• Question: How long did it take you all to learn how to be scientists

    Asked by anon-279882 on 5 Feb 2021.
    • Photo: Amal Lavender

      Amal Lavender answered on 5 Feb 2021:

      hmm great question – I don’t think you ever stop learning and I’ve been working (if you include my internship) for over 20 years! it depends on what you enjoy – so you can start as an apprentice where you learn on the job, masters degree 4 years, PhD would be another 4 years…

    • Photo: Philip Ratcliffe

      Philip Ratcliffe answered on 5 Feb 2021:

      Three years for a first degree at university then one more for a masters. After that three years of a PhD. I then became a research assistant so I suppose you could say I was then a real scientist. But if you really want to go and become a university professor say, then you have to go on studying and following what all the others are doing in your field.

    • Photo: Isabel Lewis

      Isabel Lewis answered on 6 Feb 2021:

      Hi EvieH, I studied an undergraduate degree for 3 years and from there many people who studied a BsC (Bachelor of science) degree can go into science based jobs, for instance working in NHS labs.
      I went from undergraduate to study a PhD which I am half way through. As a scientist you are always learning which makes it so great.

    • Photo: Katie West

      Katie West answered on 6 Feb 2021:

      I’m still learning! I’ve spent 2 years at Alevel, 4 years on my degree and I’m 2 years into my Ph.D. But I don’t link the learning ever ends.

    • Photo: Martin Ward

      Martin Ward answered on 6 Feb 2021:

      this is one of the things that I enjoy about it, we never stop learning. Every experiment we do or other scientist that we talk to about our work we end up learning from

    • Photo: Amelia Gilio

      Amelia Gilio answered on 6 Feb 2021:

      I think we are always still learning even once we have our degrees! I first of all did my A-Levels in biology, chemistry and maths which took two years. I then did a chemistry degree which took four years. I am now doing a PhD which will take 3 and a half years.

    • Photo: Kate Dobson

      Kate Dobson answered on 8 Feb 2021:

      I did a science degree (3 years) and was then able to get a PhD and start being a research scientist!

    • Photo: Moya Macdonald

      Moya Macdonald answered on 10 Feb 2021:

      As others have said, you never stop learning! I did a 4 year degree (because they are longer in Scotland), and then studied for a PhD for 4 years. But you can do lots of science jobs without the PhD, but for most science based jobs you need a university degree.

Comments