Biochemistry and molecular biology are among the most exciting and active areas in science. We live in amazing times where we will probably see the human genome sequenced within 5 years. This is not the end, but the beginning. Biochemists and molecular biologists will be the ones trying to make sense of all of this information. BUT, don't enter the B/MB degree program just because it sounds cool. Enter because you love science, have some talent, and have looked at the practical realities of pursuing this dream. Start your journey below!

The Career Center from Genentech. If you are uncertain as to what people with biochemistry/molecular biology degrees actually do with their time, here are descriptions of  jobs and qualifications for everyone from bottle washers to Ph.D.-level research directors. Especially useful are the Career Profiles; interviews with real working folks in the industry.

15 Hot Careers in Biotech. Find out what's hot and what's not!

Looking for B.S.-level (no pun intended) employment? Probably 40-50% of our B/MB graduates start out their lives this way.  From our own University of Wisconsin Biotechnology Center, look at this  Job Fair page with loads of possible jobs with Wisconsin companies. A typical Wisconsin biotech company is Third Wave Technologies.  This is a nice example of a home-grown Wisconsin company.  Their job description list is a good microcosm of what sorts of scientific employees companies are looking for.

Interested in Manufacturing and Technology Management (MTM) opportunities??
There is an excellent (MTM) MASTER OF SCIENCE DEGREE IN BUSINESS at UW-Madison which is designed for science/engineering majors. Check it out!

Job Seeking Now? Want to get out of the Midwest? Try Medzilla, a huge national web database for  posting resumes and job ads for science/biotech. Also try the MONSTER BOARD and  Bioview.com.

A LOT of our majors have ended up in successful research/technical careers at the Mayo Clinic in Rochester, MN. Visit the Mayo Clinic Job Board here.

You want to call the shots in the research lab? Become a Ph.D. The good news: GRADUATE SCHOOL IN THE SCIENCES IS FREE!!! Yes, it's true. Every respectable Ph.D. program offers tuition waivers and a living stipend of $12K-20K. Sometimes you teach for your money, sometimes it's just research. Many of our graduates (30-40%) want to be research scientists and shoot for Ph.D.'s by entering graduate programs in biochemistry, molecular biology, genetics, biophysics and other  disciplines. Their success is evidence of the high quality program at UWEC.  The bad news: You have to get in! Please read our course requirements page carefully and consult early with B/MB faculty to see what you can do to give yourself an edge. Interested? Start by reading this information on the US News Ph.D. Program Rankings  and other tips/pitfalls from the US News and World Report.   Also see the more extensive NRC Ph.D. Program Rankings.

One warning: graduate school is VERY different from what you do now, even if you are doing a lot of undergraduate research. It's not an automatic "if I pass my classes, I get my degree"-thing like medical or dental or business school. In fact, classes become almost irrelevant. On the other hand you have great freedom to determine your own path-some would say too much freedom. To get a good idea of what you really need to know to survive Grad School, I love this web article on "How to be a Good Grad Student" by Marie DesJardins. Read it before you even THINK about grad school. The author is in the Computer Science area, but most of what she says applies to all areas of science.

The rest of B/MB majors? Most of the rest are headed to Medical School, but a few adventurous souls have entered law school,  secondary education,  the Peace Corps,  dental school, sales/marketing positions and other paths.

Send comments to SC Hartsel at hartsesc@uwec.edu