biotech scares me

[furcalchick]

i'm a failure...and i know it

how am i going to tell everyone that i can't get a job or even figure out what i want to do? i feel like i'm a hippie that doesn't want to work. everything seems so depressing for me now. all of my friends knew exactly what they wanted in junior high and have hometowns to go back to...i have no idea what i want to do and no hometown to go back to. i feel so hopeless right now. and worse, the weather is just getting more depressing by the day. anything at all to help me...no job seems to fit me at all now, it's like i was tossed in the reject pile. i know that i deserve nothing from the real world from my work, but i didn't expect depression and all this misery. anybody care to take a look and give me something that could give me any hope in all this?

 

[3nm]

how 'bout becoming a JC professor? it doesn't require you to deal with corps (except when it comes to choosing which textbook to use). the pay isn't too shady either, considering the workload and free time. i'd say work 1-2 yrs or so to find yourself a bit, and then get a master's (PhD if you don't mind the research part).

You have heard of the FDA, right?

you have heard how "scientific" their "scientists" are, right?

 

[furcalchick]

how 'bout becoming a JC professor? it doesn't require you to deal with corps (except when it comes to choosing which textbook to use). the pay isn't too shady either, considering the workload and free time. i'd say work 1-2 yrs or so to find yourself a bit, and then get a master's (PhD if you don't mind the research part).

sorry, but i'm getting tired of the same old advice...it's the same advice everyone else in professorland tried to give me, and it made me very depressed. i can't go into biotech, i need some advice on something else i can do. all i'm getting here is the tired and true. the more posts i get like this, the more hopeless i get about this whole situation that i made the wrong choice and that i'm destined to fail. i can't work in a lab, i can't work in research, i can't work in biotech. i'm just very grumpy right now.

 

[blackstone]

sorry, but i'm getting tired of the same old advice...it's the same advice everyone else in professorland tried to give me, and it made me very depressed. i can't go into biotech, i need some advice on something else i can do. all i'm getting here is the tired and true. the more posts i get like this, the more hopeless i get about this whole situation that i made the wrong choice and that i'm destined to fail. i can't work in a lab, i can't work in research, i can't work in biotech. i'm just very grumpy right now.

Two other options, if you're okay with moving outside of Georgia:

• Teach for America
• Peace Corps

Also, any particular reason that you want to stay in the Atlanta area? You're young and mobile -- why not take advantage of that fact and use the opportunity to work in a place that you wouldn't see otherwise?

 

[furcalchick]

i can't really travel too far, and i'm not for wild adventure right now in foreign lands. and i'm not for new york city either...had enough of that in south florida. there's also a few other reasons i need to go atlanta, but it's mostly personal. and neither of those routes you shown me are actually long term career options. i'm sick and tired of running around doing nothing, and not really ready to just get up and leave and i want to grow up, not stay in perpetual childhood for several more years. i need stability, not more questions at this point.

anybody know about if there are any pro alternate transport groups in the area?

 

[blackstone]

Well, I disagree with you on the definition of "perpetual childhood." Earning a salary and paying your rent is not being a child. Being a child is moving back in with your parents and not getting a job (a la Dustin Hoffman in The Graduate -- minus the whole getting-seduced-by-a-friend-of-your-parents part, which falls somewhere in the netherspace between child and adult).

Anyways, childlike or no, it sounds like you are totally lost, utterly lacking in world experience, and not sure what to do with your Life (capital L). I think a year or two of being independent, working on something that is interesting and opens your eyes to new possibilities, but that is short term (so that you can't just fall into a rut) may be the best path for you to take right now. This is particularly true if you do something involving direct service to individuals who are economically disadvantaged, or who live in Third World poverty -- it has a way of reorienting your view of the world and giving you a real world grounding that four years of college just can't accomplish. It'll also break you out of the mental trap of thinking that everything you do has to be linearly connected to where you end up in the end. Think about it more before you dismiss the possibility out of hand.

