Career ponderings

BoundByAxioms

I'm an undergraduate student who is majoring in both mathematics and biology. Ever since High School, I've wanted to be a pharmacist but have recently been encouraged to not "close the doors" on other career paths. My family and some of my professors have told me that I'd find a career in researching much more interesting than a career in pharmacy. I've liked the idea of being a pharmacist due to my fascination of being able to fix problems with medicine, and my overall enjoyment of the human body and the study of it. Also, I like the salary and hours of a pharmacist. However, I also really enjoy mathematics, and am curious as to how I could combine my interests in mathematics and biology. Can anyone offer any insight?

Evo

My youngest sister is a pharmacist, there was a fair amount of math in school, but everything is automated now. At most US pharmacies, the pharmacist merely enters the prescription information into a computer and in a large robotized box, the correct pills are counted out, poured into a container, a label printed, pasted on the container, a cap is placed on and the filled prescription is pushed out onto a conveyer at the end, ready to hand to the customer. It is all done robotically, no humans. The walls are glass so that you can watch it being done. Very cool.

alligatorman

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bioinformatics I don't really know anything about it, so I can't say much.

symbolipoint

Not sure about what to say about insight; but consider exploreing Biochemistry and Microbiology. Definitely some intersections occur in those concepts and pharmacy about both the human body, diseases, and pharmaceutical materials/medications. Research may also be rich in those fields.

BoundByAxioms

That does sound just a little boring. Tell me though, does your sister like it? Or does she wish she had done something else.

BoundByAxioms

I will be taking biochemistry and microbiology in a couple of years, and the little bit of microbiology I studied in my introductory biology course was quite interesting. Would you say there is any opportunity for someone with a math background in those fields?