Need some help - Where next?

jantheman91

I'm just posting here because i'm looking for some advice.

I just graduated from TCD with a B.A. Microbiology (II.1) and was looking for some advice on what to do next?

I would like to obtain employment immediately but a part of me says that very few if any companies will employ a graduate without a masters or pHD in the chosen field.

I would be interested in pursuing a masters in Medical/Clinical Microbiology but again do not possess the funds to do so.

On the other hand, a phD is very appealing but daunting as i'm not too sure what to expect.

Any help is greatly appreciated as i'm quite lost right now having left the cosy structured environment that is college..

Sorry if this is the wrong place i just thought i'd receive a lot of good advice/information here as it pertains to my field.

GLaDOS

I graduated from Genetics and Cell Biology, in DCU, last year, so I've seen a lot of my class in the same situation. Personally I knew I wanted to do a PhD and was thankfully able to secure one I wanted.

Unfortunately a lot of my former class have struggled to gain employment in a related industry, most with 2.1 degrees so not for lack of academic effort. I know of two who after an unsuccessful year of jobsearching have decided to do a masters this year to better their prospects. That said, not everyone was as unsuccessful, but it certainly seems to be a very competitive market for jobs at the moment.

Did you do a work placement/ any other experience during your degree? That can be essential. Do you want to stay in Ireland or are you willing to look abroad?

All I can say is apply anywhere that appeals to you, though if QA doesn't interest you, you could find options limited, seems to be all the opportunities I here about myself.

Best of luck in the job search anyway!

jantheman91

ScienceNerd wrote: »

I graduated from Genetics and Cell Biology, in DCU, last year, so I've seen a lot of my class in the same situation. Personally I knew I wanted to do a PhD and was thankfully able to secure one I wanted.

Unfortunately a lot of my former class have struggled to gain employment in a related industry, most with 2.1 degrees so not for lack of academic effort. I know of two who after an unsuccessful year of jobsearching have decided to do a masters this year to better their prospects. That said, not everyone was as unsuccessful, but it certainly seems to be a very competitive market for jobs at the moment.

Did you do a work placement/ any other experience during your degree? That can be essential. Do you want to stay in Ireland or are you willing to look abroad?

All I can say is apply anywhere that appeals to you, though if QA doesn't interest you, you could find options limited, seems to be all the opportunities I here about myself.

Best of luck in the job search anyway!

Really appreciate the reply, i didn't expect one at all let alone so soon.

Is there any way you could tell me what your first week of the phD was like? Were you left to your own devices and thrown in the deep-end or were you shown around, given some direction and other information?

Perhaps it's just me but having carried out my research project in a phD lab i get the impression they're just thrown into the deep-end and whether they sink or swim is up to them.

In terms of work experience in my field i'm afraid i have none. Through scouring the net for jobs all i seem to see is QA jobs in the field and it's something i have no interest in. I'm passionate about clinical and medical microbiology so it's something i'd like to do. Once again, the chances of getting employment in a hospital setting without at least a masters degree appears to be slim.

I would be open to studying abroad although i couldn't see myself being in the position to fund it and that rules out a masters. If i was to study abroad, (which I would be open to) it would have to involve a phD, and like i said above it seems quite daunting.

Thanks for your time.

GLaDOS

I definitely wasn't just thrown in the deep end in my first week anyway, my first few weeks were spent being shown the basics. I work with fungus, so this would have entailed learning microbiological technique, maintaining conidial stocks, setting up cultures etc. All stuff I had done previously in teaching lab, work experience and my research project. However most labs will have 'their' way of doing things and will go over it with you even if you do have some experience.

There's a lot to take in but everyone knows you're catching up and makes allowances for it. Most likely you will have some sort of funding invested in you (SFI, IRC etc), it is definitely in the PI's interest to see you succeed, not to mention that it would reflect badly on them if you did not. They won't let you sink then just throw in the next PhD student.


Heh, a lot of swimming based metaphors in this thread

Dingle_berry

Jantheman91 - Trinity awards BA degrees in Microbiology?!

What about clinical micro interests you? I'm afraid no MSc or PhD will get you a job in a Medical (hospital) Laboratory. The department of health stipulates that all Medical Laboratory Scientists must be eligible for membership of the Academy of Medical Laboratory Scientists. Have a thorough read of their "pathways to membership" document available on their website.

GLaDOS

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Jantheman91 - Trinity awards BA degrees in Microbiology?!

I think all Trinity degrees are BAs.

jantheman91

Dingle_berry wrote: »

Jantheman91 - Trinity awards BA degrees in Microbiology?!

