Education · 1 of 4

The path

A bachelor's degree gets you into a lab. How far you go after that is decided by how much more school you do.

1. 1

   High school

   Grades 11 and 12

   Biology and chemistry are the core. Take the hardest math you can, because statistics runs through everything later.

2. 2

   Bachelor's degree

   4 years

   Microbiology, biology or biochemistry. Get into a research lab on campus as early as year two, even washing glassware. Lab experience is what employers and graduate schools actually read.

3. 3

   First lab job

   1 to 3 years

   Quality control, food or water testing, a hospital lab, or a research technician post. This is where you find out whether you like the bench.

4. 4

   Graduate school, if you want the research jobs

   2 to 6 years

   A doctorate is funded and takes about 5 to 6 years. A master's is quicker and aimed at industry and management roles.

5. 5

   Specialize

   Ongoing

   Clinical microbiology, virology, fermentation, sterility assurance, antibiotic resistance. This is where careers stop looking alike.