Alternate Careers: Taking the Road
Less Traveled
Clifford S. Mintz, Ph.D.
www.biojobblog.com
www.biocrowd.com
04/18/09 1

The Mintz Career Pathway
Cornell University (B.S.)
University of Wisconsin (Ph.D.)
OHSU & Columbia University (Postdocs)
University of Miami School of Medicine (Asst. Professor)
Transcell Technologies (Project Leader)
Middlesex County College (Chair, Biology Dept.)
Management Consultant Entrepreneur
BioJobBlog BioCrowd Prolong Pharmaceuticals
04/18/09 2

Current Job Market for Life Scientists
• Close to 100,000 pharmaceutical employees have
lost their jobs since 2007
• Many biotechnology companies have less than 6
months of cash on hand to sustain operations
• Academic jobs remain few and far between
• Some government agencies like FDA, USDA and
CDC are hiring
• Many medical devices and diagnostic companies
are hiring
04/18/09 3

What Can a Person With a Ph.D. Do?
• Think logically and deductively
• Solve problems
• Work in research laboratory settings
• Function as a subject area content expert
• Teach?
04/18/09 4

Traditional Job Opportunities for
Ph.D.s
• Tenure track positions at academic institutions, e.g.,
research universities, research institutes, medical
schools, etc.
• Research positions at biotechnology or pharmaceutical
companies
• Research/administrative positions at government
agencies, e.g., NIH, FDA, USDA
04/18/09 5

Alternate Career Options
• Teach at a liberal arts college, technical or
community college, high school, etc.
• Engage in entrepreneurial activities
• Become a lawyer
• Go to medical /dental/nursing school
• Get an MBA
• Wall Street analyst/venture capital firms
04/18/09 6

Alternate Career Options (cont’d)
• Medical communications
• Management consulting
• Health informatics, Science Policy,
Epidemiology
• Sales rep/Medical Science Liaison (MSL)
• Not-for-profits
• Trade or technical school
• Collect unemployment checks/live with parents
04/18/09 7

Parting Messages
• Nobody guaranteed you a job after you received
your Ph.D. or trained as a postdoctoral fellow
• Life is not easy nor fair
• Be diligent, work hard and don’t give up
• Follow your dreams
• Create you own career path; there is no right or
wrong way!
04/18/09 8