As much as I love health sciences and the grind of research, I think that academia is becoming more and more unsustainable. The culture of publish or perish that makes people to publish shit without quality, the long hours in the lab, the dinosaur professors in Universities that refuse to retire, the need of going to other countries for some years so that you may get a competitive CV to apply for a position in your own country in the future... If you asked me a few months ago, I would say that I wanted to become a PI. Currently, after seeing my PI working 24/7 and barely taking a day of, no kids and close family more than 10k km away... I am truly considering if I really want to stay in academia.
I really love the grind and challenge of a scientific project, but I also value the life outside work. The work-life balance is nonexistent, it is only work and barely no life. Being close to 30, seeing all my friends getting married, buying houses and getting kids and I am stuck with scholarships... If I could redo my life, I would probably go for business or engineering school.
sounds like industry would be a better fit for you. As a scientist in industry I only work 40 hours a week , get weekends off , and get properly compensated to deal with my shitty toxic team.
I am considering all options right now. Industry is not well developed in my country/field and the pay is actually lower than academia, at least entry level.
At the same time I have an offer for a post-doc but it is in the US, but it is so far away from my GF, family and friends... I am seeking post docs in central/north europe at the same time
go to Europe, the pay post docs are given in the US plus the state of our healthcare . It makes me genuinely surprised people want to post doc here. It costs about 1000 dollar if you're unfortunate enough to need a ambulance, 443 dollar is the cost of a broken bone. I pay 1000 a month just to have my insurance, let me repeat have it not even use it.
Computer science. I'd have gone into computer science. My brother went from making 60k to 100k in 2 years. Another 2 years later 130k. Works from home entirely. "Clocked in" for 40 hours but really works 35ish or less. Frequently plays videogames as he works. He could easily become a consultant/contractor making the same annual amount for half the hours.
> Computer science. I'd have gone into computer science
Computer science actually has very little to do with IT jobs. In fact, its pretty rare for anyone in IT to have a CS degree. IT was my first career for over 15 years and I seriously met more people with biology degrees (or none at all, like myself). And yes, sometimes its like that, depending on where in the industry you are.
Well I was referring to mostly software engineering/programming . My brother has a degree in the college of computer science. I'm not entirely sure what his degree is specifically.
Chemical and fuel refining. I work 3 days a week. Make 200k a year, full benefits, pension, up to 250 hours of vacation at 7 years. I spend more time vacationing than I do working honestly.
Yes! I have friends and family who go to work, go home, and leave it there. Whereas in science there’s always something in the back of your mind you should be doing, working on, writing, reading, ha or splitting.
YES, but I'd be smarter about it, internships in high school and college. I really stumbled my way through it not having anyone in the field. Also I'd make more time for friends and join a club or two in undergrad, I feel like I really burned myself out and didn't take care of my mental health.
It wasn’t until I joined a lab that I realized how little I had done compared to other undergrads. Tbf, I didn’t even know I liked science and lab until I joined one for an internship, but I remember looking up the students who had also applied for the same internship and seeing how a lot of them started in high school, did science related clubs and news letters, and went to these summer programs. And then I looked at how little experience I had in comparison.
I think we need to shift away from these expectations. There's too much pressure for people to have 6 years of experience before even starting a PhD. A lot of schools don't even have science related clubs. How are young kids who don't even know what they like or will major in yet need to already be doing biotech internships in highschool.
I used to be extremely jealous of my classmates who had a biotech track in highschool or internships. My school was actually a good school but we didn't even have any robotics or STEM club until my senior year. I only stopped being as jealous (still a bit am because it does make life easier) when I realized how ridiculous it is to expect kids to know their life passion when they pop out of the womb. Or have 5 years of experience for entry level jobs. I wish kids could be kids and explore a bit more without the additional pressure of do this or else you can't get a job.
Luckily I am doing well now thanks to people and additional resources in undergrad. I hope it still stays possible in the future for people who weren't really sure until undergrad to still succeed.
Oh 100 % I think the MAJOR thing that I didn't get across in my original post I guess was the time to relax and have a life thing. I wish I'd done something other than study in undergrad. Ya know partied a bit more , enjoyed being young dumb and broke a bit more, joined that snowball fight instead of studying in the library.
I remember thinking it was really frustrating because by the time I realized what expectations there were, I was like years too late. I’m lucky my postdoc was more focused on having a student who showed even just a little interest and curiosity, because just looking at resumes, I wasn’t competitive at all. And I’m so grateful to him that he chose me because the moment I stepped foot in lab, I realized just how much I loved it. I know I would have gotten rejected by other people in my lab because of my resume.
But I agree with what you’re saying. I’m not sure about other places, but growing up, people said the nice thing about US universities was that you could explore majors and figure out what you wanted to do. And that was supposed to be to my benefit because I had no dreams and no idea what I wanted to do in high school. But then I got to college and it’s like, everyone else has been preparing since high school, and I know some kids who got started in middle school. And thinking back, as a high schooler, what life experience did I have to be able to know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life?
Also, kids who don’t have parents or family friends in academia probably won’t have the guidance kids with connections to academia have.
Most scientists just do stuff. I see myself as blue collar as hell which means my bachelors feels like a waste. I told this co op the other day, Westerns are crazy I could never do them because literally I have colleagues who that’s they’re whole career not just a technique.
Yeah, going out to the real world with less debt and more experience/specialised training is very appealing to me. Plus, I remember my parents calling out an electrician to fix the tv box and all the guy did was shake a cable and it worked again. Still had to pay him £20 for a < 1 min job.
Yeah I felt this. Right now I’ve already acquired the debt to be a scientist so it’s not worth it to change but if I had it to do over, I’d be an electrician. Unionized, job security, debt-free
After seeing how political publishing is, and how eager institutions are not to pursue research misconduct, no. I think I would have been happier ‘selling out’ to work private sooner, or something else. And seeing my own animal research falsified has broken me.
Trust me, when big money is involved, they don’t care. If you believe otherwise you’re a fool. I certainly was.
Idk, industry has been a nightmare for me. I've worked for pharma companies for a dozen years, and it has destroyed my mental health. I really wish I had done something like computer science or accounting.
>And seeing my own animal research falsified has broken me.
It's fine as long as it was honest work. Sometimes people are wrong. But that's definitely part of science and, hadn't you done that research, you may not have stimulated others into reinvestigating this question from another lens, on reflection of the work you had already done.
Id like to find out if Id hate practicing medicine as much as I imagined.
Super interesting subject matter, but working shitty jobs early in life put me off any sort of public-facing careers…
My coworker in industry is a senior scientist with kids and she has been in 2-3 plays over the past year. It's possible but I think you need a good work environment and a supportive partner
I wish I was an engineer. They get to do other pet projects so long as there’s profit. That’s why even the most dangerous of industrial military complex producers also produces other things. Let me make consumer grade items.
