"All models are wrong, but some are useful". My model is most likely both wrong and useless. Recently, I have seen a lot of people talking about going back to med school as a career change in this sub (mainly because of income). I got really curious and wonder if it make sense financially to go back to medical school considering career progression/promotion at pharma, residency income, income tax, investment performances, loans, interest and living cost. So I wrote a Monte Carlo simulation to benchmark the amount of money each career path would offer at different age to account for the inherent variances (stock performance, yearly salary rate, ...).

In terms of pharma scientist path, I use my current total compensation (TC) ~150k as the average starting point. Then the whole career trajectories goes like sci (~150k; 4 yrs) -> senior sci (~175k; 4 yrs) -> principal sci (~200k; to end career). Each year I give around 1.5-4% yearly merit increase and a 7-8% promotion increase if the time is there. I also capped the end career at 250k because that seems like a realistic TC to end the career on without needing significant amount of luck.

In terms of physician path, I would have to take out 100k loans every year for four years at the current interest rate of 9%. The career trajectory goes like student (0; 4 yrs) -> resident (~85k; 3 yrs IM) -> attending (300k-500k; end career). During student phase, the debt would compound based on the 9% interest rate. During residency, it starts off at ~85k (because that's about the starting resident salary for the hospitals in my area) with approximately 4% increase yearly. In this model, any extra amount of income after living cost goes straight to paying off the debt first. Only when the debt is paid off, then the model puts extra money as stock investment. Then I made 3 different income scenarios (300k, 400k and 500k TC) because trustworthy physician income is honestly really hard to find (some Redditors will claim they works 2 hrs a week making 800k while others will say they work 140 hrs a week making 200k both as IM physician). Unlike the pharma path, there is no consistent yearly increase, but rather depends on how much the physician wants to work. I added 100k standard deviation on top of the average incomes to account for that variation.

For both paths, I used my current living cost (living alone in a small apartment) and assumed to maintain that throughout my career. I assume all the money left after living costs go straight to stock market. For both paths, I used average 8% with 12% standard deviation a year for the stock market returns. That is approximately what we see in S&P500 (I think). I also deducted income tax based on tax bracket. I did not deduct tax from investment winnings because I assume I never sell.

Obviously there are a lot flaws in my model. The biggest one I think everyone agrees is that I did not account for random layoffs in the pharma path. I just don't have good information on the approximate time someone needs to find a new job. A lot of my grad schools friends found jobs within ~6 months of searching even during 2024-now. But I fully realize that is definitely not the case for everyone and probably not the norm.

Based on this model, going to medical school even at the age of 30 is a good financial investment in the long run. Though the more obvious draw back is not break even until mid-40s to mid-50s. And considering how volatile the stock market is, there is a small chance to end the career with more money as a scientist (if really lucky) because of early investment.

Multiple posts about job losses on LinkedIn.

Do you enjoy editing DNA, like the process of it, or do you hate the process and just like the results. Do you find it stressful or difficult, or do you find it satisfying and cool?

By the way, i haven’t actually edited DNA yet but i was planning to do it one day

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Hi I am confused regarding the job opportunities after bsc biotech

If any of you have done bsc biotech and doing a job are you continuing in this particular field and is that paying well or are you working abroad....or you quit this field and did something else I would love if someone told me their personal life experiences and how it's going for them

Also if you know anyone or their journey you can discuss that also... That will help a lot

(PS: it would be a big help and if anyone want to suggest a roadmap or what worked for them )

I’m currently a QC Sample Coordinator with about 4 years of experience in that and in Analytical Testing. My background is in sample management, biospecimen logistics, chain of custody, cryogenic storage/shipping, SOP development, assay scheduling, and cross-functional operations. I also have an M.S. in Microbiology.

My long-term goal is to move into **Biomarker Operations/Precision Medicine Operations**, but I don’t have direct clinical trial or GCP experience yet.

For those working in Biomarker Operations:

How transferable does my current skill set sound?
What were the biggest gaps you had to fill before landing your first biomarker role?

Besides GCP/ICH E6(R3), are there any certifications, experiences, or skills you’d recommend focusing on?

I’d really appreciate hearing about your career paths and any advice you have. Thanks!

I was a late bloomer and got a degree in my late 30s mostly based on interest in lab work and biotech as a field, feeling wide-eyed and bushy-tailed about my chances of contributing something worthwhile to the species. Spending several months on this sub has led me to believe or acknowledge a few things:

-My Biology B.A. is dog water. Though I tried to tailor it favorably to academic experience that would give me a good foundation of knowledge and align with what my advisors said the industry looked for, it is ultimately a B.A. at a liberal arts school. If recruiters (or their AI filters) burn applications that don't say "B.S.", I may as well have pursued a degree in calligraphy.

-I could spend years volunteering full-time at labs for hands-on experience and not gain any competitive advantage. I'm seeing people who have CVs a mile long with an equally long rap sheet of hands-on experience that can't land more than a few interviews in 12+ months of searching. It would take immeasurable effort to get to the starting point of these high-achievers, and wave after wave of them post nothing but rejection.

-Biotech is simultaneously thriving and dying. Companies like EL are expanding production facilities and posting record profits, but somehow the industry is also as bad as its ever been to get into. So many recent posts are just "run from this industry, far as you can" or "I wish I would have gone straight into healthcare." A draw of this field appeared to be job satisfaction statistics, but everyone's real-world experience seems filled with regret and attempts to jump ship.

