o l d e r - l a t e s t - g u e s t b o o k - p r o f i l e - d i a r y l a n d
*is blown away*
So, I missed class this morning cause I forgot where it was being held... they changed it, but I didn't write it down, so no class for me. :) In its place, I started to look for postdocs and job opportunities, because it's never too early to start planning this stuff- the job I want may require some specific postdoctoral research experience, or some particular course, so I should get on it now. :) So, because I wanna work for the government and stay in MD, I checked out NIH... and there are SO MANY JOBS. SO! MANY! JOBS! And they're all pretty decent, money-wise... the lowest one I found was $50,000 a year, and the highest was $200,000 (although there ain't no way I'd ever get that last one, cause you need 20+ publications and I have all of 0.) But man oh man. For some of them, you don't even have to do research- you just read journals and make suggestions about research that other people should do... at least, that's the impression I got. AND, these things are at the Cancer Institute and the Allergy and Infectious Disease place... which are the two huge things I'd like to work in, seeing as how I'm an immunologist. There were even some openings for autoimmune people!
Watch all these jobs be gone in five or six years, when I'm finished my postdoc and ready to apply for them. :) But man. And I could have gotten $40,000 a year just for having a bachelor's! I just don't know what to do. Maybe I should drop out and just work my way up thru the government ranks. I'll have more money, at least initially, and my qualifications will probably be more in line with what they're looking for if I've always worked for them. And I'll be in sweet, sweet Maryland again. Argh, there are just too many potentially good choices... and too many ways to potentially screw my life up by delaying it too long. I'm almost 23, and I'm making only $20,000 a year for at least the next three years, probably four... when I could be making twice as much to start with NIH. No, it's not that hot compared to the $70,000+ I could start as when I'm done my doctorate. But I'm impatient, and I'm not sure I want to have all that responsibility anyway. :) Argh. :) We'll see, we'll see.