Forum:non-Bioinformatics Masters student looking for a future in Bioinformatics

Question

[esskay]

I am a Master's degree student in a general Applied Biology program, and I just discovered Bioinformatics last semester. I did really well in class, and have been pursuing it in addition to my graduate research, which is organismal wet-lab type stuff, completely unrelated. I have one more semester before I graduate, and I am trying to figure out how I am going to get into the Bioinformatics field. I don't have any major research experience, though I excelled on my in-class projects and exams. The Bioinformatics side-project that I am participating in will eventually be published, but not until after I graduate, so I will not have any publications on my resume. I think I have two main options here:

• try to find an entry level job in Bioinformatics
• look for a PhD program in Bioinformatics

Without any major lab research in the topic, or publications, I am not sure how easy either of those will be, or which will be the better option. I was looking at some of the other posts on here about this, but it seems that most people started their Masters/PhD/careers with an interest in Bioinformatics; I found the field halfway through my Masters, long past the point of being able to switch tracks.

Also, I am trying to come up with an idea of what sort of career I want to pursue. At the moment, I like the idea of collaborating and doing data-analysis for wet-lab researchers. I am getting a little fed up with my lab-bench work, I think I wouldn't mind moving my research skills to be more computer oriented. However, I do not have a lot of knowledge of what Bioinformatics jobs are like, and where this all fits into the current job market.

Answer 1

[fatstrat389]

I suggest you pick up a mid-level programming language like C, C++ or Java if you already haven't. These languages are considered hard to learn, but I feel that this would be pretty important since it would show that you are up to the task of doing bioinformatics. Also, if it turns out that you like programming, then bioinformatics is for you.

[esskay]

Thanks, I have already started using R and LaTeX for almost everything I do, and I am practicing using Linux with goals of learning to do Linux sysadmin type things, such as setting up a home computing cluster. I enjoy programming almost as much, if not more, than other lab work.

[SES]

What is "mid-level" supposed to mean? I have never seen that term before and I'm sure it won't be clear to anyone else, especially someone unfamiliar with the subject.