Professional Paths For Graduates On A Chemistry Degree

After years of sleepless nights and the grueling test is almost certain that every student has wondered, is this process even worth it? That is to say, will the job market even be profitable when you finish school, making your degree worth its time. For some career professions, education is needed but positions are unavailable or the degree only helps a little, landing you in more debt than you’re allowed to make with bills included.

Entry-level chemists make on average $31k to $41k per year, with an overall projection of growth to 2028 by 6.5% in the profession positions available in the United States.

It sounds nice, but what does a chemist do?

The field of chemistry is grand on the overall spectrum, you could be working in a laboratory-like the stereotypical image of a chemist, or working with anything from nuclear materials or forensic evidence. Experienced Chemists are often employed to develop product licenses and medications.

What qualifications are needed to become a Chemist?

Generally, a minimum of a bachelor’s degree or Ph.D. is needed to pursue a career as a Chemist. They need a well-rounded background in physics and mathematics as well as a0 biology since most scientific fields overlap each other. Excellent writing skills are needed to share peer reviews effectively and they should be able to interpret data effectively.

The grand scheme behind each chemical profession is to gain a greater understanding of a preexisting chemical, better understand an unfamiliar chemical, or create an entirely new chemical. In general, the chemist must adhere to strict health and safety guidelines.

In the field of chemistry, chemists typically specialize in a sub field of the discipline, the most prominent being that of biochemistry, neurochemistry, nuclear chemistry, and theoretical chemistry.

Major employers of chemical scientists involve institutions of higher learning, pharmaceutical chemical industries, and government laboratories.

Coursework

Pre-Medicine

Perusing as a degree in pre-medicine will put you on track to reach your goal of becoming a chemist. Although the course work will be hard and tiresome, it is easy to see why. Your curriculum will be based around hardcore science classes with advancements in knowledge each day. In classes like Organic Chemistry, in which the sole topic is carbon-based products, multiple compounds, and synthesis methods are available. Classes like these pose challenges for some individuals because it is not memorization.

Chemistry and Biology

You can also go after a career in chemistry though a direct target, specializing in a sub category though chemistry as a whole can be selected as a general major. In most health related and science fields biology is also needed. At some institutions the required coursework for a particular degree and minor can leave one a few classes away from two degrees, though not everyone shoots for the stars. Nonetheless, a degree in biology and chemistry should prepare you for the necessities of your career path.

As a chemist you will have the opportunity to

  • Synthesize new chemical products.
  • Analyze substances and create data.
  • Further the progression of current products.
  • Test various theories.
  • Measure a substance’s physical properties.
  • Conduct quality control tests.
  • Evaluate laboratory safety procedures.
  • Interpret test data and create new test methods.
  • Direct personnel on the correct procedure in a chemical analyst test.
  • Develop formulations in your laboratory.
  • Write scientific papers conferring data and results.
  • Analyze various chemical compounds physical and chemical properties.
  • Maintain laboratory instruments.

If you are studying chemistry Kansas City and are interested in entering the broad field of chemistry, contact your advisor at a local university and ask them more information on the process of admittance as well as how to become prepared for the rigorous coursework. As stated earlier the market for this profession is set to increase, now is a perfect time to seek a job in chemistry in Kansas City.

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