Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists is the O*NET name for people who conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. The strongest interest signal is Investigative (7.0 of 7), then Realistic (4.3) and Conventional, which gives it the code IRC. The preparation level is extensive preparation, typically graduate school and often five years or more of related experience. O*NET’s skill data points to writing, speaking, and science as the ones to build. You may also need to follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination. If you want research, analysis and working through hard problems, keep it on your list. If you need leading, persuading and making business decisions, it may feel thin.
What they do
Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities.
Main tasks
- Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
- Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
- Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
- Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
- Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
- Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
Skills
- Writing
- Speaking
- Science
- Active Learning
- Reading Comprehension
- Judgment and Decision Making
Who this career fits
May suit you if
- You enjoy working out why something happens, not just what happened.
- You like ending the day with a physical result you can point to.
- You are prepared for graduate-level study and a long training path.
- You are comfortable relying on writing and speaking.
May not suit you if
- You lose interest when a job asks for long stretches of analysis.
- You want to lead people or run the business side. Enterprising rates 2.2 out of 7 here.
- You want to be working in the field within the next few years.
Interest profile
O*NET rates each occupation from 1 to 7 on six interest types. The code IRC takes the three highest, and Investigative comes first here.
Preparation
Extensive preparation. Many jobs here need graduate study, and people often spend five years or more building specialist experience.
Most-reported requirement in the O*NET survey: Doctoral Degree. This reflects what workers reported most often and is not a legal minimum. Licensing rules can differ by state or industry, so confirm what applies where you plan to work.
Also called
- Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist)
- Clinical Pharmacologist
- Clinical Research Scientist
- Medical Researcher
- Physician Scientist
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This page includes information from the O*NET 31.0 Database by the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration (USDOL/ETA). Used under the CC BY 4.0 license. O*NET® is a trademark of USDOL/ETA.