Ask a Recent UCD Biochemistry Grad

Colleges and Universities A-Z University of California - Davis
61

<p>I just graduated from UCD with a B.S. in Biochemistry and I’ve been having trouble finding a job. At first I chose this major because I wanted to pursue pharm school but I’ve decided that wasn’t the route I wanted to take. Now I just want to do lab research for a pharmaceutical company or something along those lines. </p>

<p>Some people in other states are making at least $20 an hour as a lab technician after they graduate; however it’s not like that in California.</p>

<p>What should I do? Should I chose an alternate route? Relocate?</p>

62

<p>@nntrinh</p>

<p>Finding a job now really depends on the skill sets that you have that differentiate yourself from other biotechnology grads. As you must have noticed at the College of BioSci graduation, there were MANY biochemistry grads as well as other biological science grads. Imagine that many people multiply by how many UCs there are. That’s quite a lot of people with the same laboratory skill sets. Granted, not everyone who graduated will go into the pharmaceutical industry, but there is still a substantial amount of people looking for laboratory jobs. </p>

<p>The jobs available for most new grads in the pharmaceutical industry is at the technician level. This is pretty much the entry level position at most place. Although the biotech companies are actually hiring right now, you’re going to actually compete for these positions with masters-level people who can’t find a research associate job yet. For most of the pharmaceutical companies like Roche and Genentech, there is quite a bit of vertical movement from technician to research associate after a couple of years and favorable annual reviews. It sucks that most of the technician level work now is paying out at about $16 an hour, but the experience will be pretty valuable. If you can find work at some of the big Bay Area pharm companies, take it even if the pay is sucks. The experience will help you out a lot.</p>

63

<p>OP,</p>

<p>i am applying to UC Davis this fall for a 2012 transfer as a poly sci major and just had a quick question.</p>

<p>my main goal here is to be a non trad student and apply to UOP Dental School after. However, I plan on taking my pre reqs at Davis at the same time as my major courses, little by little, what I need are the typical core science classes, i.e,</p>

<ul>
<li>Bio 1 & 2</li>
<li>Chem 2 (will take chem 1a at CC)</li>
<li>Phys 1 & 2</li>
<li>O Chem 1 & 2</li>
</ul>

<p>how are the quarters set up so I can take these classes? I come from a semester system so I am a bit confused. Are their just 3 quarters a year? So does that mean since I have 7 courses i can possibly take them all in the two years i will be there plus possibly taking some at summer?</p>

<p>for example</p>

<p>FaQ1 : Bio 1
SpQ2 : Bio 2
Summer : Chem 2
FaQ3: Phys 1
SpQ4: Phys 2
Summer : Ochem 1
FaQ5 : O chem 2</p>

<p>or does that not how it works?</p>

<p>thank you for the clarification.</p>

64

<p>@UCkittychen</p>

<p>That sounds like a good plan. The difference between the quarter system and the semester system is that instead of having 2 semesters in a school year, there are 3 quarters in a school year (counter-intuitive I know). Therefore, year long courses are broken down into 3 parts (A,B,C) for each series. An example of this is the General Biology course which is broken down into BIS2A, BIS2B, BIS2C. What a semester-type school would denote as Bio1 and Bio2 would be Bio1A, Bio1B, Bio1C. So yearlong courses will be broken down into 3 parts as oppose to 2 parts like in semester schools. In the same way that you mention, the classes are still a yearlong, it’s just broken up into 3 parts in a quarter system. </p>

<p>Here’s a modified schedule for you.</p>

<p>Key:
BIS 2A, 2B, 2C = Bio 1 and 2
PHY 7A, 7B, 7C = PHYS 1 and 2
CHE 118A, 118B, 118C = Ochem 1 and 2
CHE 2B, 2C = Chem 2</p>

<p>Fall Q = BIS 2A
Winter Q = BIS 2B
Spring Q = BIS 2C
Summer Q Session 1 = CHE 2B
Summer Q Session 2 = CHE 2C
Fall Q = PHY 7A
Winter Q = PHY 7B
Spring Q = PHY 7C
Summer Q Session 1 = CHE 118A
Summer Q Sessions 2 = CHE 118B
Fall Q = CHE 118C
…
Graduation (!)</p>

<p>Hope that helps.</p>

65

<p>What percentage of Biochemistry Grads2011 received jobs?</p>

66

<p>@Ventureman</p>

<p>I’m sorry but I was not able to find the employment statistics for the Biochemistry class this year or the other years for that matter. However, I do have the overall employment statistics for graduates of UC Davis if that is any consolation.</p>

