I recently graduated from a tier 2 university with an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering and a pretty mediocre GPA (~3.3 in major, ~3.1 overall). While I was in school I took a few biology classes (genetics, physiology) and did some long term, full-time, internships in bioprocess engineering and immunology research at one of the best known biotech companies worldwide(6 months and 9 months, respectively). I also participated in part-time research for 3 of my years in school at a few different labs (in biomechanics and biophysics). I'm currently working as an RA in an ivy league university in a big lab, definitely going to be on some medium to large papers in the next year or so, assuming no scoop happens. I've got good LORs lined up from my job and past internships (one from an industry PI, the other from an R&D director, one from a post-doc I work with and a very likely cosign from a big name PI in academia).
Currently trying to decide what my next move should be admissions-wise. I'm certain I want a career in research, and am super passionate about immunology/immuno-oncology (one of the papers is in this field as well), but coming from engineering I'm pretty disheartened by the way biologists are treated career-wise. Debating getting an MS to help smooth the transition and help the gpa a bit. Also considering post-bac positions at the ivy I'm working at. As an aside, I'm also interested in doing a PhD abroad and the MS would help with this. If I was to do a PhD at home, I'd definitely aim for top institutions, because of the aforementioned treatment of biologists, although overcoming the GPA gap is tough.
And advice on the best way to approach this? Would an Immunology MS (from a good school) help my chances for PhD?
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WannaBePh
Hi All,
I recently graduated from a tier 2 university with an undergraduate degree in Chemical Engineering and a pretty mediocre GPA (~3.3 in major, ~3.1 overall). While I was in school I took a few biology classes (genetics, physiology) and did some long term, full-time, internships in bioprocess engineering and immunology research at one of the best known biotech companies worldwide(6 months and 9 months, respectively). I also participated in part-time research for 3 of my years in school at a few different labs (in biomechanics and biophysics). I'm currently working as an RA in an ivy league university in a big lab, definitely going to be on some medium to large papers in the next year or so, assuming no scoop happens. I've got good LORs lined up from my job and past internships (one from an industry PI, the other from an R&D director, one from a post-doc I work with and a very likely cosign from a big name PI in academia).
Currently trying to decide what my next move should be admissions-wise. I'm certain I want a career in research, and am super passionate about immunology/immuno-oncology (one of the papers is in this field as well), but coming from engineering I'm pretty disheartened by the way biologists are treated career-wise. Debating getting an MS to help smooth the transition and help the gpa a bit. Also considering post-bac positions at the ivy I'm working at. As an aside, I'm also interested in doing a PhD abroad and the MS would help with this. If I was to do a PhD at home, I'd definitely aim for top institutions, because of the aforementioned treatment of biologists, although overcoming the GPA gap is tough.
And advice on the best way to approach this? Would an Immunology MS (from a good school) help my chances for PhD?
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