<p>I just finished my freshman year of college and I am pretty set on declaring a major in either biology or biochemistry. </p>
<p>I want to work in scientific research - whether that's with drug research and disease control, agriculture, medicine, nature, genetics, etc. I don't know what I will end up wanting to do, but I am sure that I will figure that out along the way. I just know that I have a passion for biology and I want to pursue it. </p>
<p>That being said, I have a few questions. What would be the difference between majoring in biology and biochemistry? Will one give me more options career-wise than the other? Obviously I know that biochem focuses on the chemical functions of life, but if I love biology, would majoring in biochem lead me in a different direction? Or just open a few more doors?</p>
<p>ALSO, I know that undergraduate research is really big on grad school applications. This summer I will be doing my general chemistry, math, and general bio courses at my local community college to get caught up since I was undeclared this year - but I'm wondering how soon I should start getting involved in research? Any advice at all about that?</p>
<p>Biochemistry focuses on the chemical processes that relate to Biology, for instance DNA and RNA replication and protein structure, function, and activity.</p>
<p>Biology tends to be more general, including more zoology and taxonomy.</p>
<p>Your research interests are pretty general, and for some, biochemistry may be better while biology may be better for others.</p>
<p>Research is a pretty broad career field. There’s research involved every major and both chemistry and biology research involved in all of the fields you have listed. Like the poster above said, biochemistry is more chemistry involved. You’re going to have to know chemical mechanisms and more reactions in biochem. As far as versatility goes…biochemistry is probably the major that will give you more options. I take a lot of bio courses for my biochem major, but bio majors don’t really take a whole lot of chem courses. The direction each major takes you will most likely depend on your graduate school major/advisor/research. </p>
<p>For undergrad research: start asap. Once you’re back at school for the Fall, start the process of finding a prof. and doing research. The more you get into research the more you’ll understand your courses, the better you’ll know the grad students/faculty, and more options will open up for better research positions (or better paying).</p>