Michael
Is it a good idea to take all 8 year of college for your doctorates degree then get a job, or take the first 4 or 5 years and get a bachelors of masters then get a job?
I was told by someone that if you get a doctorates straight off the back, not many places will accept you, but if you go for your bachelors or you masters, then you'll most likely get a job faster. #pharmacy #pharmaceuticals #medicinal-chemistry #drug-development
3 answers
Olaolu. O. Oladejo, Ms., MBA, PharmD
Olaolu. O.’s Answer
unfortunately, there is not a particular answer that will sufficient because educational experience for people will be different and the differences should be welcome with eagerness. You have the power to create the path you decide to go on; the person you spoke probably suggest this based on their experience. During you doctorates degree, you will get the work experience through the curation of your final thesis. I would not worry so much about getting a job if a job doesn't right away.
Cynthia Myers
Cynthia’s Answer
Hi. I think pursuing higher education and advanced degrees is terrific. That said, I think obtaining an undergraduate degree is foundational and then layering in experience is key. Employers want both education and experience, so I would recommend getting your undergraduate degree, and then moving into the workplace to apply it in the real world and get real world experience. Consider getting your masters degree while working. Your masters degree will likely be your biggest bang for your buck in terms of advanced degrees. If then, there is a special area of interest or you are considering research or teaching absolutely investigate doctorate programs! Hope this helps! Cindy
Alice Liou
Alice’s Answer
It depends what you want to do in your scientific career. You may be able to get an associate scientist level fte or contractor job right after bachelors or masters but ability to move up in the research track is quite slow and limited. If you're fine doing bench work, then this option is fine. People I know who are masters either are at the bench for their entire career, or they find other creative ways outside of research that doesn't require a Ph.D.
You could spend 8+ years to get s Ph.D. +/- a post doc and would start at a higher level. It may be a little harder to get your first job in industry, but once you are in and after a few years in the trenches, you would then be qualified to move upwards to lab head, project lead, or director levels. If that's where you're interests lie, then getting the higher graduate degree will help you.