In article <43ikg6$n3r at news.cc.oberlin.edu> Cindy Lai <scl4558 at ocvaxa.cc.oberlin.edu> writes:
>Hi, I am currently a student at Oberlin college and I am very interested
>in biology and medicine. I would like to have a career in the field, but
>I have heard that medicine is not a very good option right now...The
>field is too saturated and because of insurance and office groups, has
>become too troublesome and money-oriented.
>Does anyone have opinions to offer? Would a growing field such as
>computers or stocks be a better alternative?
I will second several of the already posted suggestions:
I understand that there is a gross shortage of women in the large-animal vet
area - could be ripe for the taking. Lots of house (barn)-calls, not very
glamorous, but lots of money (therefore good animal health practices) in
cattle and even recreational horses. I love large critters and seriously
considered this area at one time.
Research....hmmmm....been there, grant funding ran out. A labour of love and
a decision that I believe should be made out of love rather than rationale.
Hospital admin is a huge and growing field - I don't believe that the pundits
feel that it is even close to peaking yet. Problem - it ain't science - not
even close.
I am in education - not as a teacher but as a program designer and
coordinator. I spend much time on admin, but also get to be as creative as I
wish in terms of developing course ideas. This with an M.Sc. in Immunology
and about 7 years in medical research. I don't DO science, but I get to think
about it alot!
In any case, you should think carefully about what attracts you to the
biology/medicine field. Is it the laboratory science? Working with people?
Alleviating pain? Any career choice will depend more on these things than
the specific discipline which you pursue.
And I must say, Cindy, that you will be excellently prepared for whatever you
choose to do because you went to OBERLIN!!!!
Then again, I may be ~slightly~ biased.
Cheers and good luck,
Heather Deal, Oberlin, 1982, Biology
