Do you plan to pursue Microbiology once you graduate from high school?
Or perhaps you’re already in college and considering pursuing a Microbiology degree?
There is a lot of misunderstanding about microbiology.
To assist, I spent time investigating the most frequently asked topics about Microbiology, as shown below.
But before we do, let’s discuss what is Microbiology
Microbiologists study microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi, and some types of parasites. They try to understand how these organisms live, grow, and interact with their environments.
Scientists that specialize in the field of microbiology are known as microbiologists. Microbiology is the cellular study of organisms and is used in many facets of modern life, including food production, public health, and research and development.
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Microbiology Degree Worth It?
Yes, Microbiology is worthwhile if you enjoy undertaking in-depth research and analysis of the effects of germs and microorganisms to develop solutions to improve human and animal health.
Microbiology is also a good major for students planning to pursue medical, dental, or other health-related careers.
Microbiology is a broad field with numerous job opportunities.
You can work in the public or private sector.
Working in Microbiology keeps you learning and evolving because it is such a wide and evolving discipline.
Microbiologists are required to assist pharmaceutical and biotechnology businesses in the development of medications derived from microbes.
Microbiologists are also sort after by employers in a variety of industries, including food items and chemical facilities, to assure quality and production efficiency.
Microbiologists are also hired in agriculture to assist in the development of genetically altered crops that produce higher yields while using less pesticide and fertilizer.
As a Microbiologist, you could specialize in diverse areas such as
- Academic researcher.
- Biomedical scientist.
- Biotechnologist.
- Clinical research associate.
- Clinical scientist, immunology.
- Food technologist.
- Medicinal chemist.
- Microbiologist.
- Pharmacologist
- Environmental Engineer
Microbiology is a good career choice for those who are interested in microbiology and want to help create new and better ways to safeguard the environment, including human and animal health.
Remember that many employers accept applications from graduates with any major, so don’t limit your search to the positions listed here.
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Microbiologists, What They Do?
Microbiologists conduct experiments and analyze the results in laboratories, offices, and industrial settings.
To avoid contamination, microbiologists who work with harmful pathogens must follow strict safety precautions.
Because some microbiologists do onsite inspections or collect samples from the environment or work sites, they may travel and spend time outside on occasion.
With any career, important to understand the type of activities performed every day, and if you will enjoy performing them.
That being said, Microbiologists typically do the following:
- Plan and conduct complex research projects, such as improving sterilization procedures or developing new drugs to combat infectious diseases
- Perform laboratory experiments that are used in the diagnosis and treatment of illnesses
- Supervise the work of biological technicians and other workers and evaluate the accuracy of their results
- Isolate and maintain cultures of bacteria or other microorganisms for study
- Identify and classify microorganisms found in specimens collected from humans, plants, animals, or the environment
- Monitor the effect of microorganisms on plants, animals, other microorganisms, or the environment
- Review literature and the findings of other researchers and attend conferences
- Prepare technical reports, publish research papers, and make recommendations based on their research findings
- Present research findings to scientists, non-scientist executives, engineers, other colleagues, and the public
Many microbiologists work in research and development conducting basic research or applied research. Basic research aims to increase scientific knowledge.
An example is growing strains of bacteria in various conditions to learn how they react to those conditions.
Other microbiologists conduct applied research and develop new products to solve particular problems.
For example, microbiologists may aid in the development of genetically engineered crops, better biofuels, or new vaccines.
Microbiology Interesting to Study at College?
Yes, Microbiology is Interesting to study for those interested in learning about microbial growth, survival, metabolism, genetics, and physiology, as well as the organism’s interactions with the environment, biotechnology, and illnesses.
Microbiology is an interdisciplinary science, overlapping aspects of several other academic branches such as chemistry, botany, zoology, physiology, genetics, medicine, nutrition, and environmental science.
Microbiology Easy or Hard (To Study)?
Microbiology is a hard subject to study. It’s very detailed, and you’ll need to remember a lot of information about microscopic organisms, morphologies, and modes of action. You will most likely struggle if you do not have some basic knowledge of biology and chemistry, as well as the ability to memorize things easily
However, the level of difficulty can vary depending on the professor who is instructing you. It is much easier to learn from an energetic and passionate teacher than from one who is not.
To manage all of the required lectures, lab work, and study time, you must be extremely well organized with your time.
That said, Microbiology is hard in general.
It’s impossible to get through your studies and graduate without putting in the effort.
Lastly, you must consider other distractions that everyone in college faces, such as drinking, partying, and meeting new people.
Most of your fun activities will have to be put on hold until you graduate, which can be difficult for some students to deal with.
What the Internet Is Saying?
it is a hard subject and the study of microbiology is an acid test of your learning and memorizing capacity.
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Tips to Succeed in Studying Microbiology
Microbiology combines the practical and theoretical. There are numerous opportunities for both, but to excel, you must be strong in both.
For the theoretical, pursue your interests; subjects that interest you will always be easier to learn and better to study. Tropical medicine/bacteriology and parasitology were two of my personal favorites.
In terms of the practical side, practice lab techniques such as sterile preparations, serial solutions, and the associated statistical calculations.
Take your lab work seriously, talk to lab managers, technicians, and Ph.D. students; they all have really valuable experience.
Microbiologists How Much Do They Earn?
To be honest, science degrees aren’t the highest paying. Scientists are in it for the betterment of society, animals, and the world and not the pay.
The wages recorded here are purely for microbiologists. Wages will vary for other specialties, such as Pharmacologist and Environmental Engineer, for example.
According to BLS.gov, the median annual wage for Microbiologists was $79,260 in May 2021.
The median wage is the wage at which half the workers in an occupation earned more than that amount and half earned less.
The lowest 10 percent earned less than $47,630, and the highest 10 percent earned more than $136,780.
In May 2021, the median annual wages for microbiologists in the top industries in which they worked were as follows:
| The federal government, excluding postal service | $114,050 |
| Research and development in the physical, engineering, and life sciences | 101,680 |
| Pharmaceutical and medicine manufacturing | 72,490 |
| State government, excluding education and hospitals | 63,940 |
| Colleges, universities, and professional schools; state, local, and private | 62,260 |
Microbiologists in Demand?
Yes, microbiologists are in demand, with the employment of microbiologists projected to grow 5 percent from 2020 to 2030, slower than the average for all occupations.
The majority of those opportunities are likely to emerge from the need to replace people who change occupations or leave the workforce for other reasons, such as retirement.
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Final Thoughts
Studying Microbiology will take dedication for someone who enjoys studying microorganisms such as bacteria, viruses, algae, fungi, and some types of parasites with the view to make discoveries that improve human and animal life then it is worth studying.
Hope you have found this article interesting and helpful, for a further article relating to medicine below
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