Twenty years ago, the job market landscape for biomedical science/engineering Ph.D. graduates could be navigated using two main paths: academic or industrial research. The many other “alternative” paths, leading to such careers as biomedicine policy, science education, or business strategy consulting, were not well traveled.
Today, the landscape is dramatically different. Career paths that once seemed mainstream no longer dominate. Other paths that previously seemed unconventional are increasingly attracting interest.
Many factors have contributed to this evolution. The often-discussed oversupply of Ph.D. graduates and perceived saturation of traditional Ph.D. job markets is one factor that has pushed graduates toward nontraditional career paths (1). Other factors, however, have exerted a pulling affect. For example, rapid growth in biotechnology created excitement and opportunity for Ph.D.’s interested in entrepreneurial pursuits or business development. Business strategy consulting companies began seriously recruiting Ph.D. graduates for their analytical skills. And, the rising threat of bioterrorism generated the need for policy analysts that understand the details of biology. Industry and academia will always require biomedical science Ph.D. graduates, but the full spectrum career paths open to these graduates has grown significantly more diverse.
Of course, negotiating entry to these career paths can be challenging. Having a bioscience Ph.D. opens the way to some paths yet certainly closes others. Most students are unprepared or simply unaware of how to find the open paths.
This seminar series seeks to explore diverse Ph.D. career paths through the eyes of the travelers. Each of the speakers has taken a different path. Their stories of choices they made, paths taken and paths not taken, and twists and turns along the way will inform by example.
Each one-hour seminar is divided into two parts: a presentation by the speaker, followed by an open discussion. This format is intended to keep the seminars informal and encourage exchange.
Our hope is that this series will continue as a resource for BME (and other) Ph.D. students and post-docs at Hopkins.
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