• Question: To be able to have a career in medical research what qualifications would you generally need from university??

    Asked by meganpickard to Alex, Amy, Andy, Georgia, Ollie on 18 Jun 2011.
    • Photo: Georgia Campbell

      Georgia Campbell answered on 17 Jun 2011:

      You’d probably be expected to have a degree in something relevant – maybe one of the biomedical sciences, like pharmacology, genetics, or immunology. Though more general biology degrees might be accepted too.

      It really depends how you want to get into research though. Some doctors get involved in clinical trials, or do a PhD related to medical research, after they’ve passed their medical degrees. It’s also possible to get involved in medical research through a PhD, and the type of degree you could apply for a PhD with is much broader – a background in chemistry, maths, orthe social sciences can all be suitable for a PhD.

      I think the main thing is to make sure you do well in your degree – most employers would rather you got a 2:1 or a first class degree, as this shows intelligence and commitment – and worry a little less about which exact degree you did, as long as you have an aptitude for science.

    • Photo: Andy MacLeod

      Andy MacLeod answered on 18 Jun 2011:

      You’d at least need to go to University to study a subject related to biology or medicine.

      Hello Megan. If you want to become someone who does their own research, someone who decides what questions to investigate, then you’d probably have to do a PhD after uni, or a medical degree. In our lab, we have a mixture of scientists who have done (or are doing) PhDs – and clinical research fellows – medical doctors who’ve moved into research.

      There are also a lot of technicians and support staff, who help run the lab and make sure the experiments go OK. The researchers rely a lot on these guys, but if you wanted to go into that area, you might not need a PhD.

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