BIOLOGICAL AND MEDICAL SCIENTISTS

Nature of the Work

Biological and medical scientists study living organisms and their relationship to their environment.  Most specialize in some area of biology such as zoology (the study of animals) or microbiology (the study of microscopic organisms).

Many biological scientists and virtually all medical scientists work in research and development.  Some conduct basic research to increase knowledge of living organisms.  Others, in applied research, use knowledge provided by basic research to develop new medicines, increase crop yields, and improve the environment.  Biological and medical scientists who conduct research usually work in laboratories and use electron microscopes, computers, thermal cyclers, or a wide variety of other equipment.  Some may conduct experiments on laboratory animals or greenhouse plants.  For some kinds of biological scientists, a good deal of research is performed outside of laboratories.  For example, a botanist may do research in tropical rain forests to see what plants grow there, or an ecologist may study how a forest area recovers after a fire.

Training, Other Qualifications, and Advancement

For biological scientists, the Ph.D.  degree generally is required for college teaching, independent research, and for advancement to administrative positions.  A master's degree is sufficient for some jobs in applied research and for jobs in management, inspection, sales, and service.  The bachelor's degree is adequate for some nonresearch jobs.  Some graduates with a bachelor's degree start as biological scientists in testing and inspection, or get jobs related to biological science such as technical sales or service representatives.  In some cases, graduates with a bachelor's degree are able to work in a laboratory environment on their own projects, but this is unusual.  Some may work as research assistants.  Others become biological technicians, medical laboratory technologists or, with courses in education, high school biology teachers.  Many with a bachelor's degree in biology enter medical, dental, veterinary, or other health profession schools.  Some enter a wide range of occupations with little or no connection to biology.

The Ph.D.  degree in a biological science is the minimum education required for prospective medical scientists because the work of medical scientists is almost entirely research oriented

Job Outlook

Employment of biological and medical scientists is expected to increase faster than the average for all occupations through the year 2005.  Biological and medical scientists will continue to conduct genetic and biotechnological research and help develop and produce products developed by new biological methods.  In addition, efforts to clean up and preserve the environment will continue to add to growth.  More biological scientists will be needed to determine the environmental impact of industry and government actions and to correct past environmental problems.  Expected expansion in research related to health issues, such as AIDS, cancer, and the Human Genome project, should also result in growth.  However, much research and development, including many areas of medical research, is funded by the Federal Government.  Anticipated budget tightening should lead to slower employment growth of biological and medical scientists in the public sector and in some private industry research laboratories as the number and amount of government grants increases more slowly than in the past.

Earnings

Median annual earnings for biological and life scientists were about $34,500 in 1992; the middle 50 percent earned between $26,000 and $46,800.  Ten percent earned less than $20,400, and 10 percent earned over $56,900.  For medical scientists, median annual earnings were about $32,400; the middle 50 percent earned between $25,800 and $52,200.  Ten percent earned less than $20,000, and 10 percent earned over $77,600.  According to the College Placement Council, beginning salary offers in private industry in 1992 averaged $21,850 a year for bachelor's degree recipients in biological science.

In the Federal Government in 1993, general biological scientists in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions earned an average salary of $45,155; microbiologists averaged $49,440; ecologists, $44,657; physiologists, $55,326; and geneticists, $55,709.

Sources of Additional Information

For information on careers in physiology, contact:

American Physiological Society, Membership Services Dept., 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814.

For information on careers in biochemistry, contact:

American Society for Biochemistry and Molecular Biology, 9650 Rockville Pike, Bethesda, MD 20814.

For information on careers in botany, contact:

Business Office, Botanical Society of America, 1725 Neil Ave., Columbus, OH 43210-1293.

For information on careers in microbiology, contact:

American Society for Microbiology, Office of Education and Training Career Information, 1325 Massachusetts Ave.  NW., Washington, DC 20005.

Information on Federal job opportunities is available from local offices of State employment services or offices of the U.S.  Office of Personnel Management, located in major metropolitan areas.