 

[furcalchick]

i'm sorry, but even with this, i don't think peace corps is for me, as i don't really feel well traveling into foreign lands at this point. i know what you are saying though. i don't want to come straight back and being back at point zero on some magical mystery tour.

what i may do is find a job at an advocacy org for alternate transport and work there for a while...it's something i'm really into right now, and i think a career could be good for me, get away from the science and biotech for at least a little bit and see if the passion survives the test.

and if you're wondering, i'm in south florida right now, and if my parents and peers had it their way, i would be in graduate school, reading some biotech paper and getting my phd right now. they were pointing me in a straight arrow towards grad school and got off the track before it was too late. i feel tons of regret right now for trying to go the path and even living in florida. i'm planning to move to atlanta, as i have some friends and family there (only place besides here i can go for now) and start over there. i would rather have some stability in my life instead of the unpredictable (even though it's good for some) for now.

and i think i was trapped as well in that path that i had to go in science because of my degree, and that not alot of places really were fitting me. i think working in a advocacy group can help me tons here.

 

[3nm]

sorry, but i'm getting tired of the same old advice...it's the same advice everyone else in professorland tried to give me, and it made me very depressed.

well, we ain't you, so we don't know what advices were already given to you. however, i don't see why you should be depressed.

i can't go into biotech, i need some advice on something else i can do.

then do something that you can do! no one asked you to do biotech. and no, don't expect us to guess what YOU can do or not, esp. when you haven't told us what you are good at or your interests. the only thing we know is that you have an undergard degree in something close to biotech!

all i'm getting here is the tired and true. the more posts i get like this, the more hopeless i get about this whole situation that i made the wrong choice and that i'm destined to fail. i can't work in a lab, i can't work in research, i can't work in biotech. i'm just very grumpy right now.

indeed.

i.) take a chill pill. stay positive and focus on what you have accomplished. at the same time remain humble and explore what options you have.

ii.) reread my post carefully. there IS a difference between a master's and a PhD. also, JC = Junior College = no research will be involved either.

iii.) a lot of good advices are already given in this thread. but it's up to YOU to explore and open up your mind. no one asked you to do biotech for grad skool; yet you think it's the only grad prog out there, or other options ain't good enough. i was lucky enough to be part of a management team and had a say in who's gonna get hired and who's gonna make it to the next level. a lot of fresh grads sound exactly like you, that's why i think a yr or two of real working experiences will benefit.

iv.) my impression is that not only you haven't really looked into the advices that you were given, you have turned all of them down cos they don't sound appealing to you. did you know that getting a PharmD doesn't mean you will have to be part of the corps' game or do research? there's clinical pharmacists out there that work with MDs in hospitals. you can also decide which drugs to use/ban for the hospital if you become a hospital pharmacy manager, kinda like fighting the big "bad" pharmas that you seem to have strong feeling for.

p.s. it does make me wonder though why a person with a B.S. in Bio/Life Sci can't work in a lab or do research. how did you go through your undergrad?

 

[blackstone]

what i may do is find a job at an advocacy org for alternate transport and work there for a while...it's something i'm really into right now, and i think a career could be good for me, get away from the science and biotech for at least a little bit and see if the passion survives the test.

If your search is limited to the Atlanta area, you probably ought to expand the range of different types of organizations you're willing to work for. If you're interested in alternative transportation, maybe you could look in the general category of environmental organizations?

A couple of good starting places:

• http://www.opportunitynocs.org/
• http://www.idealist.org/

 

[furcalchick]

well, we ain't you, so we don't know what advices were already given to you. however, i don't see why you should be depressed.

"go to biotech", "go to grad school", "if you're not working in a lab, you're a big failure", and "biology majors that stay in biology are better than ones that leave biology" sum up about 85% of the advice i was given by advisors in college. since being in a lab and thoughts of grad school got me depressed, i thought i was a big failure and felt lots of regret for dumping biology.

ii.) reread my post carefully. there IS a difference between a master's and a PhD. also, JC = Junior College = no research will be involved either.

i thought you need a masters to go teach jc. and i'm not interested in piling up more debt right now, it's something i can't afford. and i'm not sure i want to stay in science, i've been in limbo about this for over a year.

iv.) my impression is that not only you haven't really looked into the advices that you were given, you have turned all of them down cos they don't sound appealing to you. did you know that getting a PharmD doesn't mean you will have to be part of the corps' game or do research? there's clinical pharmacists out there that work with MDs in hospitals. you can also decide which drugs to use/ban for the hospital if you become a hospital pharmacy manager, kinda like fighting the big "bad" pharmas that you seem to have strong feeling for.