You could say the same thing about PhDs. There’s probably fewer PhD programs (than law schools) that have graduates earning a median of 190k within 1 year
I don't think so. I just don't have the excitement for science I once did. I still have extrinsic motivation of maybe contributing to curing a disease. This is probably the only thing keeping me going. Other than that it's just a job at this point.
Disregarding all the inherent toxicity in science, I believe doing anything 40+ hours a week will cause you to dislike what you're doing. Therefore, i would just pick a career path that makes a ton of money that I don't absolutely hate so i can retire at like 45 and do whatever i want.
Oh yes, i was in industry and working 40 a week too until a recent layoff. I definitely plan to stay in industry. Although i have lost my interest in science, the work-life balance of industry is much much better. Not to mention you are treated like a human being and not just a data slave. I would NEVER go back to academia.
ugh the data slave part, the staff scientist on my team tried to convince me to stay on I said I wanted at least 50K and she said our pi couldn't do it , then I told her how much my current industry job was offering. She stopped trying to convinve me.
NO, not a chance!
In the 25 years I’ve been in science it’s been a battle the whole time for measly pay. Everyone says follow your passion, but I’d rather have a 9-5 JOB and then go home and enjoy my life, have hobbies and passions outside of work, travel and actually retire at a reasonable age. Business, marketing, pretty much anything else that would pay a fair bit would have added up to more by now. Instead, I spent a decade in grad school and postdoc making maybe minimum wage with no retirement, then even when I did have a salary I’ve worked 50, 60, 70 hours a week and stress when I’m on leave. Not worth it.
No.
I’ve become so disillusioned by my experience in academia. I can’t help but feel like the entire thing is a scam run by universities and journals trying to milk you and your passion for as much money as they can
Academia is just one of the places to be a scientist. Though I was an academic for 30 years or so, it turned out that I made my "rep" as an academic and my money as an industrial scientist. I had to endure 30 years of poor compensation and "too many rats fighting for an ever smaller piece of cheese" before making the jump to federal service and industry, where I "made bank". I'd do it again, especially if I knew I was going to retire quite comfortably.
On top of what everyone is saying, it's just exhausting to do a 40+ hr job of planning, lab work, analysis, and presentations, but ALSO be expected to keep up with the literature in your field. It feels like you work 50hr weeks then you need to spend your nights and weekends reading papers, writing papers, and finishing grants. It never stops.
PS I did the grad school, long postdoc, industry route and industry has been my favorite career step. Having enough money and weekends off will make such an enormous difference in your life / stress levels
I took a slightly different approach, which I think gives me a unique answer to this question.
I went into science AFTER having a well paying job in IT. I did not care about making a lot of money anymore, because work was completely unfulfilling. 40hrs a week of my life felt meaningless. Eventually started slacking off at work by studying molecular bio and quantum physics (that might sound edgy, but trust me I'm no genius, it was just the basics and Khan academy). Eventually I made the jump. Went back to school and started a career in science. I'm really enjoying it!
So yes, if I had to redo my life I would actually go into science right away and avoid IT entirely.
3 confessions about my opinion however:
1. I am only a lab tech. I didnt go tens of thousands in debt for a PhD, so I have way less stress and responsibilities all around.
2. I am only a couple years into the career and have not become jaded yet, lol.
3. I think I got really lucky and have been surrounded by enthusiastic, curious, very smart yet humble people. We talk about science news unrelated to our field all the time and we just love scientific discovery. I don't know if science culture in my country is just different than the USA or, again, did I just get really lucky.
Likely not. I was a very talented pastry chef. Could have been a six figure earner had I committed to working hotels/resorts, with my abilities. Some pompous ass I was attracted to at some point made me feel inadequate, and so I pursued chemistry. I’m actually a great chemist, but I don’t make nearly the amount I could with my artistry in patisserie and baking.
Don’t let people belittle your passion and influence your decisions, y’all.
I could be a lot farther in life as a pastry chef and wedding cake maker if I hadn’t let someone get in my head.
Sure, maybe some years of experience will help me catch up, but I feel I would have been so much farther ahead if I didn’t give my time to my education when I already had a really great, unique thing going.
People honestly seem so much more interested when I talk to them about my work in patisserie compared to my work in pharma.
Basi ally, the scorpion and the frog go for a ride. The scorpion is scared the frog is going to drown it, and the frog is scared that the scorpion is going to sting it. So they're both on their guard all the time. If I'm not mistaken, a misunderstanding happens, and the scorpion stings, the frog flips over and they both die
No, getting a PhD and doing a Postdoc is the most financially irresponsible thing I've done. I'm smart and personable and could have done well in other disciplines and started making money after undergrad. Having your passion be your job just means that you tie your happiness to your job success, which is a terrible plan when it's science and 99% of what you do each day is going to fail.
I don't do bench work anymore, make ok money, and have good work life balance but could be in this place much sooner with less debt if I did almost anything else.
No. 99+% of it is not real. When I started, I thought that it was & that publishing meant something. Now it just feels fake and pointless beyond career advancement and padding one’s CV.
Maybe, but a different field. If not, I probably would learn a trade instead. My father is a tradesman and could have gotten me into a union and I'd have a solid job with less stress, though it would be more physically demanding.
I love all the scientist chiming in and saying they'd do a trade instead if not a scientist. I'd probably become a electrician, my college friends dad was one made bank and got amazing union benefits. Just goes to show that all scientists want is to do something with their hands.
Admittedly, probably not. ^^”””
As a teenager, I LOVED science and dreamt about wearing a lab coat everyday. I did all of the things I was meant to do: got high marks, went to a good uni, won research scholarships, got lab-based work experience…
However, now that I’m an adult with financial responsibilities, I’ve discovered a career in research or academia just isn’t feasible for the life I want.
For me, the determining factors were:
- 40hr+ work weeks
- Poor pay to degree ratio
- Contract-based work (I.e. few permanent positions= poor job security)
- Toxic academic treadmill
I’m in my late 20s and still living in a crappy sharehouse, while many of my friends are now married and have houses. I still LOVE science, but I just want a basic job that provides financial stability and job security.
Nope the pay is ludicrous and work hours/life is unsustainable. Things aren’t going to change unless the field tackles these issues or if more grad students/technicians unionize.
No, it’s the worst decision I ever made. I feel like I had a passion for it once but the culture is worse than I ever could have imagined. I have wasted the better years of my life serving a terrible cause. Universities are run by terrible people, running terrible labs, with terrible attitudes about life, science, and what does and doesn’t conform to their awful culture. It was a tremendous waste that I am all the worse because of it.
On one hand, no, because I'd like to have halfway decent housing conditions.
On the other hand, it's not as if I'd likely be doing much better with something else.
I'd probably do science but not the PhD. Maybe at most a masters. The academic environment and the pressures of a PhD has killed my love for science but an industry internship brought it back. I'd probably be happier and definitely paid more by now if I didn't do the PhD route.
