Biology or Chemistry

by **Freedom** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 7:44 pm

I really enjoy Biology and Chemistry at school and am applying for universities this year so I need to decide what degree I will take, I was considering microbiology or molecular biology but from what I have read and heard from teachers and conferences, those gradutes with degrees in Chemistry and Physics seem to do better and get higher pay and more likely to get good enployment than those with degrees in the Biological sciences. Although I do take physics and really enjoy it I would never take it at degree level so it's either Biology or chemistry, should I perhaps take Biochemistry or just pure chemistry. I've considered doing an MChem degree in Chemistry with Biochemistry which is a full blown chemistry degree but you get to do some extra biological work during it.

Any info or advice on which science is best would be fantastic, remember I love both Biology and Chemistry so don't say 'do the one you enjoy most' because I love them both.

Thank you in advance.

Freedom

by **MrMistery** » Sun Jul 17, 2005 8:34 pm

If you love them both than you should consider taking the one you want to follow in your life. From what you want to do, biochemistry seems the right choise. But then again, this is a choise that you need to make yourself

by **chemistry_freako** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 1:40 am

Hmm, which of the 2 would u prefer? What types of jobs are you looking into? You might want to pursue chemistry first, and then microbiology, or microbiology first, then chemistry?
For me it's also a similar scenario - i LOVE chemistry but i chose the biology track in my course rather than the chemistry track. I told myself to concentrate on what i've chosen, and then maybe for undergrad and post grad, i'll do chemistry again =D

by **Dr.Stein** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 6:09 am

Don't choose one of them, Biology or Chemistry. Choose Biochemisrty, that's quite fair for you and for them

by **Jelanen** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:05 pm

Be a chemistry major with a biology minor. For what you wanna go into, you'll be better off having a better grasp of the chemistry than blowing time having to take courses in botany or wasting brain-space on stuff like anatomy. Dr. Philip Sharp from MIT is a recent (10 or so years ago, I forget) Nobel laurate. He discovered the action of siRNA. Hes a trained chemist, not a biologist. I just feel that for molecular biology/biochemsitry, you are better off with a strong chemistry background with a smattering of biology than what chemistry you'll be likely to get as a biology major.

-Jelanen

by **chemistry_freako** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 3:24 pm

Yea, agreed! To sum things up, Chemistry ROCKS!

by **mcdull1016** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 9:58 pm

chemistry_freako wrote:Yea, agreed! To sum things up, Chemistry ROCKS!

agree ... chemistry ROCKS ...

by **James** » Mon Jul 18, 2005 10:03 pm

No, geology rocks

by **victor** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 1:19 pm

@Jelanen
You mean like get a lil knowledge n information about human biology/med-school but in college you take pharmacy as your major???that's not a bad idea.. :wink:

by **Jelanen** » Tue Jul 19, 2005 1:55 pm

Lemme clarify futher. Its easy to be a chemist in undergraduate and go on to be a good graduate or postdoc biologist. Its harder to be a biologist in undergraduate and be a good chemist later on. An example is thus: You wanna go to med school (why, I don't know..maybe its a mental problem. MDs work rediculous hours, get paid squat, and work with obnoxious people all day long). Instead of being a biology major in your undergraduate coursework (prolly with a minor in chem), be a chemistry major and if you need the biology fix, take a biology minor. This also works well if you know you wanna be a biochemist or molecular biology researcher. Chemistry is the basis for biology and having the best possible foundation on the basics will pay dividends. Now the caveat. This works in the US...I don't understand other country's educational systems so I don't know how it converts.
-Jelanen

by **Qazzian** » Wed Jul 20, 2005 10:41 pm

Right now, I'm taking biochemistry, because I was in much the same situation you're in right now. And I'll tell you, I don't regret it.

Look at the programs at schools you want to go to, and see what you like. You may find that what you really want to is to do bio with a minor in chem, or something else. Take a look at what's around, and choose from there.

I, personally, and for the biochem, but I'm biased.

by **cyberpostdoc** » Thu Jul 21, 2005 2:39 am

Organic chemistry, don't do biology!

Biology or Chemistry

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