• Question: How long did it take to study before you became a scientist?

    Asked by anon-361931 to Camilla on 24 Apr 2023.
    • Photo: Camilla Cassidy

      Camilla Cassidy answered on 24 Apr 2023:

      I studied a science subject at university – Marine Biology – which takes 3 years, though I studied 1 more year for a total of 4 to have a longer, more detailed degree called a Masters Degree. After my 4 years at university I could have gotten a job in a science subject or related sort of work – this would make you a scientist after as little as 3 years.

      After my 4 years of studying, I started another type of study called a PhD. This is where being a research scientist is a full time job; you are still considered a ‘student’, because you are learning, but you are paid to work in a university in their science labs, running experiments and figuring out new things for the university.

      After my PhD, which lasted for 3 and a half years, I started a full time job working with numbers and statistics. I now do STEM work as my proper, paid job. 🙂

Comments

  • Photo: Kim

    Kim commented on :

    I studied for 4 years at university – for Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Science. This included a 5 month placement in a hospital laboratory in my 3rd year of studies.

    You can get a degree in 3 years, but I did an extra year for an Honours degree, where I completed a really interesting research project on spinal cord injuries by studying tadpoles. I got a job a few months after graduating as a Research & Development Scientist in the medical diagnostics industry and have been working in a lab ever since 😊