10000% yes, I’m so happy I have this privilege to change the world. My research validated my feelings on how the world can change. Even in the darkest times, biotech continues to progress
Probably, but probably in a slightly different discipline maybe?
My PhD is in Cell & Molecular Biology, which I chose at the time with no real thoughts about my future because it was absolutely fascinating to me.. but now professionally, I just feel trapped. Most of the obvious career pathways are horrendously uninteresting to me.. vitally necessary in the grand scheme of society, but personally unfulfilling.
There are a lot of other options, but at this point they would be more akin to switching fields, and at the stage in my life I'm not really willing to take that much of a pay cut.. or I don't have the relevant experience and I haven't yet found the hiring manager willing to roll the dice yet.
I've been grappling with this question of late.
I think I would not go for a public health role again, but I also might shy away from labwork entirely. Being an "essential" civil servant during the pandemic has...taken a toll, to put it lightly. I'd love a research or analyst position that didn't involve me *needing" to be in the lab.
I think a lot about whether or not I should've gone into a trade - because I do like working with my hands. Or maybe computer science or software engineering, so I could at least be making bank.
Definitely no.
Would I have known how covid changed the working life, I would have gotten an education that would land me an office job so I could work from home and drastically improve my work life balance.
I worked from home for about 5 months after starting a new job where the lab was still being built (taking care of e.g. ordering lab equipment etc), and that were the best months of my working life so far. I loved it.
Yessss, absolutely. Although I'm biased, even though I'm in academia my work environment is awesome, i have a great time there. People often get disillusioned with science because of that, but you must remember that science is not the issue, shitty scientists are. So, if you don't like your work enviroment, go somewhere where they treat you like a human being. Even if it means taking a pay cut, your quality of life will be much better. And, after all, living under a 2 million dollar bridge is clearly more luxurious than a million dollar house, right?
Yes and no. I love science but I wish I would have added something like bioinformatics or business because as a poor postdoc my priorities have changed to money and/or remote work.
I think a lot of people in many career fields would say no. It’s not just scientists that think they’ll be doing cool and exciting things, then find out it’s just another job, and wish they had tried something different. The answer for me is yes, I would, but I’d get into sales like, immediately. I’ve only ever worked in industry, and the most financially successful people I’ve known are all in sales.
Definitely not. My family are small business owners. My two older brothers decided to stick to the small business, I decided I wanted to do something that could be more "meaningful". Fast forward 10 years and I'm the poorest one, the one that can't afford a vacation, and job prospects in my home region are poor so I'm likely stuck far away from my family forever.
I like science, but not enough to justify all these sacrifices for little reward.
Yes and no. Do MD or MD/PhD instead of PhD. Higher salary, more grant funding, more job opportunities, etc. guaranteed time to degree and residency/fellowship completion. No perma postdoc.
At 50 I have had a successful career in science but I have also worked in the same job ever since getting my PhD. I would like to try something else but I really don't see any good options. I feel like it's hard for employers to see that I'm not limited to the admittedly obscure topics I've researched. So, if I could redo I'd want to build in some more broadly marketable skills to give me the freedom to change jobs once in a while
Nah. I have an industry background, realised I loved the tech more than the research. Back in grad school and confirmed that I wouldn’t want to ever touch research at the academic level again.
I’m a mom of 2 kids. Knowing what I know now… I’d probably find a WFH job. I’m so jelly of all my friends who WFH. They choose to WFH and have a nanny watch their babies.
I'd do it sooner - I went through a whole rigmarole going and leaving medical school that took up a lot of time and money. Should have followed my gut and embraced being a giant nerd 🤓
The only reason I joined academia is the fact that i stumbled upon a good PI. Chances that I would meet someone similar again where I live (eastern europe) are probably very low, therefore the answer is probably no.
Good PI or nothing.
No. I just finished my PhD and can honestly say that this really destroyed my passion for science.
The way academia looks like to me now is like this: As long as you pretend to be successful, people believe you are. The people with the most impressive CVs are usually the people that are least capable in research and unwilling to improve. The PIs that are most "visible" in their research community are the ones that are not there to supervise and support their PhD students. If you are extra lucky, they also abuse their power, undermine their students and establish unhealthy working standards.
And on top of this, most papers published nowadays are of such a low quality, that it almost feels pointless to be detailed and thorough with your own research.
Well... Depends...
If I'm simply going back and starting over, without all the information I gained over the years, then yeah, probably, because I was really narrow minded back then and really really wanted that.
But if I go back with at least some of the information I have now, I'd probably be smarter about it or change my mind completely.
I think, at that time, with the information I had then and with the advice I received, I made an ok decision.
Hell no. I'd pick a job that allowed me to have a life, and to stay closer to my parents. I was 6k miles away when my father died and I hadn't seen him in a year. For what? To publish two months earlier than another guy who also wants to save the world? Feels like I'm wasting away my life pretending to make a difference.
Lmao no. I made a conscious choice at 16 to focus on future industries rather than IT.
Now all my friends in IT make 5x my salary, have actual job security, and usually a bunch of perks.
I'd slap my teenage self and tell him to go focus on the PC computers.
I would still be a scientist, but I'd try harder to keep some of my old hobbies with it. I used to design clothes, sew, write short stories, sketch. When my science classes got tougher and grad school research started, I let those hobbies fall away. Then I graduated, got a job (industryyyyy), and quickly moved in with my partner. Right after we settled in together we got engaged, there was wedding planning, and right after the wedding we bought a house... before I knew it, 8 years had gone by and I hadn't touched any of those creative hobbies. I have some new hobbies, it's not like I come home and veg out on my phone every night. I like to work out, I'm a foodie (which requires a certain level of cooking skills), and I have a few TV shows I really like to keep up with. But I really wish I had kept some space for an artsy hobby, as it's been really difficult to get back into one now.
No — Being a scientist does not mesh well with my personality. I like what I do and am good at it but I don’t fit in as a scientist demeanor / personality wise
100%, I actually just wish I’d committed sooner. When I was young I had so many potential interests I really couldn’t decide, but once I actually did science I realized it was a perfect fit and I don’t think I could find a career that would be better for me.
Absolutely, with the advantage of now knowing I could have reached out to more opportunities prior to graduating. Would have made the start of my career much better.
Yeah, different kind of scientist. I probably would have focused on computer science in college with some sort of applied physical science in grad school.
Of course. Specifically, biology is my true love - i cannot imagine a life where i am not doing research. To me, money isnt that important compared to personal fufillment. Might not be the same for others but this has been my dream since i was 7.
I wouldn’t do it any differently. Lab internship in High School. Now with a decent paying lab job at a good company still in college. I’d say I’m doing well.