<p><a href=“http://facts.ucdavis.edu/documents/enrollment_and_employment_trends.pdf[/url]”>http://facts.ucdavis.edu/documents/enrollment_and_employment_trends.pdf&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>It’s important to note that employed full-time in this set of data includes those working in fields that are unrelated to the major that they graduated with.</p>

67

<p>OMG</p>

<p>thank you! that seems very clear and effective!</p>

68

<p>What courses should I sign up for during orientation (B&MB major-going for med school)? I’m thinking BIS2A, CHE2A, ENL3. Should I go with MAT17A or 21A?</p>

<p>Edit: And what did you do over the summers?</p>

69

<p>i’m not the OP but i entered as a biosci major (econ/IR now) so i know a bit about it.
orientation leaders will generally advise against you taking the che series and the bis series at the same time since it’s your first quarter of college and you don’t exactly know what you’re getting yourself into. my freshman year roommate was premed and he started the bis series winter quarter freshman year(and the phy series spring quarter), but a lot of other people i know in the college of biosci didn’t start bis until sophomore year.
regarding 17 series vs 21 series, the 17 series is supposed to be “easier” and since you’re premed you’re probably going to prefer that. there could be more to it, i took the 16 series so i don’t really know specifics.</p>

70

<p>@chiburger</p>

<p>Hella did a pretty good job answering and explaining the matter, but I will just reiterate the points again. Your orientation leader will discourage you from taking the BIS series in your first quarter and this is generally sound advice. The adjustment between HS and college is difficult for a lot of people and you don’t want to over-stress yourself taking both CHE, BIS, and MAT. BIS in itself is somewhat a lot of work and it’s generally much better to be taken (at the earliest) during your winter quarter when you better understand what works and what doesn’t work for you in terms of time management. </p>

<p>The requirements change in that College of BioSci major must take either MAT21 or MAT17 series (instead of allowing you to take MAT16 as before). MAT 21 is a bit more difficult then MAT17 and is generally taken by engineering majors. MAT17 deals more with word problems and tries to gear these problems towards biological science situations. When I took it 4 years ago, it went at a reasonable (somewhat slow) pace and did not really go into depth all the calculus functions etc. The word problems is sort of difficult depending on how well your teacher explains them, but in all, a very manageable course (and series) for your first year when paired with General Chemistry.</p>

<p>I would say you should go with CHE2A, MAT17A, 1-2 GEs for your first quarter. ENL3 and UWP1 are time-consuming courses in that they are pretty reading/writing intensive. If you decide to take either one, then CHE2A/MAT17A/ENL3 and a fluff 1-2 unit freshmen seminar should give you ample time to study/do well. Don’t try to add on another 3-4 unit GE if you’re taking ENL/UWP because it could be pretty difficult for you in terms of time. Generally, hover about 13-15 units your first quarter to give you time to study/adjust before you start picking up 3 science courses a quarter later on.</p>

<p>As for summers, I admit I didn’t have much in the way of traveling/fun. As the trend is now, most people take a year off between undergrad and med school. Since the process of applying to med school requires a whole year to complete, people are starting to apply their senior year so that they have ample time to gain necessary clinical experiences and take the MCAT, thus the year off in between. As for myself, I didn’t really think that year off was necessary for myself (a personal preference and in no way indicative of how it should/should not be). So my first summer (between 1st and 2nd year) I took Organic Chemistry during summer session 1 and did research on campus the whole summer. My 2nd summer (between 2nd and 3rd year), I prepped for the MCAT by taking a prep course and studied all summer in addition to doing research and volunteering at the hospital. My 3rd summer (between 3rd and 4th year), I applied to med school and worked on my secondaries (essays required by each individual med school) and interviewed. As for my last summer now, it’s mostly relaxing before starting school again. I did a whole lot of things in each of my summers off only because I was trying to squeeze things in to make it possible for me to apply my junior year. Typically, people try to stretch thing out so there are more time to do things. It all depends on what you think/feel is right for you.</p>

71

<p>where will you be attending next?</p>

72

<p>@Whiteforce</p>

<p>I will be attending Georgetown Medicine this fall.</p>

73

<p>BMB transfer from a CC here</p>

<p>I know transferring from as junior will put me behind in research experience, so what can I do about that? Have you met transfer students that dealt in this situations? So, what advices and suggestion can you give to transfer students? I mean, we only 2 years so can’t afford to screw up.</p>

74

<p>@IamJ00</p>

<p>It depends on what you need research experience for. For professional schools, research is not a requirement per se, but you will only be competitive if you have it. There is no required amount of research that you need, but the general consensus is that a minimum of 1 year of research will satisfy most professional schools (dental, pharm, medical). If you want to go out into industry after undergraduate, any amount of research will be of benefit to you as it will give you experience with techniques and processes that are only briefly taught in classes. If this is the case, you are not at a disadvantage in terms of research experience because 2 years is plenty of time to get into a lab and learn things that will make you competitive for the current job market.</p>

