Research Scientist

Duties and Responsibilities: Medical research scientists devise and conduct experiments in order to increase the body of scientific knowledge on topics related to medicine. They also develop new, or improve existing, drugs, treatments or other medically related products. Medical research takes place in higher education institutions, research institutes, hospitals and industry. The level of research may be basic and involve investigating the underlying basis of health or disease or it may be more applied and include conducting clinical research, investigating methods of prevention, diagnosis and treatment of human disorders. Research may be at the molecular level, carried out using appropriate cell and animal models, or human volunteers may be used to study the clinical effects of various factors

Salary: $80,000

Education: Although graduates entering this area of work traditionally have a degree in a medical or life science discipline, many areas of medical research now also need graduates in chemistry, physics or statistics/bioinformatics. Direct entry with only an HND or foundation degree to a research scientist role is not possible. Opportunities for HND or foundation degree holders may exist at technician level - see scientific laboratory technician - but progression to medical research scientist will require further qualifications. Some employers may allow you to study while working part time. An MSc or PhD is commonly required by employers for entry to this field, but opportunities at entry level without a postgraduate qualification do exist, particularly in industry. Career progression does usually require further qualifications though, particularly a PhD. The Medical Research Council (MRC) is the main funder of PhDs in medical science in the UK and in 2009/10 it supported more than 1,900 postgraduate students and spent around £86million on training awards. The MRC also funds collaborative studentships with pharmaceutical and biotech companies, which result in a PhD.

Reflection: I think it would be fun to become a Research Scientist. It sounds very interesting. But if I was to become one, I don’t think I would become a Medical Research Scientist because I am not particularly interested but I would become a Research Scientist for life science or physical science.