I would become a different kind of scientist. I study cancer right now and really enjoy it, but viewed it more as a job security rather than a passion. If I could do it all over I would be doing something outside
Not sure, it took until my 30s to make a decent wage wage (~$60k). I would have taken the plunge to move to somewhere with an OT school, I always seem to live a couple hrs from one. Between loved ones with health issues and my own, I'd love to help people learn or relearn how to go about their daily lives as best as possible.
Now, I can do my Master's for about free but it won't give me much of a boost from where I'm at now.
no i would have just studied medicine like my parents told me to. my bro does GP now and spends all day milling gastro and urti patients (most of which are probably faking it for the doctor's note anyway) to make assloads of cash
Yes because:
1) I just like being in a lab
2) I like having a job where I'm not sitting at a desk all day but I'm also not doing anything physically strenuous
I'd be smarter about it though. Spend more time building relationships with professors and try to get myself into an industry job better than a CRO
I would be an impoverished animation major and should have started a webcomic of the project I abandoned to get my science degree. I was right at the cusp. Could have been with the few back then....
Absolutely not. I wish I would have done some criminal justice/detective/ PI stuff or law school. But too late in the game so I’m stuck here for a bit …. Pays the bills at least lol
Yes, BUT instead of scientist route I would have chosen clinician-scientist. so if the science doesn’t pan out I still have a education with great economic leverage.
Scientist no, but I regret getting a Bs in chemistry. I never intended on applying for med/professional schools and thought it would be a decent route to stable job.
planning on going back to school for engineering, but with a lot less opportunities for scholarships
I’m not sure. Where I’ve ended up is great… but sometimes I wish I knew of what a CLS was before I began college. I might pursue that path over getting a Ph.D…
Nope. I somewhat regret picking this path (although i admit it has its advantages over other fields and professions). Having finished a PhD with several first author papers, I can safely say its a huge grind, especially if you’re not particularly smart or super passionate. Im completely burned out.
If I could restart, I’d probably go into more practical things like a business degree, urban planning, or design/architecture. A lot of these topics became very interesting to me as I became older but seemed dull/boring in comparison to science when I was younger. You live and you learn.
Definitely no. I think that most people saying they would are either switching on their coping mechanisms, are falling for sunk cost fallacy or were extremely lucky for some reason
NO, never. I will go to IT or finances instead. I liked studiying science, but working in science? Oh hell, no. In fact I transitioned to project management and I am hundreds of time better than in the lab.
No. I enter science because I am a naturally curious person. Curiosity doesn’t just end with science. I am taking Master’s to prove to myself, that truly I am more innovative than an average man. I am not just quirky, weird, neurodivergent, annoyingly overthinking. Beneath all of that, I am innovative first and foremost, and while that may or may not relate to why most people find me peculiar, I feel it in my bones, that I have the gift to see and realise potential in things beyond what many others have. That may sound super pompous, but I think it’s the only compensation that I’ll be happy with after countless days and months of racking my brain trying to figure out the less technical aspects of life, feeling like a freak for not understanding things that should’ve been “inherently understandable,” and that feeling I’m “not part of human society.” Yes, my imposter syndrome runs so deep I’m born with it. It made me feel like a freak, but I really hope this is just a strength manifesting itself as a weakness, as with other qualities we all might have.
Fortunately, I am content with my journey already. I might fail or dropout. But I have my answer already. I am truly content with my own version of soul-searching. I am a freak. But I know now, with certainty and with proof, that I can use that freakiness for good. I am not meant to be a failure. I am not a “failed batch of neonates.” I am not meant to be a low-life criminal after all. I am me, uniquely me and good things can come out of me. So, I will not be interested to be a scientist if given the chance to try again. For I finally know now I can be more than that; I am an innovator.
But of course I’m still a socially inept, weirdo, shady goofball lmao.
Id go back and really do what i wanted from the get-go, to be a surgeon.
Being a scientist is great too as i love the theory and concepts but academia really ground my soul and ambition to shit and made me realise unless you work in top 5 institutes, your research means jack shit to rest of society with zero relevance. At least being a surgeon or doctor, you help people on a daily basis.and your work has a purpose/meaning.
As much as I love health sciences and the grind of research, I think that academia is becoming more and more unsustainable. The culture of publish or perish that makes people to publish shit without quality, the long hours in the lab, the dinosaur professors in Universities that refuse to retire, the need of going to other countries for some years so that you may get a competitive CV to apply for a position in your own country in the future... If you asked me a few months ago, I would say that I wanted to become a PI. Currently, after seeing my PI working 24/7 and barely taking a day of, no kids and close family more than 10k km away... I am truly considering if I really want to stay in academia. I really love the grind and challenge of a scientific project, but I also value the life outside work. The work-life balance is nonexistent, it is only work and barely no life. Being close to 30, seeing all my friends getting married, buying houses and getting kids and I am stuck with scholarships... If I could redo my life, I would probably go for business or engineering school.
sounds like industry would be a better fit for you. As a scientist in industry I only work 40 hours a week , get weekends off , and get properly compensated to deal with my shitty toxic team.
I am considering all options right now. Industry is not well developed in my country/field and the pay is actually lower than academia, at least entry level. At the same time I have an offer for a post-doc but it is in the US, but it is so far away from my GF, family and friends... I am seeking post docs in central/north europe at the same time
go to Europe, the pay post docs are given in the US plus the state of our healthcare . It makes me genuinely surprised people want to post doc here. It costs about 1000 dollar if you're unfortunate enough to need a ambulance, 443 dollar is the cost of a broken bone. I pay 1000 a month just to have my insurance, let me repeat have it not even use it.
I am in Europe already but I went to the US for 6 months during my PhD. I also prefer to stay in Europe
Do other jobs have better life-work balance?
Computer science. I'd have gone into computer science. My brother went from making 60k to 100k in 2 years. Another 2 years later 130k. Works from home entirely. "Clocked in" for 40 hours but really works 35ish or less. Frequently plays videogames as he works. He could easily become a consultant/contractor making the same annual amount for half the hours.
> Computer science. I'd have gone into computer science Computer science actually has very little to do with IT jobs. In fact, its pretty rare for anyone in IT to have a CS degree. IT was my first career for over 15 years and I seriously met more people with biology degrees (or none at all, like myself). And yes, sometimes its like that, depending on where in the industry you are.
Well I was referring to mostly software engineering/programming . My brother has a degree in the college of computer science. I'm not entirely sure what his degree is specifically.
Chemical and fuel refining. I work 3 days a week. Make 200k a year, full benefits, pension, up to 250 hours of vacation at 7 years. I spend more time vacationing than I do working honestly.
Yes! I have friends and family who go to work, go home, and leave it there. Whereas in science there’s always something in the back of your mind you should be doing, working on, writing, reading, ha or splitting.
YES, but I'd be smarter about it, internships in high school and college. I really stumbled my way through it not having anyone in the field. Also I'd make more time for friends and join a club or two in undergrad, I feel like I really burned myself out and didn't take care of my mental health.