<p>However, from the way you asked the question, I’m assuming you want to be involved in research for the purpose of graduate/professional school. You are not behind in terms of research experience. Applicants’ research experience can range from 6 months to 4 years. The important thing here is to obtain research experience and stick with it for at least 1 year. As a mentioned earlier, 1 year is usually a good number most professional schools would like to see. Depending on the professional school’s standard it can range from 1 year to 3 years or they would like to see a journal publication come out of this research experience. As such, a lot of applicants do not apply straight out of undergrad anymore and a lot take 1-2 years off to gain clinical experience or research experience. Therefore, you have the option of taking up more research experience after undergrad and then apply after you feel that you are competitive enough. The point I am making is that you shouldn’t think that you only have 2 years to knock out these requirements. You can still find research experience after graduation. </p>

<p>As for finding research experience, look through my previous posts in this thread about this. As for advice on how to get land research: be genuine in your interest, don’t make it seem like you are only doing it as a stepping stone to some other place, and most importantly, look up the lab’s research and see if you are actually interested in it. This would allow you to be interested enough to stay at the lab for a longer period of time. The main idea here is that continuity is always a good thing in terms of research experience and that everyone (employers and professional schools) would like to see this.</p>

75

<p>Hi BMB</p>

<p>First of all, I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for all the wonderful and helpful advice you’ve provided for us.</p>

<p>What is exactly meant by “research” in college? I’ve never really known.</p>

<p>I read in one of your previous posts that nowadays, it is advisable to have some experience in computer programming as it could differentiate you from other job applicants (when you apply for a job, of course) in say, a biotech company. I have two questions regarding this statement. How many/what courses should I take in computer programming to have a good/basic/sufficient grasp in this area (and make me look appealing to companies)? Also, I dont think I will be looking for work after my undergrad (I plan on going to Med School). So, do you still recommend me taking computer programming if I go to Med School? </p>

<p>Also, could you please outline YOUR 4-year coursework, including what you took over summer and when you did certain research labs/volunteering. I believe this would give me insight into how I should structure my 4 years since I am in the same major and our goals mirror each other (med school).</p>

<p>Thank you so much!</p>

76

<p>@jpy0817</p>

<p>What they mean by getting involved in research in college is for you to join a lab where research is being conducted and understanding how the research process is being carried out. This can be working in a wet lab (one where chemicals are being used) or a lab where analytical tools are used (crunching data). The tools and knowledge that you would need for research is usually covered in your lectures and laboratory classes. By being involved in research, you’re basically putting together all this knowledge and applying it in a real-life situation rather than an abstract or known environment featured in your classes. Employers and graduate schools usually look for experience in research during undergraduate because they want to see that you have knowledge of the research process outside of the classroom and that you are able to perform in such an environment. They want to see that you’re able to grasp what your field is about and being able to be competent enough to be innovative and conduct research experiments outside the bounds of a controlled classroom. </p>

<p>As for a background in computer science, there are a couple of courses that one can take. I was not quick enough (more like too lazy hahaha) to jump on this so I don’t exactly know the exact course names. But I do know of one, ECS 124- Bioinformatics, that some friends took and said that it helped them a lot with programming for molecular biology applications. I think that being able to demonstrate your proficiency in bioinformatics and having knowledge of the useful programming language will be enough for a biotech company to be very interested in you. From the emails that I got from my major advisor, there is now a Bioinformatics minor offered to all undergrads. You can look at this website for more information [UC</a> Davis General Catalog | Quantitative Biology and Bioinformatics | The Program](<a href=“http://registrar.ucdavis.edu/ucdwebcatalog/programs/QBB/QBBprog.html]UC”>http://registrar.ucdavis.edu/ucdwebcatalog/programs/QBB/QBBprog.html) </p>

<p>As for if computer programming(bioinformatics) is useful if you want to go to med school, it’s difficult for me to answer without knowing what your strengths and tendencies are. I find computer programming to be pretty boring and hard, but some biosci undergrads love these things. There’s a tendency for Bio undergrads to not like math all that much and I think that causes some not to go down the computer programming path. But there is a bit of mathematics involved in biochemistry and I can see where bioinformatics would be extremely useful in biochemistry/molecular biology research. As I mentioned in my previous posts, a bioinformatics background is pretty sought after by the biotech field right now. So if you want to be competitive for the job market right after graduation, it would be a good thing to have under your belt. If you’re looking to go straight to med school after graduation, bioinformatics is not going to be all that helpful for you. But you never know how your plans might change 4 years from now. It’s something you can keep in the back of your mind in the off chance that you don’t want to go to med school right away.</p>

