Expert: Dana Krempels, Ph.D. - 2/10/2008

Question
Hi,
I'm 18, i'm gonna move to the USA, the state of Maryland, germantown in a month. I'm persian. I know english well, and i'm interested in biology and all the stuff related to it. I also wanna choose a career, a field actually, which is related to biology and is a wonderful one and is gonna give me big bucks in the future. I know it has nothing whatsoever to do with homeworks or biology questions but by answering it, you can help my future and i'll be thankful forever. I kinda like marine biology but they say it's not gonna pay my bills in the future, may be biotechnology will, right? But i should try hard.
So anyway, i hope you can answer me ASAP because i don't have enough time. Thnak you, i really appreciate your time.
Respectfully,
Johnny

Answer
Dear Johnny,

A degree in biology will open many doors for you, but the higher your degree, the higher your paycheck will generally be.  There may be a lot of money being poured into biotechnology these days, but that doesn't mean that every biologist working in the field will make big bucks!

The key is to find an area of biology you really enjoy, and that will start with your getting an undergraduate (Bachelor's) degree in biology.  This will expose you to the many areas of biology and let you discover which area is best suited to your interests and talents.  Once you have your BS or BA degree, you can go on to a Master's degree, or even a Ph.D.  Other professional degrees will also be within your reach, such as M.D. (medical doctor), D.V.M. (veterinarian), DDS (dentist), etc.

In short, the first step is to expose yourself to biology at the college level and see where it takes you.  Only you can determine what area is going to be your future.

Hope this helps.

Dana