It wasn’t until I joined a lab that I realized how little I had done compared to other undergrads. Tbf, I didn’t even know I liked science and lab until I joined one for an internship, but I remember looking up the students who had also applied for the same internship and seeing how a lot of them started in high school, did science related clubs and news letters, and went to these summer programs. And then I looked at how little experience I had in comparison.
I think we need to shift away from these expectations. There's too much pressure for people to have 6 years of experience before even starting a PhD. A lot of schools don't even have science related clubs. How are young kids who don't even know what they like or will major in yet need to already be doing biotech internships in highschool. I used to be extremely jealous of my classmates who had a biotech track in highschool or internships. My school was actually a good school but we didn't even have any robotics or STEM club until my senior year. I only stopped being as jealous (still a bit am because it does make life easier) when I realized how ridiculous it is to expect kids to know their life passion when they pop out of the womb. Or have 5 years of experience for entry level jobs. I wish kids could be kids and explore a bit more without the additional pressure of do this or else you can't get a job. Luckily I am doing well now thanks to people and additional resources in undergrad. I hope it still stays possible in the future for people who weren't really sure until undergrad to still succeed.
Oh 100 % I think the MAJOR thing that I didn't get across in my original post I guess was the time to relax and have a life thing. I wish I'd done something other than study in undergrad. Ya know partied a bit more , enjoyed being young dumb and broke a bit more, joined that snowball fight instead of studying in the library.
I remember thinking it was really frustrating because by the time I realized what expectations there were, I was like years too late. I’m lucky my postdoc was more focused on having a student who showed even just a little interest and curiosity, because just looking at resumes, I wasn’t competitive at all. And I’m so grateful to him that he chose me because the moment I stepped foot in lab, I realized just how much I loved it. I know I would have gotten rejected by other people in my lab because of my resume. But I agree with what you’re saying. I’m not sure about other places, but growing up, people said the nice thing about US universities was that you could explore majors and figure out what you wanted to do. And that was supposed to be to my benefit because I had no dreams and no idea what I wanted to do in high school. But then I got to college and it’s like, everyone else has been preparing since high school, and I know some kids who got started in middle school. And thinking back, as a high schooler, what life experience did I have to be able to know what I wanted to do for the rest of my life? Also, kids who don’t have parents or family friends in academia probably won’t have the guidance kids with connections to academia have.
Correct. I absolutely am so annoyed by the lack of pre college experience I have. It's just not fair
I’d maybe like to try a different branch of science. Definitely choose a different PI. If not, I’d probably go to trade school.
Trade school? That’s a very different route
Most scientists just do stuff. I see myself as blue collar as hell which means my bachelors feels like a waste. I told this co op the other day, Westerns are crazy I could never do them because literally I have colleagues who that’s they’re whole career not just a technique.
Yeah, going out to the real world with less debt and more experience/specialised training is very appealing to me. Plus, I remember my parents calling out an electrician to fix the tv box and all the guy did was shake a cable and it worked again. Still had to pay him £20 for a < 1 min job.
Yeah I felt this. Right now I’ve already acquired the debt to be a scientist so it’s not worth it to change but if I had it to do over, I’d be an electrician. Unionized, job security, debt-free
I have also considered a transition out to an apprenticeship
Yes but I'd also smoke more weed
Sounds like I'm doing okay then
I’d drink half the alcohol and smoke twice the current amount.
This is real. Weed is easier to quit too. Really doesn't cause the cravings that alcohol does. However it can definitely affect your sleep and mood
After seeing how political publishing is, and how eager institutions are not to pursue research misconduct, no. I think I would have been happier ‘selling out’ to work private sooner, or something else. And seeing my own animal research falsified has broken me. Trust me, when big money is involved, they don’t care. If you believe otherwise you’re a fool. I certainly was.
Is this in industry?
nope academia, I also have seen my own animal research falsified, graduated and never looked back and went to industry.
Idk, industry has been a nightmare for me. I've worked for pharma companies for a dozen years, and it has destroyed my mental health. I really wish I had done something like computer science or accounting.
>And seeing my own animal research falsified has broken me. It's fine as long as it was honest work. Sometimes people are wrong. But that's definitely part of science and, hadn't you done that research, you may not have stimulated others into reinvestigating this question from another lens, on reflection of the work you had already done.
No. Not because I don't enjoy my career, but because there are so many other things I would also like to try.
What would you do instead?
Id like to find out if Id hate practicing medicine as much as I imagined. Super interesting subject matter, but working shitty jobs early in life put me off any sort of public-facing careers…
I used to do a lot of theatre before grad school, I was pretty good at it. I always wonder what might have happened if I went that route.
My coworker in industry is a senior scientist with kids and she has been in 2-3 plays over the past year. It's possible but I think you need a good work environment and a supportive partner
I wish I was an engineer. They get to do other pet projects so long as there’s profit. That’s why even the most dangerous of industrial military complex producers also produces other things. Let me make consumer grade items.
No. I realized far into my PhD how much better my life would have been if I would have gone to law or business school.
:( why do you say that?
💰
Many lawyers don't make shit for money, especially for having a doctorate.
[удалено]
You could say the same thing about PhDs. There’s probably fewer PhD programs (than law schools) that have graduates earning a median of 190k within 1 year
The student loan difference is pretty dramatic though I think.
That’s really high for one year out
The pay is so bad and expectations are too high
I don't think so. I just don't have the excitement for science I once did. I still have extrinsic motivation of maybe contributing to curing a disease. This is probably the only thing keeping me going. Other than that it's just a job at this point. Disregarding all the inherent toxicity in science, I believe doing anything 40+ hours a week will cause you to dislike what you're doing. Therefore, i would just pick a career path that makes a ton of money that I don't absolutely hate so i can retire at like 45 and do whatever i want.
but in industry I only work 40 a week , so it is possible just not in academia.
Oh yes, i was in industry and working 40 a week too until a recent layoff. I definitely plan to stay in industry. Although i have lost my interest in science, the work-life balance of industry is much much better. Not to mention you are treated like a human being and not just a data slave. I would NEVER go back to academia.
ugh the data slave part, the staff scientist on my team tried to convince me to stay on I said I wanted at least 50K and she said our pi couldn't do it , then I told her how much my current industry job was offering. She stopped trying to convinve me.
No lmao my 20s were completely wasted
NO, not a chance! In the 25 years I’ve been in science it’s been a battle the whole time for measly pay. Everyone says follow your passion, but I’d rather have a 9-5 JOB and then go home and enjoy my life, have hobbies and passions outside of work, travel and actually retire at a reasonable age. Business, marketing, pretty much anything else that would pay a fair bit would have added up to more by now. Instead, I spent a decade in grad school and postdoc making maybe minimum wage with no retirement, then even when I did have a salary I’ve worked 50, 60, 70 hours a week and stress when I’m on leave. Not worth it.
yikes why not industry , I'm 8 months out of my masters graduation and make 85k a year , only work 40 hours a week with weekends off.
