• Question: what can i do to become a scientist ? and why should i become a scientist?

    Asked by sassysophie<3 to Laura on 15 Jun 2015.
    • Photo: Laura Wales

      Laura Wales answered on 15 Jun 2015:

      (1) Work hard and get your science qualifications. I would definitely recommend doing them at school, otherwise you’d need to get Highers/A-levels (are they still called that?) in college and it just takes so much longer to become a working scientist.

      (2) Research the universities to see what they have to offer. Just because a university has a good name doesn’t necessarily mean it’s the best for a certain course. I can give you some good tips on Biomedical Science courses and let you know what to look out for – things I didn’t know about even when I applied to university.

      (3) Work hard at university to get a good level of degree.

      (4) Although not always necessary, I would always recommend getting work experience – during summer holidays is a good time. It looks great on a CV and can give you a huge advantage when applying for jobs.

      (5) Apply for your dream job. It may or may not happen straight away but working your way up is also a great way to learn loads.

      Why should you become a scientist? Because it is FAB!!! Seriously, there are so many different jobs you could do depending on what interests you. You might want to work in a hospital doing diagnostic work, in a university teaching and doing research, or work for a commercial company doing research and developing new ways of testing for disease. Or maybe you fancy being out and about helping solve crimes as a forensic scientist.

      Other science jobs include:
      • An Astronomer studies stars, planets and galaxies.
      • A Botanist specializes in plants.
      • An Epidemiologist studies the spread of diseases.
      •A Geologist specializes in the history of Earth.
      •A Marine biologist studies ocean plants and animals.
      •A Meteorologist studies weather and climate.
      •A Paleontologist specializes in fossils.
      •A Physicist studies matter, energy, and how they are related.
      •A Seismologist studies earthquakes.

      It’s exciting to work in science because you are always learning and it’s amazing to be part of something new.

      I’ve worked in a few different labs – diagnostic hospital labs, research and also for a commercial company developing a test to diagnose heart failure. If you want more information on anything, just let me know.

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