Becoming a genetic scientist requires a college degree in biology or chemistry, followed by a Ph.D. in genetics, and possibly a medical degree. Career options include research, teaching, biotech, pharmaceuticals, crime investigations, and medical genetics.
Genetic scientists unlock the mysteries of DNA and genetics. The work may involve locating, analyzing and decoding genes and genetic mapping. To become a genetic scientist, you will generally need a college degree, a graduate degree, and a medical degree in some cases.
To become a genetic scientist, it is helpful to obtain a college degree in chemistry or biology. Having an undergraduate degree in biology or chemistry is advantageous, as these courses prepare you for the more rigorous scientific study you’ll take in college. Also, getting good grades and having an overall grade point average (GPA) in college can be very helpful in convincing a graduate program that you have the scientific knowledge and academic potential to succeed in graduate school.
Typically, the graduate application takes place during the last semester of college. If you want to become a genetic scientist, it is generally recommended that you pursue a Doctor of Philosophy degree in genetics because there are comparatively fewer jobs for those with less than a doctorate. The Ph.D. in genetics usually takes four to six years and includes courses such as biochemistry, biomedical ethics, biophysics, chemical systems biology, comparative medicine, and a dissertation on a topic related to genetics.
If you want to become a genetic scientist, you may also want to attend medical school to earn a Doctor of Medicine (MD) degree to complement your understanding of genetics and give you additional career options. Indeed, many genetic scientists have their doctoral degrees and it is not uncommon for genetic scientists to leave their work in the scientific laboratory and actively pursue the practice of medicine with patients. If you are interested in going to medical school, you will need to put together a medical school application and take the Medical School Admission Test (MCAT), which assesses your skills in science, writing, critical thinking, and problem solving. problems. Doing well on the MCAT can be important because your MCAT scores will give medical schools a sense of whether you have the potential to do well in medical school.
Once you complete your studies and become a genetic scientist, you will be able to choose from several possible career paths. For example, you might become a research genetic scientist who does university research and teaching at a university. You could work at a biotech company. Or you could become a genetic laboratory scientist working with a pharmaceutical company or the police department doing research to help with crime investigations. On the other hand, you could pursue a career as a medical geneticist or a physician who specializes in diagnosing patients with genetically based diseases.
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