Career Paths

Donna
Kridelbaugh

#SCICOMM TIP: NEVER CLAIM TO BE THE FIRST TO DO ANYTHING IN SCIENCE

You see it all the time—in a popular news article about a groundbreaking research study to even the primary literature—that so-and-so researcher is the “first” to make some brand new discovery.This claim makes me cringe every time I see it. Why? Well to be honest, it’s highly unlikely to b...


Clement
Weinberger

Hello again (back after some time away from blogging)

My name is Clement Weinberger, and I am a freelance medical writer. I retired as Director of Medical Communications in the Medical Affairs Department of a biopharma company about 6 years ago, and started a freelance business.  Of course, my professional life didn't start there. In this, and in ...


Christiana
Davis

Writing Grants for Nonprofits - Where Do You Start?

There are many nonprofit organizations in your community who continuously seek funds to stay afloat. As a life scientist, you have acquired most of the skills needed to successfully write a grant for a nonprofit. These include, researching, writing, editing and proofreading skills. But, where d...


Andrea
Habura

The Packing List

Several years ago, I was doing field research in a remote and extremely cold site, and I had to take a multi-day survival training course before they would let me out on the ice unsupervised. On our first day of “Happy Camper School,” my classmates and I were given a list: “Bring: Ex...


Michael
Salgaller

The Siren’s Song of Employment – Part Two

Last fall, I was invited by Bio Careers to present a webinar on pursuing alternative careers. It dealt most specifically with transitioning from a bench career to one involving finance or business. Interestingly, what strongly resonated with attendees were the slides on how one’s skills could b...


Jane
Yang

Ready for a major career change? You’re not alone – part one

I am new to Bio Careers Blog.  Excited as I am as a first-timer, I will set a rule for my blog: I do not intend to give out specific action items or tips to fellow job seekers. You see, I am one of you.  After many years of academic research, I am ready for a major career change.  It seems lik...


Andrea
Habura

Superstition

Admit it: you have a “lucky” PCR machine, don’t you? As any experimental biologist can tell you, working at the bench has a strong element of tradition and muscle knowledge. If I’m running a Western blot or pouring a gel, I’ll probably do it a certain way, because that’s the way I w...


Ron
Hunter

Lost and Found: Surrendering to Opportunities, Rediscovering Long-term Goals

My grandmother often remarked that I had been here before, which meant that I was an old soul. More than knowing what I wanted as a child, I anticipated the future with a sixth sense. This remained true until the end of graduate school. I finished my PhD in chemistry, and all of the anecdotal evi...


Robert Cory
Bernhards

How to Increase your Chances of Landing a Military Research Job

Finding a good job in today’s economy is a challenge, especially when it comes to specialized research. Many PhDs are forced to take jobs they don’t really want, or ones that don’t benefit their career paths.  It doesn’t have to be this way.  Your dream job is out there, and there are t...


Clement
Weinberger

The future may be more in the benefits (Discussion) than the features (Methods/Results)

PhD students, and a majority of PhDs in science, spend many hours at the bench doing research designed to obtain results that will either confirm or reject a hypothesis. They write, defend and revise a thesis. Along the way, and as soon and as often as possible afterward, they publish the resul...