Where will a biology PhD take you?

(set: $Research_points = 0) (set: $Class_points = 0) Every year 16K students start biology PhD programs... It takes them an average of 7 years to complete their PhD. How many years will it take you? [[Roll the dice->Year1]]

63% (9K) of students finish their PhD [[30% (2.5K) do not do postdocs->Don't do a postdoc]] [[70% (5.8K) do postdocs]]

30% (2.5K) do not do postdocs. Leaving academia (and often the country) can make tracking these scientists especially tricky. [[End the game, this is boring]] [[I want to find other work->whirlpool of jobs]]

70% (5.8K) do postdocs [[Postdoc!]]

There are ~37K to 68K biological science postdocs in the US. US PhDs spend an average of 4 years as postdocs. 15% of postdocs get [[tenure-track faculty]] jobs within six years. 20% of postdocs get [[non-tenure-track faculty]] jobs within six years. And those numbers seem to be growing. There are 17K biological science PhDs in [[industry researcher jobs]]. There are 17K biological science PhDs in [[nonscience jobs]]. There are 24K biological science PhDs in [[nonresearch science-related jobs]]. There are 7K biological science PhDs in government researcher jobs. Do another [[Postdoc!]] 30% do more than one.

You are the sparkling unicorn of the science world. Eventually, you will earn a salary comparable to the private sector. If you get tenure... Only 15% of postdocs land tenure-track positions within six years of earning their PhD. <img src="http://i229.photobucket.com/albums/ee116/cherdnell/Horses/29485he8uka016a.gif"/>

Within 6 years post PhD, 20% of surveyed degree holders had non-tenure track academic jobs. As of 2012 there were 25,000 non-tenture track academic positions, which frequently bring in lower salaries than other comparable positions.

You're finally making real money. Congratulations on paying off the rest of your student debt and eating three meals a day. But seriously, this sector is much more complicated that the sell-out or cash-in perspective that many faculty may hold. As of 2012, there were 22,500 reported industry researchers.

Such a big catagory and the most poorly understood as far as career path and future trajectory. This broadly includes 17,000 bio PhDs doing non-science jobs as of 2012.

(set: $occ = "Currently Unemployed") A life of free pizza and long hours at the bench (or in front of the computer screen) for a mere pittance wasn't for you. That's is just fine. You'll still have a chance to [[find your career path|whirlpool of jobs]] OR even [[leave science|Leave Science]] if you've decided this no longer fits your interest.

(set: $Resumes = 0) Oh no! You've jumped into the whirlpool of jobs! Hurry, send out resumes to escape! [[Send out resumes->Resume generator]]

Hey, science isn't for everyone. That's okay. [[Come back and play again soon!->End the game, this is boring]]

Welcome to your first year! Time to take some classes and choose a lab to do your thesis work in. While this year can be challenging, you have plenty of peers to suffer along with you. [[No, I don't want to take any more classes->Drop out]] [[Sweet! I love studying->Class points]] [[I'll slug through the coursework if I can do research->Research points]]

(set: $QE to (either: $Class_points, 0) + (random: 3, 6)) (if: $QE < 6)[You failed your qualifying exam. [[Go repeat a class.->Year1]]] (else:)[No major bumps, [[proceed with your studies.->Year3]]]

You are deep into your research when your PI assigns you an undergraduate. [[Proceed with graduate school anyway->Year4]] [[No, I'm done with school, I'll leave with my masters->whirlpool of jobs]]

You got a paper! Everything feels great. [[Proceed with your PhD->Year5]] [[Rest of your laurels and get a job->whirlpool of jobs]]

Year 5 goes great! Your beautiful data lands you a speaking slot at a conference in Hawaii. [[Proceed.->Year6]]

You're too close to quit but far enough away to have doubts. [[Proceed.->Year7]]

Your PI can no longer convince your committee to keep you in his or her lab. Time to hit the old job market trail. [[Fine, but I'm not ready for a postdoc->whirlpool of jobs]] [[Great! I'm so excited to start a new research program->Finish PhD]]

Your studying paid off but cost you research time. (set: $Class_points = 6) [[Proceed to your second year->Year2]]

Your hard work paid off. You got authorship on one of your rotation projects. (Set: $Research_points = 1) [[Proceed to second year->Year2]]

(set: $resumes to (either: 0, 3) + (random: 1, 6)) (if: $resumes > 6)[You got a job offer! [[Go check it out->Picka Job]]] (else:)[[[Send out more resumes!->Resume generator]]]

Hey, we don't like your career options either.

You still love science but you don't want to do a PhD. There are still options for you. Choose from your offers: [[industry researcher jobs]] [[nonscience jobs]] [[nonresearch science-related jobs]]

Hey, ASCB and COMPASS reported 24,000 of these jobs in their infographic, so they must exist. You are sick of the research but you can't give up on the science!