p.s. it does make me wonder though why a person with a B.S. in Bio/Life Sci can't work in a lab or do research. how did you go through your undergrad?

not interested in more schooling right now, as i said. and again, still wondering if i should stay in science. i'm in big limbo right now and don't want to be thinking in a time where 110% commitment is needed. and i searched most options already, it's not for me.

and i was good in the lab until my last year of college, then i got horrible and got banned (it's actually pretty terrible, i don't want to go into it). because of that, i decided not to go into the lab, and plus, my idea of a job isn't working in a lab for eight hours straight.

 

[furcalchick]

after spending the last 12 hours or so about this, i think i'm going to start with what i can instead of moaning about things. thanks for your suggestions, and now i have my head on straight.

 

[Plymouthbreezer]

i think i know what my main problem was for in looking for a job. i'm a recently graduated biology degree holder of bachelors, and i was worried about getting a job because of partially moral conflicts. i don't really trust the biotech industry at all now, and i'm not a fan of pharma and the such. i would be more interested in organic and natural medicine and nutrition and the such.

now here's the problem: my degree is in biotech. how can i get a job writing for an holistic medicine company or diet/nutirtion company without more school? (i just got out). any other suggestions in what to look for?

Come live up here in Central Massachusetts, my city is big into biotech. You'll find a job, easy! Good salaries too.

But than again, the cost of living here is insanely high, and home prices are excessive.

 

[furcalchick]

nope, not a fan of boston. not my kind of city. i'll pass.

i'm more of a south/west coast kinda person. but thanks for the offer.

and anyway, thanks for the help to get my head on straight. i'm not looking for a biotech job specially anymore; going to look for all types of jobs in all my interests, i'm not a science only junkie.

 

[elfin buddy]

how am i going to tell everyone that i can't get a job or even figure out what i want to do? i feel like i'm a hippie that doesn't want to work. everything seems so depressing for me now. all of my friends knew exactly what they wanted in junior high and have hometowns to go back to...i have no idea what i want to do and no hometown to go back to. i feel so hopeless right now. and worse, the weather is just getting more depressing by the day. anything at all to help me...no job seems to fit me at all now, it's like i was tossed in the reject pile. i know that i deserve nothing from the real world from my work, but i didn't expect depression and all this misery. anybody care to take a look and give me something that could give me any hope in all this?

I feel like I kind of missed the boat on this discussion, but I'll toss in my lot anyway.

furcalchick, I'm always amazed by people who call others failures for experiencing a shift in interests. It's like people expect someone to have their entire life mapped out by the time they hit university. I think you'll agree with me that this is complete bullsh*t. University is a time of personal growth where you learn as much about yourself as you do about your formal subject of study. It's definitely not a "failure" to question yourself. If anything, having the courage to simply pick something new after spending tens of thousands of dollars in college is indicative of extreme personal fortitude. Few people have the grit to follow their dreams and say "no" to parents, professors and peers. I, for one, applaud you

I'm the kind of person who takes broad interest in just about everything and I actually had some problems just last week regarding that. (PM me if you'd like to hear about that)

To relate to your moral/ethical problems with the pharmaceutical industry, I sympathise entirely with your point of view. Back when I was in Grade 12, I really wanted to study biophysics, particularly with MRI applications. I did a little research before I applied to any universities, and my research indicated that something like 90% of biophysics graduates ended up designing drugs for pharmaceuticals. Whoops. My mind changed pretty quickly there...I was lucky to have figured that out so early. Instead, I started studying Mechanical Engineering, specialised in Mechatronics, and then moved on to German and eventually Quantum Physics. I'm on a work term with the Canadian Space Agency right now, but I still have no idea what I want to do with my life. I'm considering studying several other languages after finishing engineering, and then maybe getting an MBA. And then maybe doing some more engineering or sciences. And then...etc etc. Is that so wrong? If I'm not completely satisfied with where I am, I reserve the right to change. Likewise, you should reserve the right to change.

