Professional Documents
Culture Documents
many levels:
Molecular level
Organ and systems levels
Whole organism level
How living systems respond
to physical activity
How living systems respond
to environmental conditions
How the genome translates
into function at different
Why is Physiology
Important?
regulated
Diseases and how to treat them
How living organisms cope with or
adapt to different environments
What Do
Physiologists Study?
Plants
Vertebrates, such as:
Humans and other mammals
Birds
Reptiles
Amphibians
Fish
Invertebrates, such as:
Insects
Worms
Mollusks
What Do
Physiologists Study?
Becoming interested in
“how living things work”
Research on the kidney and
the brain
Successfully balancing
careers and family
Meet a Physiologist:
Magdalena Alonso-Galicia
Magdalena Alonso-Galicia, Ph.D.
Merck Research Laboratories
West Point, Pennsylvania
Taking an interest in
exercise
Choosing a military career
Researching exercise in
extreme environments
Teaching future doctors
What Do Physiologists
Do Every Day?
– Investigate questions in
physiology that most interest
them
– Decide what work they are
going to do each day
– Often work longer hours, but
typically can be very flexible
What Do Physiologists
Do Every Day?
Which Degree?
Bachelor’s?
Master’s?
Doctoral?
College Education With a
Major in a Life Science
Degree Possible Jobs
Bachelor of Arts (BA) Lab Technician (University)
Bachelor of Science (BS) Assistant Scientist (Industry)
(4 yrs)
(with experience)
Masters (MS) Lab Manager (University)
in Physiology Associate Scientist (Industry)
(2 yr)
Postdoctoral Training
(2-3 yr)
Salary Expectations
• Bachelors degree
– University - $30,000
– Industry - $50,000
• Masters degree
– University - $35,000
– Industry - $56,000
• Stipends
– Graduate student - $20,772 (set by NIH)
– Postdocs - $35,568-51,036 (depending on years of
experience)
• Salaries
– Assistant Professor at Medical School - $71,000
– Industry Senior Scientist (with postdoc exp.) - $78,000
Typical Salaries for BS/MS
Scientists
60,000 56,000 Academic
50,000
50,000
Pharmaceutical Co
40,000 35,000
30,000
$ 30,000
20,000
10,000
0
Lab Technician (BS) Lab GManager (MS) 21
Stipends for Pre- &
Postdoctoral Trainees
45,000 43,428
40,000 35,568
35,000
30,000
25,000 20,772
$
20,000
15,000
10,000
5,000
0
Graduate Student Postdoc Yr 0 Postdoc Yr 3
NIH Stipends
G FY2003 22
Ph.D. Physiologist Salaries
in Academia and Industry
78,000
78,000
76,000
66,000
Assistant Professor Senior Scientist
Average Faculty Salaries
in Physiology Departments
120,000 119762
100,000
86567
80,000 71400
$ 60,000
46549
40,000
20,000
0
Instructor Assistant Associate Full
Professor
Academic Rank
ACDP 2003 Survey Results G 24
Physiology Training Opens
Doors to Many Careers!
Law and Business Because scientific training
Legal Management
Writing emphasizes:
– Creativity and analytical thinking skills
needed to solve problems
– Facility with mathematical concepts and
Physiology their applications (e.g., data analysis and
statistics) that can be applied in many
different fields
– Well-developed skills in oral and written
Scientific &
Science
Medical
Policy
communication of ideas and data; and
Writing
– In-depth understanding of the biological,
chemical and physical principles that
underlie life processes
Physiology Training Opens
Doors to Many Careers!
Law and
Legal
Business
Management
It opens the doors to other
Writing
fields, such as:
Law and legal writing
Business management and
Physiology administration
Policy, especially science policy
Scientific and medical writing
Scientific &
Science
Medical
Policy
Writing
Physiology…
A Good Choice for Me?
Physiology is an Excellent
Career Choice
– Want to…
understand how living processes
and systems work
help others live longer and better
lives through biomedical
research
– Are creative
– Are self-motivated and
an independent worker
– Like to work with others
on a shared problem
– Enjoy writing and
communicating
with others
Preparing for a Career in
Physiology
– Take relevant science courses to
be ready for graduate coursework
– Practice your writing and
speaking skills
– Get
research experience in a lab
(APS Summer Undergraduate
Research Fellowship)
– Talk to scientists in fields that you
find interesting
– Try
to attend a local scientific
meeting if possible
Learn More
About Physiology
The American
Physiological Society
Careers Website
www.the-aps.org
Click on “Careers”
The American
Physiological Society
Association of physiologists
Started in 1887
Research journals
Education programs and materials
Awards
Meetings