5 Things You Need To Know Before Pursuing Education in Biotechnology

Biotechnology took the centre stage in the fight against COVID-19. Medical scientists, specializing in biotechnology, from all over the world became the most valuable warriors in this war against the vicious virus. But, of course, biotechnology is not just about this; there are many, many things which you can do with your knowledge and skills in biotechnology. Multiple career paths open up once you graduate with a degree in biotechnology, but you will have to first make up your mind about whether you are ready for continuous education in biotechnology.

It is easy to say that a particular area of interest should be formally pursued. Numerous considerations will have to be taken into account to decide a career path—and biotechnology is not as straightforward as discipline as people make it out to be. You will need to conduct independent research and analysis into the world of biotechnology education. However, this article will help you in getting a definite start. I have compiled a few things which you need to know to pursue an education in biotechnology.

1. Understand what biotechnology is
   Before you consider anything else, you should know what biotechnology is all about. Biotechnology, to be put simply, is a study of living organisms for the development of products in the fields of environment, energy, agriculture, and medicine. It is most commonly used in the analysis of microorganisms for developing hormones, vaccines, antibiotics, etc. Broadly speaking, and you would have already guessed it, there are 4 divisions of biotechnology, namely environmental biotechnology, marine biotechnology, medical biotechnology, and industrial biotechnology. Due to the broad nature of biotechnology and its increasing utility in various industries, graduates of biotechnology may end up taking all kinds of roles about which we will talk later in the article.

2. How to earn a degree in biotechnology
   In order to earn a degree in biotechnology, you must ask yourself whether you have certain interests. A typical degree program in biotechnology consists of coursework that involves the domain of biology, chemistry, technical writing and communication, calculus, statistics, and trigonometry. If you have an interest in the aforementioned areas, then you will be able to carry forward with the degree program. While a Bachelor’s degree suffices, those who want to engage in research will have to undertake a Master’s degree program. A Ph.D. will be preferable in most scenarios. To assure a better future, you should try getting a seat in the top-tier universities across the globe. Tons have an undisputed reputation in the field of biotechnology. These include Harvard University, University of Cambridge, Stanford University, ETH Zurich, and the University of Tokyo. Getting into these universities is a sheer challenge so make sure you work on your academic credentials to enhance your chances.

3. Job roles available
   As I mentioned before, the ambit of biotechnology is as wide as it can get. There are many kinds of job roles you can take up as a graduate in biotechnology. You can become a biomedical engineer to design better biomedical products, a biochemist to study the chemical compositions and features of biological beings and processes, a microbiologist to assess the immune system and microorganisms and develop biomedical or industrial products, a business development manager to help biotechnology companies in outperforming their competitors, and whatnot. You can pursue academia and become a teacher in a university. You will, however, have to think through and not hurry into deciding a career role for yourself.

4. Skills you will develop
   If you thought education in biotechnology is just about getting grades in university, then you are not taking things seriously. A proper education in biotechnology involves a student in the development of varied skills all of which ultimately assist you in whatever role you assume in the future. A skillset will develop as you pursue your education, and it includes skills such as strong communication skills to present your ideas effectively, quantitative skills required to collect and analyze data obtained, and entrepreneurial skills necessary to market your creations right. Your research abilities will be strengthened as biotechnology is not a theoretical discipline and requires that the students carry out laboratory work on a daily basis.