What about clinical micro interests you? I'm afraid no MSc or PhD will get you a job in a Medical (hospital) Laboratory. The department of health stipulates that all Medical Laboratory Scientists must be eligible for membership of the Academy of Medical Laboratory Scientists. Have a thorough read of their "pathways to membership" document available on their website.

Yes they do.

Everything. The pathogenesis of disease, patient interaction, lab work, the whole works. There's not a thing i don't like about Clinical/Medical Microbiology.

I wasn't aware that no MSc. or PhD. would get me a job in a hospital setting. I was under the impression that an MSc in Clinical Microbiology would suffice but I guess that's incorrect.

Wonderful news... :pac:

PS: How am I supposed to get a job any where when they ask for 2 years of experience in the chosen area? Am I supposed to look for unpaid work for 2 years? Seems rather absurd. Will probably end up working in retail at this stage to survive...

Dingle_berry

What's the point of a BA in science? What's the difference?

I think you need to research career options a lot more. A medical laboratory scientist does the lab work. A consultant microbiologist does the patient interaction. To become a consultant you have to be a medical doctor first.

The two years experience would be flexible. If you had some very relevant experience and a good CV you would get an interview. It's about how you compare to other applicants not so much you filling a checklist

Tree

The BA is just how TCD do it, it's the same as a BSc.

I'm not sure I'd recommend applying for PhD's because they're cheaper than a masters (right now). Talk to some PhD grads and MSc folks. Friend of mine speaks highly of the MSc in clinical micro from TCD/St. James, though that's not the field she's now in.

jantheman91

Tree wrote: »

The BA is just how TCD do it, it's the same as a BSc.

I'm not sure I'd recommend applying for PhD's because they're cheaper than a masters (right now). Talk to some PhD grads and MSc folks. Friend of mine speaks highly of the MSc in clinical micro from TCD/St. James, though that's not the field she's now in.

Thanks for the reply. I just don't really have the money to undertake a Master's. It's just unfortunate that the field i picked requires a wealth of experience and/or a PhD for employment.

I'll really have to sort something out or i'll be one of those students who has a good degree and is working a checkout line in Tesco.

Jimoslimos

If you don't mind me asking, how wide are you casting the net in your search? I know it's a difficult thing to do, but would you consider looking in the UK for positions? Apologies if you've already done this.

After a short while you'd have the funds to go back and do a MSc (and perhaps even get funded through work). Far more opportunities in the UK, both study and career-wise, plus it looks good to any future employers that you are prepared to move away from your comfort zone to further yourself.

jantheman91

Jimoslimos wrote: »

If you don't mind me asking, how wide are you casting the net in your search? I know it's a difficult thing to do, but would you consider looking in the UK for positions? Apologies if you've already done this.

After a short while you'd have the funds to go back and do a MSc (and perhaps even get funded through work). Far more opportunities in the UK, both study and career-wise, plus it looks good to any future employers that you are prepared to move away from your comfort zone to further yourself.

Like I said, the fact that I haven't the money to undertake a masters at the moment completely rules out living in a foreign country.

I would not be against living abroad as it's something I would do tomorrow if things were different money-wise.

The majority of jobs in the UK at the moment in my field are based around QA and that's not a field I want to work in. It's quite frankly, monotonous.

All other areas that i am interested in such as clinical, medical, biopharma, etc. all require at least 4 years experience.

I have explored a lot of my options and with the same end result: nothing.

My apologies if i come across rude i'm just pretty disgusted that after 4 years of university i'm sitting on a degree that at the moment seems completely useless.

Jimoslimos

jantheman91 wrote: »

My apologies if i come across rude i'm just pretty disgusted that after 4 years of university i'm sitting on a degree that at the moment seems completely useless.

No, you don't come across rude - you just sound like myself 10 years ago :eek:

Traditional university degrees by their nature tend be academically focussed rather than vocational (medicine is an exception).

By the way, if you decide to go down the PhD route, don't do it if your primary aim is furthering your employment prospects, do it because you love research. You seem pretty passionate about microbiology so you should be fine. I'd also recommend moving to a different university - yes you might love TCD but in terms of networking and gaining new experiences the more places you study/work in the better.

As said previously, hospital lab jobs are near impossible without AMLS registration - which you'd need to have the specific degree/diploma for (I think DIT/Cork IT are the only places that offer it). You could however, sorry to reiterate the UK route again, try the NHS graduate scientist training programme.

http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/explore-by-career/healthcare-science/training/nhs-scientist-training-programme-(stp)/

You're paid a salary whilst gaining a qualification (and invaluable work experience). I know you said your problem was money, but once you get over the initial cost (first months rent/deposit is the biggie) you should be OK.

Best of luck in your future endeavours.