Coming back from a different perspective, I am certain that I don't want to work for any morally objectionable corporation. But then, how will those corporations ever change for the better if all moral people are scared away? It's one of these self-reinforcing problems. I have no idea whether you want to change the world or simply avoid the parts you don't like, but it's something to think about if you're not completely convinced that leaving biology is right for you

Coming from yet another perspective, my uncle found himself in a perplexing situation back when he was an undergrad many years ago. He was having trouble figuring out what he wanted to do and refused to listen to professors who simply recommended their own fields. The difference is that one of his professors instead recommended that he disappear for a year. In paraphrase, he said "Take a year off and read. Read everything you can get your hands on. If anything even remotely catches your interest, read it. And then read some more. By the end of the year, you will know what you want to do." My uncle took that advice and decided on Geology. He's now living in Germany as one of the most respected geologists in the world. It's really all about finding your passion and enjoying doing it. If you're really not a fan of biotech (and not just against the biotech companies themselves), then I urge you to do something different.

Anyway, that's probably enough for you. Hope that helped, if only in the slightest

 

[kildraik]

I totally agree with the above poster. Wonderfully written. =]

 

[furcalchick]

I feel like I kind of missed the boat on this discussion, but I'll toss in my lot anyway.

furcalchick, I'm always amazed by people who call others failures for experiencing a shift in interests. It's like people expect someone to have their entire life mapped out by the time they hit university. I think you'll agree with me that this is complete bullsh*t. University is a time of personal growth where you learn as much about yourself as you do about your formal subject of study. It's definitely not a "failure" to question yourself. If anything, having the courage to simply pick something new after spending tens of thousands of dollars in college is indicative of extreme personal fortitude. Few people have the grit to follow their dreams and say "no" to parents, professors and peers. I, for one, applaud you

I'm the kind of person who takes broad interest in just about everything and I actually had some problems just last week regarding that. (PM me if you'd like to hear about that)

To relate to your moral/ethical problems with the pharmaceutical industry, I sympathise entirely with your point of view. Back when I was in Grade 12, I really wanted to study biophysics, particularly with MRI applications. I did a little research before I applied to any universities, and my research indicated that something like 90% of biophysics graduates ended up designing drugs for pharmaceuticals. Whoops. My mind changed pretty quickly there...I was lucky to have figured that out so early. Instead, I started studying Mechanical Engineering, specialised in Mechatronics, and then moved on to German and eventually Quantum Physics. I'm on a work term with the Canadian Space Agency right now, but I still have no idea what I want to do with my life. I'm considering studying several other languages after finishing engineering, and then maybe getting an MBA. And then maybe doing some more engineering or sciences. And then...etc etc. Is that so wrong? If I'm not completely satisfied with where I am, I reserve the right to change. Likewise, you should reserve the right to change.

Coming back from a different perspective, I am certain that I don't want to work for any morally objectionable corporation. But then, how will those corporations ever change for the better if all moral people are scared away? It's one of these self-reinforcing problems. I have no idea whether you want to change the world or simply avoid the parts you don't like, but it's something to think about if you're not completely convinced that leaving biology is right for you

Coming from yet another perspective, my uncle found himself in a perplexing situation back when he was an undergrad many years ago. He was having trouble figuring out what he wanted to do and refused to listen to professors who simply recommended their own fields. The difference is that one of his professors instead recommended that he disappear for a year. In paraphrase, he said "Take a year off and read. Read everything you can get your hands on. If anything even remotely catches your interest, read it. And then read some more. By the end of the year, you will know what you want to do." My uncle took that advice and decided on Geology. He's now living in Germany as one of the most respected geologists in the world. It's really all about finding your passion and enjoying doing it. If you're really not a fan of biotech (and not just against the biotech companies themselves), then I urge you to do something different.