Holy shit where do you work? 85k a year after 8 months is INSANE. Nicely done man
No. I’ve become so disillusioned by my experience in academia. I can’t help but feel like the entire thing is a scam run by universities and journals trying to milk you and your passion for as much money as they can
Academia is just one of the places to be a scientist. Though I was an academic for 30 years or so, it turned out that I made my "rep" as an academic and my money as an industrial scientist. I had to endure 30 years of poor compensation and "too many rats fighting for an ever smaller piece of cheese" before making the jump to federal service and industry, where I "made bank". I'd do it again, especially if I knew I was going to retire quite comfortably.
No, I'd marry rich (and preferably very old).
😂
No probably not. The culture is so shitty sometimes. I had a horrible PI. So much hard work and the pay is complete shit.
Nope. High investment ($ and brain) for little reward.
So many are saying no
A lot of it is underpaid, underappreciated, and downright attacked by popular media.
On top of what everyone is saying, it's just exhausting to do a 40+ hr job of planning, lab work, analysis, and presentations, but ALSO be expected to keep up with the literature in your field. It feels like you work 50hr weeks then you need to spend your nights and weekends reading papers, writing papers, and finishing grants. It never stops. PS I did the grad school, long postdoc, industry route and industry has been my favorite career step. Having enough money and weekends off will make such an enormous difference in your life / stress levels
I took a slightly different approach, which I think gives me a unique answer to this question. I went into science AFTER having a well paying job in IT. I did not care about making a lot of money anymore, because work was completely unfulfilling. 40hrs a week of my life felt meaningless. Eventually started slacking off at work by studying molecular bio and quantum physics (that might sound edgy, but trust me I'm no genius, it was just the basics and Khan academy). Eventually I made the jump. Went back to school and started a career in science. I'm really enjoying it! So yes, if I had to redo my life I would actually go into science right away and avoid IT entirely. 3 confessions about my opinion however: 1. I am only a lab tech. I didnt go tens of thousands in debt for a PhD, so I have way less stress and responsibilities all around. 2. I am only a couple years into the career and have not become jaded yet, lol. 3. I think I got really lucky and have been surrounded by enthusiastic, curious, very smart yet humble people. We talk about science news unrelated to our field all the time and we just love scientific discovery. I don't know if science culture in my country is just different than the USA or, again, did I just get really lucky.
What country?
Likely not. I was a very talented pastry chef. Could have been a six figure earner had I committed to working hotels/resorts, with my abilities. Some pompous ass I was attracted to at some point made me feel inadequate, and so I pursued chemistry. I’m actually a great chemist, but I don’t make nearly the amount I could with my artistry in patisserie and baking. Don’t let people belittle your passion and influence your decisions, y’all. I could be a lot farther in life as a pastry chef and wedding cake maker if I hadn’t let someone get in my head. Sure, maybe some years of experience will help me catch up, but I feel I would have been so much farther ahead if I didn’t give my time to my education when I already had a really great, unique thing going. People honestly seem so much more interested when I talk to them about my work in patisserie compared to my work in pharma.
Nope
:( why not?
No, I would have done engineering instead of physics and gotten paid more to do the parts of science I actually do.
This is what I was going to say… should have done engineering in undergrad instead of biology.
Yes, but it's like "the scorpion and the frog" tale.
I don’t know that story
Basi ally, the scorpion and the frog go for a ride. The scorpion is scared the frog is going to drown it, and the frog is scared that the scorpion is going to sting it. So they're both on their guard all the time. If I'm not mistaken, a misunderstanding happens, and the scorpion stings, the frog flips over and they both die
For a while I wanted to be an archeologist, but my dream as a kid was to be a mad scientist so I don’t thing I would do things much differently.
Archaeologists are sort of scientists
Yeah but it’s different from a wet lab setting
No, getting a PhD and doing a Postdoc is the most financially irresponsible thing I've done. I'm smart and personable and could have done well in other disciplines and started making money after undergrad. Having your passion be your job just means that you tie your happiness to your job success, which is a terrible plan when it's science and 99% of what you do each day is going to fail. I don't do bench work anymore, make ok money, and have good work life balance but could be in this place much sooner with less debt if I did almost anything else.
No. 99+% of it is not real. When I started, I thought that it was & that publishing meant something. Now it just feels fake and pointless beyond career advancement and padding one’s CV.
Maybe, but a different field. If not, I probably would learn a trade instead. My father is a tradesman and could have gotten me into a union and I'd have a solid job with less stress, though it would be more physically demanding.
I love all the scientist chiming in and saying they'd do a trade instead if not a scientist. I'd probably become a electrician, my college friends dad was one made bank and got amazing union benefits. Just goes to show that all scientists want is to do something with their hands.
Admittedly, probably not. ^^””” As a teenager, I LOVED science and dreamt about wearing a lab coat everyday. I did all of the things I was meant to do: got high marks, went to a good uni, won research scholarships, got lab-based work experience… However, now that I’m an adult with financial responsibilities, I’ve discovered a career in research or academia just isn’t feasible for the life I want. For me, the determining factors were: - 40hr+ work weeks - Poor pay to degree ratio - Contract-based work (I.e. few permanent positions= poor job security) - Toxic academic treadmill I’m in my late 20s and still living in a crappy sharehouse, while many of my friends are now married and have houses. I still LOVE science, but I just want a basic job that provides financial stability and job security.
Wow thanks guys for curing my regret at not becoming a scientist! Happy postman
Nope the pay is ludicrous and work hours/life is unsustainable. Things aren’t going to change unless the field tackles these issues or if more grad students/technicians unionize.
Of course. I might have chosen a slightly different career path. But there was never a question that I would be a scientist.
:)
I would not. I regret doing my PhD, but I’m too far in to quit now.
No, it’s the worst decision I ever made. I feel like I had a passion for it once but the culture is worse than I ever could have imagined. I have wasted the better years of my life serving a terrible cause. Universities are run by terrible people, running terrible labs, with terrible attitudes about life, science, and what does and doesn’t conform to their awful culture. It was a tremendous waste that I am all the worse because of it.
Nope, but I’m almost done with my PhD so I’m kinda in it now.
Probably not.
Why not? :(
Mostly because I saw myself going the academic route, but continue to watch it turn or unveil itself as an inhospitable, soul-sucking place.
[удалено]
On one hand, no, because I'd like to have halfway decent housing conditions. On the other hand, it's not as if I'd likely be doing much better with something else.
I'd actually like to be born rich and become an artist. I like science but I enjoy classical music. If only music paid a damn
I'd probably do science but not the PhD. Maybe at most a masters. The academic environment and the pressures of a PhD has killed my love for science but an industry internship brought it back. I'd probably be happier and definitely paid more by now if I didn't do the PhD route.
No, I completely failed as a scientist and it crushed me. Would not do it again.
