At the brink of a career change...

[tnf]

As some of you know, I was a PhD student in molecular biology for awhile - but quit, flushing a fellowship from the National Institutes of Health, a funded breast cancer research grant that I authored, and a number of other perks down the toilet.

Now I teach high school science, and am in a situation where what I teach is dictated to me by the district...I am told what to teach about biology from people whose collective knowledge about the subject doesn't match what I've forgotten about it. For that reason, and a number of others (education in the states is going into the shitter, fast, thanks to No Child Left Behind), I am considering heading BACK to graduate school to finish a PhD...probably in pharmacology...

So, do I leave a secure job as a teacher (which isn't all bad since I get extra money from side work like my textbook writing stuff), or go back to being a starving PhD student for 4 more years...?
This time, though, I could put the wife to work full time...that wasn't the case when I was there before.

What would you do?

[Geebs]

I know what geoff would do....

[phantasmagoria]

if you're guaranteed to end up with a better paycheque your wife shouldn't mind putting in the extra hours?

[MaCaBr3]

I would opt for security nowaydays. Who's to say that after graduation your gonna find this kick ass job with uber $$$. Maybe you might, but maybe you'll be looking for a job for a while after ur graduation too.

[Canis]

From what you said it sounds like a good decision. It will be stressful, but it will pay off in the long run. Just make sure the wife will be up for changing her schedule to suit you...

[R00k]

I would opt for security nowaydays. Who's to say that after graduation your gonna find this kick ass job with uber $$$. Maybe you might, but maybe you'll be looking for a job for a while after ur graduation too.

:icon14:

The market may not be thriving for college grads to do specialized work in 3-4 years anyway. Unless you're thinking about becoming a practicing doctor or surgeon, I wouldn't bank on a having a big paycheck waiting on you when you get out.

Have you not thought about maybe just doing something else? You do have a degree, and I'm sure with a little self-training you could get into a lot of fields.

[Guest]

As some of you know, I was a PhD student in molecular biology for awhile - but quit, flushing a fellowship from the National Institutes of Health, a funded breast cancer research grant that I authored, and a number of other perks down the toilet.

Now I teach high school science, and am in a situation where what I teach is dictated to me by the district...I am told what to teach about biology from people whose collective knowledge about the subject doesn't match what I've forgotten about it. For that reason, and a number of others (education in the states is going into the shitter, fast, thanks to No Child Left Behind), I am considering heading BACK to graduate school to finish a PhD...probably in pharmacology...

So, do I leave a secure job as a teacher (which isn't all bad since I get extra money from side work like my textbook writing stuff), or go back to being a starving PhD student for 4 more years...?
This time, though, I could put the wife to work full time...that wasn't the case when I was there before.

What would you do?

It'd depend on where my dedication was. See if I was dedicated to teaching and highschool but more importantly the kids in the highschool which in my humble opinion should be every teachers opinion. Although I can understand frustrations involved with teaching kids I also worked in a highschool and is where I first started posting here.

Anyway, my point is that if I was concerned for the kids I taught I'd try to change the system. I've been responsible for many changes around local buisnesses, nothing major like what we're talking about here but the thing is if you can make a point and pursue that point if your point is valid others should also see it. It's just a matter of pushing on to the next step which people forget to do expecting someone else to do it.

[Guest]

As some of you know, I was a PhD student in molecular biology for awhile - but quit, flushing a fellowship from the National Institutes of Health, a funded breast cancer research grant that I authored, and a number of other perks down the toilet.

Now I teach high school science, and am in a situation where what I teach is dictated to me by the district...I am told what to teach about biology from people whose collective knowledge about the subject doesn't match what I've forgotten about it. For that reason, and a number of others (education in the states is going into the shitter, fast, thanks to No Child Left Behind), I am considering heading BACK to graduate school to finish a PhD...probably in pharmacology...

So, do I leave a secure job as a teacher (which isn't all bad since I get extra money from side work like my textbook writing stuff), or go back to being a starving PhD student for 4 more years...?
This time, though, I could put the wife to work full time...that wasn't the case when I was there before.

What would you do?

Hello my friend.

Follow your heart. If your relationship is good, your girlfriend will understand and follow you all the way.
You are still young and with your type of intelligence, I am sure you can succeed in all these areas. Take a sabatical year or a six months and you will be able to make a more precise decision.
Anyway, I know you can do it.
Do what you think you are the best for...What you like.
Sometimes it's not even a matter of money. Imagine waking up every morning and being eager to get to your ''job'' It's not a job anymore, it's what you like to do.
May be go into research, I am sure you would be super good at that.
Good Luck!

Pete

[werldhed]

You know what I'd say you should do. :icon26:

I guess it depends where you want to take your Ph.D. if you get one. Since you seem to really enjoy teaching (apart from the curriculum), if you want to stay in academia, then I'd say go for it. You could teach in a setting less dictated by school boards.