Anyway, that's probably enough for you. Hope that helped, if only in the slightest

you're not too late, and i think you really helped me even more that i'm not the only one with this problem.

i think it's a product of our society that makes us think that we have to have our whole lives up by college or else we're complete failures. i noticed that during college, the ones that had these grand plans for being md's, and knew exactly what they wanted to do with their lives were the leaders and the mature ones that knew who they are, and the ones that had no clue of what to do after college were the miserable losers that would go on to become bums after college. it's like they want mature people by the time they go to college instead of what college is, a time to find who you are. i certainly know alot more about myself than i did four years ago when i started college. during that time, i found out that science wasn't a great career choice for me, at least in biotech, and i wasn't really looking for a career in science too much anyway coming in. so i would say the biotech leaving is partly ethical, partly lack of interest, at least as a career commitment. i'm still somewhat considering a job in biology as my next one, but it's one of several options. over the last couple of years, i've gotten really interested in the way cities are built and some other social aspects of life, as i've read a bunch of books on several social topics. so i think it's a society fault that says we have to mature by the time we reach college and from there we know our goals for our lives and we use college to obtain those goals, instead of just taking this time to explore ourselves. i think i'm really finding finally what i'm passionate in, and i didn't find out about it until my third year in college. i shouldn't just stick to what i wanted in junior high, i've changed alot since then and know more about myself than i did back then. and besides, it's my life, not my parents or my teachers or anyone else's. i need to do what makes me happy, not them.

also, just basing your life on childhood goals makes us ignorant of what we're really capable of. i think people are really afraid of someone finding out at adulthood with their passion and running with that, instead of being a ignorant person just being bored at something they thought was right when they were in junior high.

anyways, thanks again. i'll probably start job hunting shortly, and i'll tell you what happens on another thread.

 

[elfin buddy]

I totally agree with the above poster. Wonderfully written. =]

Thanks

you're not too late, and i think you really helped me even more that i'm not the only one with this problem.

i think it's a product of our society that makes us think that we have to have our whole lives up by college or else we're complete failures. i noticed that during college, the ones that had these grand plans for being md's, and knew exactly what they wanted to do with their lives were the leaders and the mature ones that knew who they are, and the ones that had no clue of what to do after college were the miserable losers that would go on to become bums after college. it's like they want mature people by the time they go to college instead of what college is, a time to find who you are. i certainly know alot more about myself than i did four years ago when i started college. during that time, i found out that science wasn't a great career choice for me, at least in biotech, and i wasn't really looking for a career in science too much anyway coming in. so i would say the biotech leaving is partly ethical, partly lack of interest, at least as a career commitment. i'm still somewhat considering a job in biology as my next one, but it's one of several options. over the last couple of years, i've gotten really interested in the way cities are built and some other social aspects of life, as i've read a bunch of books on several social topics. so i think it's a society fault that says we have to mature by the time we reach college and from there we know our goals for our lives and we use college to obtain those goals, instead of just taking this time to explore ourselves. i think i'm really finding finally what i'm passionate in, and i didn't find out about it until my third year in college. i shouldn't just stick to what i wanted in junior high, i've changed alot since then and know more about myself than i did back then. and besides, it's my life, not my parents or my teachers or anyone else's. i need to do what makes me happy, not them.

also, just basing your life on childhood goals makes us ignorant of what we're really capable of. i think people are really afraid of someone finding out at adulthood with their passion and running with that, instead of being a ignorant person just being bored at something they thought was right when they were in junior high.

anyways, thanks again. i'll probably start job hunting shortly, and i'll tell you what happens on another thread.

Glad to hear that it helped and it wasn't a waste of an hour of my time writing that, haha. I look forward to reading about your future adventures!

 

[furcalchick]

update

i think the reason i was feeling like a loser was because i have no life now, and it's likely to stay that way unless i move out of the area to an actual place. i just feel miserable overall. it may not be biotech that scares me, but likely just me becoming isolated. i did put in an application to teach in the local area, but i think i got turned down, so i think i'm likely going to look out of town for a job.

i'm thinking about moving soon maybe, and i decided to put san diego in the mix as well. i'm starting to think atlanta isn't really the best place, and i would like to leave floriduh as soon as possible.

 

[furcalchick]

update

i wanted to update this thread, and i've decided that i'm not going into biotech after a few months of thinking about it. no more doubts about it, i don't feel like i can ethically go into biotech due to my anti-pharma stance and i'm totally fine with this. i don't feel like i've failed myself, in fact, i feel like i passed the test and decided to make my own path despite peer pressure and big bucks. thanks for the help. my actual career...well that's still a work in progress, but i have a bit of a plan now about it.