What are my chances of pulling this off?

[scubatim]

Well, I'm glad I found this forum since I have plenty of questions related to science careers...figured I'd find something if I typed in "science forums" on a search engine.

 

Here's my predicament. I started out college three years ago with the intention of applying to medical school after I got my bachelor's degree. Over the years, and especially working as an EMT, I'm realizing that of the reasons I wanted to become a doctor (prestige, job security, no worry about financial future, helping others), only one still exists out of four unfortunately. And at the rate that the insurance companies are dictating medical care, I wonder if doctors will even be able to help people much in the future given that both their hands will be firmly tied behind their backs unless the insurance companies are reigned in.

 

Anyway, so I'm majoring in marine biology, and as a result of SCUBA diving, I have very much confirmed that I love the ocean and I'd love to make a science career out of it. I figure I'm getting the degree anyway, I might as well use it. The only issue is that I'm not sure how big the market is, whether it's feasible to break into, or whether the pay is enough to live decently. I don't care if I live like a king, but I would like to have some money left over after bills each month so I can go SCUBA diving regularly.

 

So what would my best option be? Advanced degrees? Government job? Research institute? At this point, I'm completely open to staying in college and getting an advanced degree if that's what it takes. I have a 3.95 GPA currently, am involved in at least one club, have volunteered in a hospital before, SCUBA dive whenever I can, and I work as an EMT, so I would hope I'd be competitive for graduate programs as far as academics, extracurriculars and everything else goes. It looks like the best marine biology programs are at UCSB and Scripps at UCSD.

 

I'm sure the question will arise of whether I like research or not since any science career will involve that, and I honestly can't tell you since I haven't done any yet. However, I love problem solving and investigating something to find out an answer to a question I have, so I would think those qualities would make me compatible with research.

 

Anyway, any advice, comments, etc. will be appreciated!

[5614]

Sadly I can't help much because I'm a physics student, but if I had a question along these lines then I know that my university has a careers department that I could go to for help, does your university not have a similar facility?

 

I'm sure others will be able to help more than me.

[scubatim]

Yes, UC Davis does, however I've perused their web site and of course the information is rather vague and not very helpful. I haven't talked to anyone in person but my experience with counselors is that they don't really give you any information you didn't already know; hell most of the time they don't even answer your questions.

 

I figured I'd rather ask people who may already be employed or know those who are since the information might be more pinpoint and accurate than that I would get from a careers department.

 

Although speaking of which, I need to drop a question in the physics forum too and find out what textbook everyone would recommend for general/intro calc-based physics, since I hear UC Davis tries to teach physics without the math and the textbook they use is atrocious.

[Cap'n Refsmmat]

If you don't think career counselors would be the best choice, walk over to the marine biology department and see if you can talk to one of the professors. They know the field firsthand, so they'd be the best source of information.

 

AFAIK, any research-related field will not bring you an extravagant salary.

[SH3RL0CK]

Also, I think you should try to talk with others working in the field who are not professors to give you an idea of career possibilities apart from teaching at the University. I don't know how you would meet these individuals, but if you work at it you should be able to find at least a few contact and some career advice. Maybe you could get a summer internship? Even if it were an unpaid internship, I think it would be time well spent.