Need a new career - suggestions?

[Anonymous]

I have an MS in cellular neuroscience. I worked in research for 15 years before having kids. I enjoyed the jobs somewhat. My favorite parts were designing my own studies. Carrying them out was meh.

I taught science at a university as an adjunct when my kids were young. I loved teaching. It wasn’t the 3-hr lectures that I loved. What really energized me was the 1:1 or small group interactions during office hours and after class.

I’m now working full time as a lab manager and not loving it.

What career has 1:1 or small group interactions that’s in the field of neuroscience? I’m willing to go back to school, but it’s the brain I love most.

My greatest moments are when I can be creative and when I can impact someone’s life. Some of my best conversations with students were to reassure them about themselves, not necessarily science based.

Any guidance? FWIW, I’m 47 yrs old, so med school is out of the question, but I would consider a PhD. If I were 30, I’d do an MD/PhD in neuroscience and psychiatry.

[Anonymous]

You don't want to go back into teaching?

Unfortunately, the college education sector offers a lot of teaching positions that are not full professorships. But you would understand what you were getting into. And if you like that kind of work, you might find a niche again. And then...maybe you could become a science department coordinator or academic advisor? In my experience there were overlaps between non-PhD lecturers and academic advisors.

Here's another idea...could you stand teaching high school kids? If so, you could do that at a school that offers coaching and extracurricular coordination managed by faculty. Things like Science Olympiad, Eco-Team, etc.

[Anonymous]

I forgot to mention, I like kids, but I could not handle a classroom full of them.

Also, I need something with health insurance.

[Anonymous]

NIH? NASA?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I forgot to mention, I like kids, but I could not handle a classroom full of them.

Also, I need something with health insurance.

Science teacher at a private school. Your classes can be about 10 - 14 kids. Not really a classroom full by any means

[Anonymous]

College career advisor at MIT, or similar. You could pursue certification/ credentialing very easily, NCDA
Switch to HR in your industry or company, similarly you could pursue low hurdle certifications, your background would give you street cred.

[Anonymous]

Unless you can deal with very low pay, I don't recommend working in higher education. If you are okay making 40k a year, a college adviser position or working in an women in engineering type program would be great.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Unless you can deal with very low pay, I don't recommend working in higher education. If you are okay making 40k a year, a college adviser position or working in an women in engineering type program would be great.

Good point. I need to make 80-100k to support my family.

[Anonymous]

Student advising, Career counseling in a university?

[Anonymous]

Therapist school? Not sure what the salary would be, but it would be one on one and counseling with an impact on lives.

[Anonymous]

I have a friend with similar background. But she s a md/phd from China. ( she s not license to work as a doctor in USA ) She came to the USA for phd and worked in a prestige labs at top US hospital. But many years of work without any advancement she made new career switch at late 40s. She quit her research job.

She sells insurance for the last 5 years, and after 3-4 years in she has been making over 400k.

Nothing is impossible. Sometimes you need to think outside the box.

[Anonymous]

Is there a neuroscience-related startup role you could go for? Sometimes these roles don't only include scientific duties.

You can also do more than just one thing. You can be a mentor in your local community in addition to your 9-5. You can tutor.

[Anonymous]

It isn’t neuro and it is only part time, but it is medicine and it is teaching in small groups... You could contact the CLASS Center at GW’s school of medicine and tell them you are interested in SPI work (Standardized Patient Instructor). SPIs teach the med students physical exam maneuvers. They used to only hire from their pool of experienced standardized patients, but that has recently changed. You wouldn’t be starting right away though—it’s kind of seasonal and training (which is all paid) is in the summer. Teaching is in the evenings for the most part, which some hate and some like, pay is good, work environment is, for the most part, pretty great.