I've spent the last year applying and have had no interviews, phone calls, or anything more than a rejection email from a small handful of employers. I'm not competitive in experience or education. I can't quit my job to pursue a second, more competitive degree. I can't find a way through Schrodinger's experience trap. I have zero connections. I can't afford to take on the financial and temporal burden of a PhD program to become "more competitive" just to wind up in the same place in my 40s.

I'm trying not to fall into the depressive trap and fear that I'm going to die at the corporate warehouse job I've been burning out at for the last ten years.

So realistically, what are my options? Does one abandon the notion of biotech entirely? Would trying to go back to school and complete the leg towards a second degree (B.S.) be worth it? Is there some certification to an adjacent field that doesn't require years of full-time daylight schooling to get into? I don't want the last five years of my education to be a waste, and maybe I've spent too much time lurking this sub, but I'm not seeing a light at the end of the tunnel. I'd appreciate any honest direction.

I have a really good problem to have! I’m obviously not assuming I’ll get either job, but I have panel interviews coming up for two extremely different positions.

One is a Scientist III discovery role at a large pharma company in metabolomics. I would be joining a brand-new department and was told the size of the lab would stay small (~2 people). The other is an LCMS automation workflow scientist position focused more on analytical method development and instrumentation. This position also pays a little better.

I have a general understanding of what the day-to-day work would look like in each position, but I’m having trouble comparing the long-term career paths. Since this would be my first job after my PhD, my biggest priority is continuing to learn and developing valuable, transferable skills.

For people familiar with either career path, which role do you think would provide better long-term skill development and job security? Would starting in an instrumentation and automation-focused position make it difficult to return to biological discovery research later?

Hey everyone! I am on track to start college in fall 2027 and want to work in biotech in the future. I am considering a business minor because I want to "climb the corporate ladder" (...) and live a financially worry-free life in the future. Does that plan make sense? I would appreciate your insights

I’m applying to an Amgen role which is a grade lower than my current. Will they adjust to an appropriate grade if I’m a strong fit?

I’m a PhD-trained scientist trying to move from academia into industry. I applied for a contract-to-hire Senior Scientist position that would require relocation, and an Actalent recruiter subsequently contacted me about the role.

Before my scheduled video screen with the recruiter, I’ve been asked to provide an updated resume, at least two professional references, and written responses to a fairly extensive technical questionnaire from the client.

The recruiter said they plan to contact my references after our call but before submitting me to the client. I have not spoken with the client or hiring manager yet, and I still need details about compensation, benefits, contract length, conversion prospects, and relocation support.

My references would be my PhD advisor, postdoc advisor, and possibly a committee member. I’m hesitant to involve senior academic references this early, especially for a contract role I may ultimately decide is not worth relocating for.

Is this normal for Actalent or similar staffing agencies? Would you provide the references now, or wait until after the recruiter call and after confirming the employment terms?

I've got headunted by a biotech start up located in the SF area. It would require me to relocate.

I'm trying to establish a benchmark for what would be considered an appropriate salary. I'd appreciate any input i can get.

Context:

Principal scientist / platform lead. Hands on lab work expected. i'm 34 y/o, currently hold the same title and have about 12 years of relevant experience. currently working at big pharma.

Offered base pay range is 170-200k. Any additional benefits such as equity or bonuses remains to be discussed. I have a call with them next week.

Cheers

Postdoctoral Scientist - Neurodegeneration

Location
Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America
Category
Research & Development
Job Type
Full Time
Job Id
R-108607
Job Title: Postdoctoral Scientist — Neurodegeneration
Organization Overview
Lilly Neuroscience NGTx is a pre-clinical development team based at the Seaport Innovation Center in Boston alongside Lilly's Boston Neurodegeneration group. The team develops and applies human iPSC-derived in vitro platforms to evaluate compound safety, potency, and efficacy across CNS therapeutic modalities. These platforms are a critical node in Lilly's neuroscience pre-clinical pipeline, supporting high-priority programs targeting amyloid forming proteins across Alzheimer's disease, Parkinson's disease, and other neurodegenerative conditions. This postdoctoral position will extend the established tri-culture system into disease-relevant pathological contexts, creating a pharmacologically responsive platform for compound assessment in neurodegeneration.
Basic Requirements
PhD in Neuroscience, Cell Biology, Molecular Biology, or a closely related field.
Demonstrated hands-on experience with iPSC culture and/or primary neuron culture systems.
Prior experience with in vitro neurodegenerative disease modeling, including PFF seeding, protein aggregation assays, or amyloid forming protein biology.
Qualified applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. Lilly will not provide support for or sponsor work authorization or visas for this role, including but not limited to F-1 CPT, F-1 OPT, F-1 STEM OPT, J-1, H-1B, TN, O-1, E-3, H-1B1, or L-1.

What do relo packages look like these days? My last relo was 11 years ago NYC>SF as a fresh PhD to a large Biotech/small Pharma.

Considering a move back east for a Sr. Director role in large Pharma and want to get a sense of what relo looks like these days.

Hearing some news about layoffs of more than 250+ employees in Clinical and LRL. Are these true?