XPost: sci.research.careers
From: asd@panix.com
On Tue, 16 Apr 2007, DarkProtoman wrote:
> On Apr 16, 8:15 pm, Straydog wrote:
>> On Mon, 16 Apr 2007, DarkProtoman wrote:
>>> How would this look for a career in academia, industry, or the DoD?
>>> BTW, I'm in high school, I took California's High School Proficency
>>> Exam, and I'm now eligible to enroll in Cypress College's Honors
>>> Program. I'm 16.
>>
>>> Earn an AS in Biology while enrolled in the Cypress College Honors
>>> Program
>>> Earn a SB in Biology and a minor in mathematics at MIT
>>> Earn a MPhil in Biochemistry from King's College of Cambridge
>>> University
>>> Earn a SM in Bioengineering from the Harvard School of Engineering and
>>> Applied Sciences
>>> Earn a MD from the Harvard-MIT HST program, become aHHMI-NIHResearch
>>> Scholar during sophomore year
>>> Earn a PhD in Bioengineering from MIT
>>> Take internal medicine residency at Massachusets General Hospital
>>> Take postdoc(s) at Genentech, MIT, Harvard, and/or Cambridge.
>>
>>> How would this look for a career in academia, industry, or the DoD?
>>
>> Take my word for it, you don't need that much. Just get a BS from one of
>> the top 10-20 undergrad schools (preferably elite [if you can get in]),
>> then--seriously--skip the MS degree, and get your PhD from one of the top
>> 10-20researchuniversities. Then, to top off, do your postdoc, also, at
>> one of the top 10-20 elite labs (if biology, then eg. Cold Spring Harbor,
>> Whitehead).
>>
>> Get the MD in a MD-PhD prgram (5 years, it should be). But, don't forget
>> you have to get _in_ medical school.
>>
>> Do NOT do postdocs in private industry. Only do one postdoc, not less than
>> 3 years, not more than 4.
>>
>> You would do well to avoid being associated with Nobel prise winners
>> because they always (unless you can demonstrate otherwise) are out giving
>> seminars all over the world making more money off honorariums than their
>> salaries. You want a guy who will be around to mentor you and help you get
>> your career going.
>>
>>> Thanks!!!!
>>
>>> BTW, what would I put on my labcoat/nameplate if I successfully
>>> complete this plan? All of my degrees, or just the highest --MD, PhD--?
>>
>> If you get both MD & PhD, then you can put them both (forget lessor
>> degrees) on and have one-upsmanship over those who have only one
>> doctorate.
>>
>> Don't forget one thing: the war is NOT with credential collection like you
>> listed above. The war is about making significant discoveries and
>> contributions (papers in peer-reviewed journals) AND getting large
>> grants/contracts AND surviving the politics.
>>
>> Best advice: start making contact (if you are interested in biomedical
>> outcomes) with people in labs doing grant-fundedresearchand see if you
>> can get any kind of part-time lab work (so you can get close to many
>> people actually doing realresearchand talk with them), or even
>> volunteer work. If you play this right, you get them (faculty) to write
>> letters of recommendation for you (you will need these).
>>
>> Me, I am a retiredresearchprofessor. I was at UMAB SoM (Baltimore),
>> Departments of Biophysics and Pathology. Hopkins was our competitor, not
>> Georgetown.
>>
>>
>>
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>
> Why should I skip the master's degrees? Aren't they supposed to be
> prep for the PhD?
A MS degree is good for people who have not decided what they want to do
or are not sure about the place and want to "try out" the atmosphere,
quality of faculty, etc., or are not sure of their own capabilities.
HOWEVER, if you are sure of yourself and are a high capability person,
then you are wasting time. You really need the highest credentials ASAP
and once you get them, then all the earlier credentials will diminish in
importance. People are going to ask where you got your PhD or MD and be
impressed with that more than where you got your BS or MS.
You don't have to believe me, just ask everyone else and see what they
say.
And I really do want to spend some time at
> Cambridge. The only reason I'm not doing my undergrad there is that it
> might be difficult to get into a US med school like HMS. I don't plan
> on being associated w/ Nobel prize winners, just elite institutions.
Its not how many places you've been at, but where you end up that counts
most. If you want prestige, stay with the top name places in academia.
Also stay with the places that get the most money, have biggest programs,
and neon signs glowing at night. Its a big mistake and there is a ton of
envy out there for the "rich" institutions, but I can tell you that
everyone wishes they were at a better (read: rich) institution. Downside:
politics. You need to look over your shoulder (daggars always come from
behind).
> What was your academic history? Degrees, awards, etc.
I'd have to send you a copy of my CV, but if you can handle a compressed
zip file, I have 500 kb of essays, references, publications, sources, all
serious stuff --including politics and bad news, and can send you that as
an attached file to your email address and you can spend a couple hours
and have it straight from someone who has "been there".
> This really is GREAT advice! Any other advice I should know?
Read my essays.
> Thanks!
>
>
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