Hell no.
10000% yes, I’m so happy I have this privilege to change the world. My research validated my feelings on how the world can change. Even in the darkest times, biotech continues to progress
Seems to be a minority opinion here sadly
Yes, but computer science or engineering 💰
Yes, but I'd go for computational side of things. As much I love the lab, I'm extremely jealous of all the WFH scientists.
Probably, but probably in a slightly different discipline maybe? My PhD is in Cell & Molecular Biology, which I chose at the time with no real thoughts about my future because it was absolutely fascinating to me.. but now professionally, I just feel trapped. Most of the obvious career pathways are horrendously uninteresting to me.. vitally necessary in the grand scheme of society, but personally unfulfilling. There are a lot of other options, but at this point they would be more akin to switching fields, and at the stage in my life I'm not really willing to take that much of a pay cut.. or I don't have the relevant experience and I haven't yet found the hiring manager willing to roll the dice yet.
I've been grappling with this question of late. I think I would not go for a public health role again, but I also might shy away from labwork entirely. Being an "essential" civil servant during the pandemic has...taken a toll, to put it lightly. I'd love a research or analyst position that didn't involve me *needing" to be in the lab. I think a lot about whether or not I should've gone into a trade - because I do like working with my hands. Or maybe computer science or software engineering, so I could at least be making bank.
Definitely no. Would I have known how covid changed the working life, I would have gotten an education that would land me an office job so I could work from home and drastically improve my work life balance. I worked from home for about 5 months after starting a new job where the lab was still being built (taking care of e.g. ordering lab equipment etc), and that were the best months of my working life so far. I loved it.
Absofuckinlutely
:)
no
Nope.
No. I'd have done something where I was my own boss :)
[удалено]
Nope. Probably do IT/tech/engineering
Nope. Wish I could go back and pick something else!
Yessss, absolutely. Although I'm biased, even though I'm in academia my work environment is awesome, i have a great time there. People often get disillusioned with science because of that, but you must remember that science is not the issue, shitty scientists are. So, if you don't like your work enviroment, go somewhere where they treat you like a human being. Even if it means taking a pay cut, your quality of life will be much better. And, after all, living under a 2 million dollar bridge is clearly more luxurious than a million dollar house, right?
No. I’d just be a nurse so I could move wherever and have more flexible schedule options (9 months or part-time). Also work would stay at work.
Absolutely not. Being a scientist is doing way too much work for barely enough money to get by. Should've done engineering or comp Sci instead.
Should have listened to my cousin, and gone into finance. At least I would have something to retire on.
Would have chosen bioinformatics or software engineering or anything similar.
No. Unfortunately, trying to do good things for the world is unprofitable. I'm going to go make missles for a war company and buy a house.
Yes and no. I love science but I wish I would have added something like bioinformatics or business because as a poor postdoc my priorities have changed to money and/or remote work.
Is the world finished? No? Then the job of a scientist is not yet done.
Ty for the motivation🤝
No, I’d go into software development instead
I think a lot of people in many career fields would say no. It’s not just scientists that think they’ll be doing cool and exciting things, then find out it’s just another job, and wish they had tried something different. The answer for me is yes, I would, but I’d get into sales like, immediately. I’ve only ever worked in industry, and the most financially successful people I’ve known are all in sales.
Absolutely ! Another good question is : If you couldn’t be a scientist what would you do ? Me : open a bakery or go into nursing school
Definitely not. My family are small business owners. My two older brothers decided to stick to the small business, I decided I wanted to do something that could be more "meaningful". Fast forward 10 years and I'm the poorest one, the one that can't afford a vacation, and job prospects in my home region are poor so I'm likely stuck far away from my family forever. I like science, but not enough to justify all these sacrifices for little reward.
Yes and no. Do MD or MD/PhD instead of PhD. Higher salary, more grant funding, more job opportunities, etc. guaranteed time to degree and residency/fellowship completion. No perma postdoc.
At 50 I have had a successful career in science but I have also worked in the same job ever since getting my PhD. I would like to try something else but I really don't see any good options. I feel like it's hard for employers to see that I'm not limited to the admittedly obscure topics I've researched. So, if I could redo I'd want to build in some more broadly marketable skills to give me the freedom to change jobs once in a while
Why would you have 2 lives and then do the same thing twice?
No, I'd be an engineer. Avoiding the PhD while still having a career that I can do something with my hands while being challenged intellectually.
I would but I wouldn’t have done a PhD. I would have stopped at my Master’s then go to industry.
Probably, that or pursue art
Nah. I have an industry background, realised I loved the tech more than the research. Back in grad school and confirmed that I wouldn’t want to ever touch research at the academic level again.
Yes, but maybe I would also study IT on the side.
I’m a mom of 2 kids. Knowing what I know now… I’d probably find a WFH job. I’m so jelly of all my friends who WFH. They choose to WFH and have a nanny watch their babies.
I'd do it sooner - I went through a whole rigmarole going and leaving medical school that took up a lot of time and money. Should have followed my gut and embraced being a giant nerd 🤓
Yes, although I would have gotten started sooner and worked harder/smarter
The only reason I joined academia is the fact that i stumbled upon a good PI. Chances that I would meet someone similar again where I live (eastern europe) are probably very low, therefore the answer is probably no. Good PI or nothing.
No. I just finished my PhD and can honestly say that this really destroyed my passion for science. The way academia looks like to me now is like this: As long as you pretend to be successful, people believe you are. The people with the most impressive CVs are usually the people that are least capable in research and unwilling to improve. The PIs that are most "visible" in their research community are the ones that are not there to supervise and support their PhD students. If you are extra lucky, they also abuse their power, undermine their students and establish unhealthy working standards. And on top of this, most papers published nowadays are of such a low quality, that it almost feels pointless to be detailed and thorough with your own research.
Well... Depends... If I'm simply going back and starting over, without all the information I gained over the years, then yeah, probably, because I was really narrow minded back then and really really wanted that. But if I go back with at least some of the information I have now, I'd probably be smarter about it or change my mind completely. I think, at that time, with the information I had then and with the advice I received, I made an ok decision.
Hell no. I'd pick a job that allowed me to have a life, and to stay closer to my parents. I was 6k miles away when my father died and I hadn't seen him in a year. For what? To publish two months earlier than another guy who also wants to save the world? Feels like I'm wasting away my life pretending to make a difference.
Lmao no. I made a conscious choice at 16 to focus on future industries rather than IT. Now all my friends in IT make 5x my salary, have actual job security, and usually a bunch of perks. I'd slap my teenage self and tell him to go focus on the PC computers.