77

<p>Sorry, I forgot about putting my 4 year coursework up to.</p>

<p>My 4 year coursework (I omitted the GE courses because I forgot when I took them)</p>

<p>Disclaimer: My scheduling in regards to Physics was off because I had a hard time getting into physics. Usually you would finish physics by the end of 2nd year. This is only to show you what I did, but it is not the typical route.</p>

<p>1st Year
Fall Qtr- CHE 2A, MAT17A
Winter Qtr- CHE 2B, MAT17B (started work as a research assistant at Plant Science lab)
Spring Qtr- CHE 2C, MAT17C, BIS2A (quit the Plant Science lab and began working at Plant Pathology lab which I continued until I graduated)</p>

<p>Summer- CHE 118A (Ochem) and began volunteering at Sutter Medical Center </p>

<p>2nd Year
Fall Qtr- CHE 118B, BIS2B
Winter Qtr- BIS2C, BIS 101, PHY 7A (started to do research at emergency medicine department at UCD Med Center)
Spring Qtr- CHE 118C, PHY 7B, BIS 102 (began teaching ESL to immigrants)</p>

<p>Summer- Began volunteering at a hospital where my hometown is and began volunteering at the free clinic there too. In addition to this, I studied for the MCAT and took the MCAT at the end of the summer.</p>

<p>3rd Year
Fall Qtr- PHY 7C, MIC 101
Winter Qtr- BIS 103, NPB 101
Spring Qtr- MCB120L, MCB 123</p>

<p>Summer- Applied to medical schools. At the end of the summer, I began interviewing at medical schools on the east coast. I periodically flew back to the east coast and throughout CA for interviews during the school year</p>

<p>4th Year
Fall Qtr- MCB124, CHE 107A
Winter Qtr- CHE107B, MCB121, BIS 104</p>

<p>and from there graduated a quarter earlier.</p>

<p>My 4 year coursework is a bit re-arranged not typical of what the department would have you do. This happened because I was unable to get a lot of courses so I had to switch a couple of classes around. I hope that helps</p>

78

<p>Hi bmb</p>

<p>Thanks so much! That really is a big help! :)</p>

<p>How many GE credits are you required to have? And do you usually take these your first two years to get rid of them as soon as possible?</p>

<p>And just wondering. Why did you quit the Plant Science Lab? and Did you enjoy the Plant Pathology Lab alot (b/c 3+ years of it is a BIG commitment)?</p>

<p>“Began volunteering at a hospital where my hometown is and began volunteering at the free clinic there too” <---- Did you do this while teaching ESL/volunteering at Sutter/research at UCD Med Center?</p>

79

<p>@jpy0817</p>

<p>The GE requirements just recently got revamped for the incoming freshmen class, so I no longer know how many units/what sort of classes you need to take. I am pretty sure the orientation counselors will elaborate in great detail about it during orientation. Sorry about this.</p>

<p>I quit the Plant Sciences lab because I got tired of doing field work for the lab. Since I was a freshmen and didn’t know much, the only lab jobs I could find was ones that required me to do things with my hands/grunt work. I was basically a field hand for the lab and went and collect samples and cleared crop fields for the lab during the winter (when it was raining hard and cold out). It was a stepping stone more or less because it allowed me to be a part of a research project and I was able to get a reference from the professor I worked under. When interviewing for a plant pathology lab, it really helped that I had some experience (although not much) and that a professor was willing to vouch for me. </p>

<p>As for the Plant Pathology lab, I thoroughly enjoyed my time there because of a couple of reasons. My lab professor and the post-docs were very supportive people and they were very flexible and willing to work with my schedule. They love teaching and instead of seeing me as a lowly technician, they included me as an integral part of their research group. They listened to a lot of my ideas as I became more knowledgeable about the subject and allowed me to start my own research projects with their resources. I guess I can say that I lucked out with this lab because not many labs are like this. But I strongly feel that if you show up to work everyday willing to learn and put in your best effort, the professors and post-docs will be more willing to teach you and include you in the many research projects of theirs. </p>

<p>I ended my stint at Sutter Medical Center during Winter Quarter when I began to do research in the ER at UCDMC. I taught ESL, worked at a free clinic, and volunteered at my hometown hospital all at the same time. I was able to do a lot of this on the weekends because I frequently went back to the Bay Area. I did not do research at the ER during the summers since I was back at home in the Bay Area.</p>

80

<p>Hi bmb</p>

<p>Oh, I see.</p>

<p>Where can you find internship openings and research opportunities? and also, how did you find your way to teaching ESL? What clubs were you involved in?</p>