Your opinion is more likely to be taken seriously as a doctor, as well. You could even return to a high school teaching position with a Ph.D., and sit on the school board to help direct the curriculum where you think it should go.

At the very least, it would be an accomplishment to be proud of. :icon14:

Of course, I am a bit biased...

[Canidae]

Do it part time.

[Guest]

Forgot to say...

You seem like a great researcher.
You could get a job out of your field but work on your own researchs and someday could reveal them to the world.

Pete

[Hannibal]

Do it part time.

Not a good option unless certain cirumstances make it the ONLY option. Any decent graduate program (at the Phd level) will have funding options available....I've worked at least 2 jobs every year of my Phd program while attending full-time...it can be done....if you go part-time (even if that is an option), you will be an outsider and it will literally take you an eon to finish. However, if most of your graduate credits are still applicable, you may not have much more to do anyway....except for maybe a few courses and your dissertation research....both of these should fill up any residency requirements (most doctoral programs have these...i.e. you have to be enrolled full-time for X number of consecutive semesters).


Obviously you don't want to student-loan yourself to death...so what does that mean?

--find a decent program in your state of residence
--be sure they have a good record of finding funding for their students (if you are as good at this stuff as you've let on, people will be beating a path to your house to deliver admittance letters).
--the unemployment rate for Phd level folks, especially in scientific and applied techology fields, is lower than fuck. Sure, research the market etc.....but this really is a non-issue.

As someone who has been dealing with these issues for several years, I'm happy to chat you with more about it if you like.

[Nightshade]

As some of you know, I was a PhD student in molecular biology for awhile - but quit, flushing a fellowship from the National Institutes of Health, a funded breast cancer research grant that I authored, and a number of other perks down the toilet.

Now I teach high school science, and am in a situation where what I teach is dictated to me by the district...I am told what to teach about biology from people whose collective knowledge about the subject doesn't match what I've forgotten about it. For that reason, and a number of others (education in the states is going into the shitter, fast, thanks to No Child Left Behind), I am considering heading BACK to graduate school to finish a PhD...probably in pharmacology...

So, do I leave a secure job as a teacher (which isn't all bad since I get extra money from side work like my textbook writing stuff), or go back to being a starving PhD student for 4 more years...?
This time, though, I could put the wife to work full time...that wasn't the case when I was there before.

What would you do?

You already know the answer. Mine and yours.

[R00k]

I do think with your education you should be doing something better than teaching. But that's just me, and I don't know what's rewarding to you. I think it's noble to teach, but I don't think there is any way I would be able to do it at the current teachers' salaries.

A PhD would help obviously, but with your experience and education I don't understand why you aren't doing something better already, to be honest.

[Guest]

Yeah I agree with rook, you're smart, don't be so stupid.

[Guest]

Godamn 2 quote edits in one day you must be working overtime tonight.

[-Replicant-]

You already know the answer. Mine and yours.

And mine as well

[Guest]

education in the states is going into the shitter, fast, thanks to No Child Left Behind

Can you elaborate on what that program does please?

[-Replicant-]

Fucks schools over because they now direct their funding towards passing these ridiculous tests rather than teaching the kids things they really need to know. it hurts, funding-wise, things like what tnf teaches

[R00k]

The program set standards in testing that schools must reach, which decides how much federal money they continue getting. The program had a budget when it was started, that would give the schools money to prepare, plan and implement solutions to work towards the program.

The first full year the plan was in effect, Bush massively cut the budget on it, so schools didn't have the money to prepare. The schools still have to meet these standards to get federal money, according to Washington, but don't have the means by which to do it.

Not only that, but in anticipation of the federal money being given to them, some states planned their education budgets to rely on that money.

Which leads to the problems we have now, where districts are scrambling to find out how to meet these unreasonable goals, how to come up with enough money to support their operation at the same time, teachers having to pay for classroom supplies for students out of their own pockets, and many states and local districts legally contesting the NCLB Act, from just wanting it better funded, up to calling it unconstitutional.

Yet another institution that Bush seems to be intentionally destroying to an outside objective observer.

[Guest]

Damn that sucks.

[Jackal]

I understand why you'd want to change jobs, I just think it's too bad that you get told what you can and cannot teach. To me teaching is probably one of the noblest of careers, it's too bad they have to fuck tha tup too.

[[xeno]Julios]

hey if your wife is willing to bear the burden for a few, I'd think it would be crazy not to do this.



that's my uninformed 2 pesos.

[saturn]

There's a lot of money in pharmacology, you'd prolly don't have to starve

(in a few months I'm going to help in a big randomized, double-blind, multi-centre, international Phase III trial. About some drug )

[Dr_Watson]

in related news... i heard on NPR that sesame street in japan has changed its content to teach childeren about emotions and feelings rather than the usual reading, counting, and stuff... because the youth of japan has a 100% literacy rate.