibilities, without help, with no other aim than the one he sets himself, with no other destiny than the one he forges for himself on this earth.
~Jean-Paul Sartre
Monkeys in Clothes - hosted by SFN blogs |
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