3 answers
Lynae
Student
Dover, Delaware
1
Question
Asked
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College biology student with too many career options
I am entering my junior year of college and do not know how to choose a career. I am a biology major with many interests and career options like optometry, genetic counseling, research, and college professor.
I have shadowed an optometrist (a career I have been interested in for a long time) and could see myself in that career but am still unsure. I am also doing remote research this summer but am very limited in what I can do, and I don't think I want to write scientific papers all the time as a career.
I also have no teaching or counseling experience and don't know if any other career options would fit me. I have considered medical school but I'd prefer to specialize right away in my field.
I have felt a little down this summer because of my indecision. If anyone has any guidance or words of encouragement, I would greatly appreciate it :)
#biology #college #science #medicine #optometry #genetics #career #doctor #research
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3 answers
Alyssa Chin
Optometrist
4
Answers
Honolulu, Hawaii
Updated
Alyssa’s Answer
Hi Lynae! :)
I realize it has been several months since you asked this question so I apologize for the lateness. First off, I just want to say that YOU'RE DOING GREAT! I know that deciding exactly what type of career path you want to pursue can be challenging especially if it involves possibly going to more school. I was honestly deciding between optometry and event planning. A little different I know haha. How did I finally decide on optometry? I shadowed several different optometrists and did informational interviews with them to get their perspectives about their career choice. Additionally, in college I was involved with a variety of different activities that were not exactly related to science/healthcare. I worked at the admissions office as a tour guide, helped teach hula dance routines for the annual school lu'au and was involved with a few different student organizations. When I arrived at college I thought I had to revolve my life around science/healthcare because that's what I was thinking grad schools would want me to do/what I thought I should do if I was going to go in the healthcare field. But then I realized I didn't really enjoy doing research for hours on end. With that, I began my college journey where I was a Biology major who had extracurricular activities that were maybe not the "norm" for science majors. I realized that I could pursue optometry and also use the skills I would channel via event planning into other areas. In optometry school I was class president and a student ambassador, which is another example of how I could bridge multiple interests into my life.
I want to encourage you that you can connect your multiple interests in a variety of ways and even though this whole process may be daunting you can do it! Feel free to reach out to other optometrists in your area and see if they'd allow you to shadow/conduct informational interviews with them. This will definitely help you to gain even more perspective as to whether optometry is the field you'd want to pursue. :) Let me know if you have any questions. I'd be more than happy to help! Hope you can have grace with yourself through this process as I realize it can be scary and exciting all at once. You got it!
I realize it has been several months since you asked this question so I apologize for the lateness. First off, I just want to say that YOU'RE DOING GREAT! I know that deciding exactly what type of career path you want to pursue can be challenging especially if it involves possibly going to more school. I was honestly deciding between optometry and event planning. A little different I know haha. How did I finally decide on optometry? I shadowed several different optometrists and did informational interviews with them to get their perspectives about their career choice. Additionally, in college I was involved with a variety of different activities that were not exactly related to science/healthcare. I worked at the admissions office as a tour guide, helped teach hula dance routines for the annual school lu'au and was involved with a few different student organizations. When I arrived at college I thought I had to revolve my life around science/healthcare because that's what I was thinking grad schools would want me to do/what I thought I should do if I was going to go in the healthcare field. But then I realized I didn't really enjoy doing research for hours on end. With that, I began my college journey where I was a Biology major who had extracurricular activities that were maybe not the "norm" for science majors. I realized that I could pursue optometry and also use the skills I would channel via event planning into other areas. In optometry school I was class president and a student ambassador, which is another example of how I could bridge multiple interests into my life.
I want to encourage you that you can connect your multiple interests in a variety of ways and even though this whole process may be daunting you can do it! Feel free to reach out to other optometrists in your area and see if they'd allow you to shadow/conduct informational interviews with them. This will definitely help you to gain even more perspective as to whether optometry is the field you'd want to pursue. :) Let me know if you have any questions. I'd be more than happy to help! Hope you can have grace with yourself through this process as I realize it can be scary and exciting all at once. You got it!
Alina Quintana
Career Counselor
2
Answers
Sacramento, California
Updated
Alina’s Answer
Hi Lynae,
Indecision is completely normal as you approach the launch phase of your college career. I would encourage the following:
1. Meet with your college career center for a Career Exploration conversation
2. Use tools like What Can I Do With This Major https://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/ - or similar tools that describe what you can do with your Biology degree
3. Create a list of top occupations
4. Reflect on the similarities/differences between these occupations
5. Continue to build experience through internships and engage in informational interviews with professionals in the fields that you are most interested in such as (genetic counseling etc.)
Remember that your degree is not the end all, be all. Try things out, knowing what you don't like is equally important and necessary in an active exploration.
Indecision is completely normal as you approach the launch phase of your college career. I would encourage the following:
1. Meet with your college career center for a Career Exploration conversation
2. Use tools like What Can I Do With This Major https://whatcanidowiththismajor.com/major/ - or similar tools that describe what you can do with your Biology degree
3. Create a list of top occupations
4. Reflect on the similarities/differences between these occupations
5. Continue to build experience through internships and engage in informational interviews with professionals in the fields that you are most interested in such as (genetic counseling etc.)
Remember that your degree is not the end all, be all. Try things out, knowing what you don't like is equally important and necessary in an active exploration.
Thank you for your detailed answer! I will make sure to explore these careers in-depth and determine their pros and cons!
Lynae
Sherman Tam
Senior Marketing Manager
14
Answers
Palm Springs, California
Updated
Sherman’s Answer
Focus on your passion and what you really enjoy which sounds like optometry might be a good choice. Do a list of pros and cons to rank your options but most important follow your dream. Look to join some LinkedIn communities to hear more about your options and expand your network to better understand the different careers. You sound really smart especially to start thinking about the choices now. Please let me know if you would like to chat more but I know you'll do great!!! :)
Thank you for your answer! I took your suggestion to join LinkedIn communities and found several that sounded interesting to me. I really appreciate the encouragement.
Lynae