Majoring in Biology? Check Out These Careers!
If you are considering majoring in Biology, this blog post is for you!
One of the stressful parts of undergraduate college is knowing what to major in and what to do with the major you decide on.
This post is diving into some potential careers for those majoring in biology.
Doctor
One of the most common reasons students major in biology is that they want to attend medical school after getting their Bachelors.
When you are in undergrad and considering medical school, you typically are put on the pre-med track. Being on the pre-med track means taking all the required courses to be eligible to apply. Biology is one of the majors that overlaps many of those courses, so it becomes easier for someone wanting to go to medical school to apply.
After you get your Bachelor’s degree, you complete four years of medical school and then residency afterward to become a doctor.
P.S. You can major in anything you want to go to medical school.
Physician Assistant
For the same reason students apply to medical school, they apply to the physician assistant (PA) programs.
You can major in anything during undergrad and be on the pre-PA track. The pre-PA track works the same as the pre-med one, where you take the required classes to apply to the program.
After your Bachelor’s degree, P.A. school is 2-3 years long to become a physician assistant.
A physician assistant has similar duties to a doctor in examining and treating patients. You can also specialize in different fields of medicine as you would in medical school.
However, physician assistants can’t work independently like doctors, and they work with a healthcare team.
Biology Teacher
Another career option for biology majors is becoming a biology teacher. You may often have to get a second bachelor’s degree in education (double major) to be certified to teach, but I know there are ways around that.
Each state has its requirements and specifications for becoming a teacher. If this is something you are interested in, I recommend researching it.
Pharmaceutical Sales
Pharmaceutical sales might interest you if you want to enter the workforce after college!
While you don’t need a specific Bachelor’s degree for this, most people do have a STEM degree.
A pharmaceutical sales representative’s job is to sell the products such as medications, treatments, and equipment to medical professionals and clinics/hospitals. Additionally, their other responsibilities may include meeting with healthcare professionals and teaching them about the products they sell.
Medical Equipment Sales
Being a medical equipment sales representative is quite similar to being a pharmaceutical one. There is no specific degree requirement, but most have one in a STEM field.
These individuals are in charge of selling their medical equipment to healthcare professionals and clinics/hospitals.
Science Writer
Considering a biology major also opens up the field of science writing as a career.
To become a science writer, you need at least a Bachelor’s in some science. Taking some writing and journalism classes to aid you in this specific career during your undergraduate years is helpful.
A science writer researches, writes, and edits scientific news articles, publications, and journals. Most of this career is located in the media industry, such as radio networks, public communications, blogs, etc.
Biological Technician
Biology majors should know that being a biological technician is a career on the table for them.
To become one, most need a bachelor’s in biology or a related field.
Biological technicians work in laboratories, offices, pharmaceutical companies, biotech companies, hospitals, research institutions, and other industrial settings. Their main role is to conduct experiments and analyze their findings. They usually work under the supervision of biology or medical scientists. Some even conduct fieldwork based on what they are trying to examine or find.
I shed light on some of the careers for those interested in a degree in biology! There are so many more out there, though! Let me know if these were helpful and if you are considering other careers that haven’t been mentioned!