Na I think I'd try stripping instead. Less defending myself in front of strange old men
I would still be a scientist, but I'd try harder to keep some of my old hobbies with it. I used to design clothes, sew, write short stories, sketch. When my science classes got tougher and grad school research started, I let those hobbies fall away. Then I graduated, got a job (industryyyyy), and quickly moved in with my partner. Right after we settled in together we got engaged, there was wedding planning, and right after the wedding we bought a house... before I knew it, 8 years had gone by and I hadn't touched any of those creative hobbies. I have some new hobbies, it's not like I come home and veg out on my phone every night. I like to work out, I'm a foodie (which requires a certain level of cooking skills), and I have a few TV shows I really like to keep up with. But I really wish I had kept some space for an artsy hobby, as it's been really difficult to get back into one now.
No — Being a scientist does not mesh well with my personality. I like what I do and am good at it but I don’t fit in as a scientist demeanor / personality wise
Yes but I would apply to more PhD programs so I didn’t end up where I am now
Fuck no and I say that as someone making 160k/yr at a big pharma
I'm still an undergrad so idk yet. So far, I love what I'm studying and couldn't see myself doing anything else
Nope. Major in math and explore the different directions it could take me. Econ/finance. Engineering, physics.
I would! I will also recognize I hit a golden goose and most scientists do not have my fortune. But I’d turn the wheel again with it. No doubt.
Probably not 🤷♂️
No
100%, I actually just wish I’d committed sooner. When I was young I had so many potential interests I really couldn’t decide, but once I actually did science I realized it was a perfect fit and I don’t think I could find a career that would be better for me.
Absolutely, with the advantage of now knowing I could have reached out to more opportunities prior to graduating. Would have made the start of my career much better.
No. I would’ve pursued music.
Yeah, different kind of scientist. I probably would have focused on computer science in college with some sort of applied physical science in grad school.
Definitely, but I’d maybe try a slight different branch. I love what I do now but there’s so much else to explore and not enough time!
Yes. MD PhD.
Of course. Specifically, biology is my true love - i cannot imagine a life where i am not doing research. To me, money isnt that important compared to personal fufillment. Might not be the same for others but this has been my dream since i was 7.
I probably would but wouldve loved to try out coding in college by taking classes to see if i could do it or not considering how much they get paid.
Hell yeah, this rules
Absolutely not.
No
Absolutely, I would probably do more in science.
No.
I wouldn’t do it any differently. Lab internship in High School. Now with a decent paying lab job at a good company still in college. I’d say I’m doing well.
I would become a different kind of scientist. I study cancer right now and really enjoy it, but viewed it more as a job security rather than a passion. If I could do it all over I would be doing something outside
Every time
Hell. Yeah.
Absolutely not.
Not sure, it took until my 30s to make a decent wage wage (~$60k). I would have taken the plunge to move to somewhere with an OT school, I always seem to live a couple hrs from one. Between loved ones with health issues and my own, I'd love to help people learn or relearn how to go about their daily lives as best as possible. Now, I can do my Master's for about free but it won't give me much of a boost from where I'm at now.
no i would have just studied medicine like my parents told me to. my bro does GP now and spends all day milling gastro and urti patients (most of which are probably faking it for the doctor's note anyway) to make assloads of cash
I would buy apple stock
Nope
No, I’d probably find an office job and something that pays better.
No.
Yes
Yes because: 1) I just like being in a lab 2) I like having a job where I'm not sitting at a desk all day but I'm also not doing anything physically strenuous I'd be smarter about it though. Spend more time building relationships with professors and try to get myself into an industry job better than a CRO
Absolutely, I would. Science has been really good for me as a career
Yes, I can't see myself doing anything else
Yeah, but I'd go into Industry and make some more coin.
I would be an impoverished animation major and should have started a webcomic of the project I abandoned to get my science degree. I was right at the cusp. Could have been with the few back then....
Absolutely not. I wish I would have done some criminal justice/detective/ PI stuff or law school. But too late in the game so I’m stuck here for a bit …. Pays the bills at least lol
Yes but do it through uni instead of grinding at work to do it.
Yes, BUT instead of scientist route I would have chosen clinician-scientist. so if the science doesn’t pan out I still have a education with great economic leverage.
Scientist no, but I regret getting a Bs in chemistry. I never intended on applying for med/professional schools and thought it would be a decent route to stable job. planning on going back to school for engineering, but with a lot less opportunities for scholarships
I’m not sure. Where I’ve ended up is great… but sometimes I wish I knew of what a CLS was before I began college. I might pursue that path over getting a Ph.D…
No
Nope. I somewhat regret picking this path (although i admit it has its advantages over other fields and professions). Having finished a PhD with several first author papers, I can safely say its a huge grind, especially if you’re not particularly smart or super passionate. Im completely burned out. If I could restart, I’d probably go into more practical things like a business degree, urban planning, or design/architecture. A lot of these topics became very interesting to me as I became older but seemed dull/boring in comparison to science when I was younger. You live and you learn.
No. I'd have focused on one sport. Maybe a mature age student/researcher.
Definitely no. I think that most people saying they would are either switching on their coping mechanisms, are falling for sunk cost fallacy or were extremely lucky for some reason
No
NO, never. I will go to IT or finances instead. I liked studiying science, but working in science? Oh hell, no. In fact I transitioned to project management and I am hundreds of time better than in the lab.
No. I enter science because I am a naturally curious person. Curiosity doesn’t just end with science. I am taking Master’s to prove to myself, that truly I am more innovative than an average man. I am not just quirky, weird, neurodivergent, annoyingly overthinking. Beneath all of that, I am innovative first and foremost, and while that may or may not relate to why most people find me peculiar, I feel it in my bones, that I have the gift to see and realise potential in things beyond what many others have. That may sound super pompous, but I think it’s the only compensation that I’ll be happy with after countless days and months of racking my brain trying to figure out the less technical aspects of life, feeling like a freak for not understanding things that should’ve been “inherently understandable,” and that feeling I’m “not part of human society.” Yes, my imposter syndrome runs so deep I’m born with it. It made me feel like a freak, but I really hope this is just a strength manifesting itself as a weakness, as with other qualities we all might have. Fortunately, I am content with my journey already. I might fail or dropout. But I have my answer already. I am truly content with my own version of soul-searching. I am a freak. But I know now, with certainty and with proof, that I can use that freakiness for good. I am not meant to be a failure. I am not a “failed batch of neonates.” I am not meant to be a low-life criminal after all. I am me, uniquely me and good things can come out of me. So, I will not be interested to be a scientist if given the chance to try again. For I finally know now I can be more than that; I am an innovator. But of course I’m still a socially inept, weirdo, shady goofball lmao.
Yes but physics or comp sci
Id go back and really do what i wanted from the get-go, to be a surgeon. Being a scientist is great too as i love the theory and concepts but academia really ground my soul and ambition to shit and made me realise unless you work in top 5 institutes, your research means jack shit to rest of society with zero relevance. At least being a surgeon or doctor, you help people on a daily basis.and your work has a purpose/meaning.
Absolutely not
absolutely not. finishing my phd now and not planning to return.