So, you want to become a Scientist?
If you like to question everything and carry out research, then you may want to become a scientist! With so many different fields and great earning potential, a lot of people who are a part of this career (being a scientist) find it extremely fulfilling as well. In fact, someone who loves to do research can benefit from becoming a scientist as they get to do something which they love and even make a living out of it as well!
But in order to become a scientist, it is important that one starts their study in the field of science at an early stage. A great way to create a solid foundation in science is by taking subjects such as A level Biology, Maths, Physics, Chemistry, and other science subjects. You can complete these by attending a conventional school/college or by studying A Levels online.
Today we will look at what a scientist does as well as how one can become a scientist. So,
Let’s get started:
How to Become a Scientist
To become a scientist, one should follow the following steps:
- Get a bachelor’s level degree in a field that interests you.
- Pursue a master’s degree to gain more expertise in your field of choice.
- Gain valuable experience which matches your educational background.
- Get additional certifications that are related to your field of choice.
- Consider completing a doctorate (PhD) is required.
As you can see, education is very important in order to become a scientist. So without wasting time, let’s look at each step in more detail:
Bachelor’s Degree
Get a bachelor’s degree in a field that interests you, and if you are not sure about a particular field, you can also get a general degree such as ‘clinical research’. Some other great options are chemistry, biology, medicine, computer, information technology, and so on.
Choosing a particular subject depends on your interests and what you want to achieve! A person who doesn’t love science can’t get to be a scientist! That’s why it is important to pursue only those subjects that interest you!
Master’s Degree
Once a bachelor’s degree is obtained, the next step should be to work towards getting a master’s degree. Being a scientist requires a lot of education and studying!
In some schools, there are programs that combine both the bachelor’s and master’s programs into one course – As a result, students can continue their master’s degree right away after finishing the bachelor’s degree.
In general, master’s degree programs last anywhere from 2 to 3 years, and the coursework depends on which program or degree you have selected. Some of the common topics that you get to learn in this degree are:
- Public Speaking allows the students to learn vital skills for public speaking. This makes it easy for them to present their research findings to large crowds.
- How to write grants and research papers.
- Advanced teaching skills
- Advanced mathematics
Experience
Before an aspiring scientist can pursue a PhD program, they need to possess the relevant experience (1-2 years).
Certification
There are various certifications that allow aspiring scientists to gain valuable skills and knowledge about their particular subject. Then there are professional certificates that can help a candidate stand out from the rest of the crowd! All of these can be achieved by studying various college courses.
Doctorate
The majority of the scientists are PhDs which tells us that it is also an important step towards becoming a scientist!
Final thoughts!
You can see from the above that it is not impossible to follow your dreams, providing you choose the right qualifications to reach your end goal. The most important thing is hard word and determination but you will succeed!