Willard Said:

Should i become a Medical Scientist or Engineer?

We Answered:

This is my own opinion

Choose biomedical engineering
This is a new field required in the whole world that combines engineering & medicine understanding.

Haidy Kadry
Electric Power ,Machines and Control engineering final year student

Alan Said:

What do you think of a career as a Medical Scientist, someone who researches diseases and tries to find cures?

We Answered:

You seem to very concerned about making money. Well how much money do you consider "not much money"? I'm a medical researcher. I'm not rich, but I fit solidly into the middle class (I make more money than the median income). I don't do this for the money, I do it because I can't think of anything that would be as much fun. If you talk to scientists (medical or otherwise), one commonality between us is that we do science because it's fun. For this to be fun, you need to have a passion for the field. If money is why you work, this isn't the career for you.

One thing you need to do as a college student is to get involved in research. Do this research as as class, not a job (although I got started as an undergrad working in a lab). The reason I say to perform your research as a class (called Directed Study or Independent Study at many colleges) is because you'll be guaranteed of performing actual experiments, not washing dishes. This will tell you if you actually like research. If you like research, the thing that will keep you in the field is the intellectual side, not the lab work. The part of reseach I like the most (aside from working with students) is using my mind to solve the puzzle of the scientific problem. How am I going to design an experiment that will give me a clean answer to the problem at hand. Even if you don't like doing research, the experience of performing undergraduate research is good experience for many other areas in the biomedical area.

Schools - this depends a lot on you. The nice thing about small schools is that you will get a lot of personal attention. A lot of big name scientists went to small liberal arts schools as undergraduates. The advantage of a large university is that you'll have the opportunity to be exposed to specialized courses and research opportunities that are not available at a small school. For a large school to work for you, you need to be proactive. You have to make your opportunities. Seek out those professors and labs where you can make a contribution - and will contribute to your development.

Crystal Said:

which is the most pretigious career? lawyer, medical doctor, military/police officer, scientist, or fireman?

We Answered:

Prestigious according to how much money they make or according to respect?

According to respect, I don't see medical doctor on the list, but at the very top for the United States is a physician at 86 (average of 60 countries it's 78), lawyer is 75:73, police officer is 61:40, and the other two aren't on the list in my book, sorry.

If you really want to do more in depth research, the source listed under the chart showing these are: Trieman 1977, Appendices A and D; Nakao and Treas 1991; 1999: Appendix D.

Milton Said:

Should I major in engineering to pursue a medical career?

We Answered:

No. I majored in Mechanical engineer and now I am a doctor. There are lots and lots of applications in medicine. Biomed eng. is also another path. Keep in mind the skills in medicine are much diffrent than engineering however. It took me a while to learn that!

Jacob Said:

Where can I find quotations about medical scientists from people who are in that career?

We Answered:

Medical & Scientific Quotes:
They are made by the top medical authorities in our nation based on the latest medical research.


"The American Medical Association is NOT prepared to state that no harm will be done to any person by water fluoridation. The AMA has not carried out any research work, either long-term or short-term, regarding the possibility of any side effects." - Dr. Flanagan, Assistant Director of Environmental Health, American Medical Association. [actual letter]

"Based on data from the National Academy of Sciences, current levels of fluoride exposure in drinking water may cause arthritis in a substantial portion of the population long before they reach old age" -Dr. Robert Carton, former EPA Scientist.

"Fluorides are general protoplasmic poisons, probably because of their capacity to modify the metabolism of cells by changing the permeability of the cell membrane and by inhibiting certain enzyme systems." Journal of the American Medical Association, Sept 18, 1943

Segments of the population are unusually susceptible to the toxic effects of fluoride. They include "postmenopausal women and elderly men, pregnant woman and their fetuses, people with deficiencies of calcium, magnesium and/or vitamin C, and people with cardiovascular and kidney problems." United States Public Health Service Report (ATSDR TP-91/17, pg. 112, Sec.2.7, April 1993)

"fluoride exposure, at levels that are experienced by a significant proportion of the population whose drinking water is fluoridated, may have adverse impacts on the developing brain." Greater Boston Physicians for Social Responsibility, May 2000

"It is now clear that fluoride is a potentially harmful substance when present in the drinking water in any amount." Dr. Simon Beisler, Chief of Urlogy, Roosevelt Hospital and Past President of the American Urological Association.

"The plain fact that fluorine is an insidious poison harmful, toxic and cumulative in its effects, even when ingested in minimal amounts, will remain unchanged no matter how many times it will be repeated in print that fluoridation of the water supply is 'safe.'" Dr. Ludgwig Grosse, Chief of Cancer Research, U.S. Veterans Administration.

In Harlem, NY, which has been fluoridated for 32 years, "There's more dental decay among these kids; we see the beginning of inflamed gingivitis in their mouths." American Dental Association, May 2000

"The CDA emphasizes that the need for fluoride depends on overall exposure, including place of residence, diet and oral health habits. and "The CDA recognizes the need to continue to monitor studies on fluoride and general health." Canadian Dental Association, May, 2000

"Fluoride has been shown to adversely effect the central nervous system, causing behavioral changes, increased hip fractures and reproduction problems." Natick Report Research Team
[Research Microbiologist, U.S. Army, Dr. B. J. Gallo, Environmental Chemist, J. Kupperschmidt Apollo Program Project Scientist, Dr. N.R. Mancuso, U.S. Army Natick Research Labs, A. Murray, Molecular Biologist, Dr. Strauss]

"I am appalled at the prospect of using water as a vehicle for drugs. Fluoride is a corrosive poison that will produce serious effects on a long range basis. Any attempt to use water this way is deplorable." - Dr. Charles Gordon Heyd, Past President of the American Medical Association.

"fluoridation ... it is the greatest fraud that has ever been perpetrated and it has been perpetrated on more people than any other fraud has." - Dr. Professor Albert Schatz, (Microbiology), co-discoverer of Streptomycin, the cure for tuberculosis and numerous other bacterial infections.

Fluoride may be destroying our bones, our teeth and overall health.. it doesn't need to be added to our water and we may be taking unnecessary risks by doing so. - Dr. Hardy Limeback, a leading Canadian fluoride authority, former fluoride advocate and long-standing consultant to Canadian Dental Association. (read his rationale)

"The evidence against the safety of this public health policy keeps mounting; it is too compelling to ignore." - Dr. Phyllis Mullenix, Children's Hospital, Boston

"By 1983 I was thoroughly convinced that fluoridation caused more harm than good. I expressed the opinion that some of these children with dental fluorosis could, just possibly, have also suffered harm to their bones" - Dr. Colquhoun, former Principal Dental Officer for Auckland New Zealand. (read his rationale)

".. the evidence is quite convincing that the addition of sodium fluoride to the public water supply at one part per million is extremely deleterious to the human body". - Chief Justice John Flaherty, of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania (presided over litigation involving fluoridation)

"This record is barren of any credible and reputable scientific epidemiological studies and/or analysis of statistical data which would support the Illinois Legislatures determination that fluoridation

Ron Said:

Is being a medical scientist a good paying career

We Answered:

Go to Salary.com. There you can type in your career choice (medical scientistic) and area code. There you'll find out everhting you need to knw about money and that field. Be aware location does affect salary because of the cost of living of the area.