A person interested in becoming a geneticist should learn about the field and its three main branches: population genetics, molecular genetics, and medical genetics. To figure out what factors influence the development of certain traits, population geneticists look for patterns and anomalies in human deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). Molecular geneticists decode DNA to determine which genes control which traits; their job is to provide new information that other scientists can use to develop treatments or cures for a variety of diseases. Medical geneticists consult with patients who have genetic disorders and work to treat them.
Years of hard science training are required to become a geneticist. The majority of geneticists have a biology background. Anyone interested in becoming a geneticist should take advanced math, chemistry, physics, and biology courses. Those interested in working as a public geneticist should take management and communications courses as well. This undergraduate education will prepare future genetic researchers to enter graduate school, where they will begin their training for a career as a geneticist.
Almost all geneticists, regardless of specialty, require a doctoral degree in philosophy (Ph.D.). Medical geneticists frequently hold a medical degree as well. Doctoral training in a biological science is usually required to become a geneticist. The training usually lasts between seven and ten years. People studying to be geneticists work as lab technicians and research assistants alongside established researchers during this time.
After completing the extensive training required to become a geneticist, the transition to a full-time career begins. Pharmaceutical and medical research companies, as well as colleges and universities, are the most common employers for genetic engineers. Geneticists work in labs at private-sector research companies, looking for information that will lead to the development of new medications. Because a significant amount of money is on the line based on what the scientists discover, competition for these jobs and in this area of the industry is often fierce.
Academic geneticists may find themselves teaching and researching at the same time. While research at academic institutions often consists of more theoretical work, these scientists will instruct undergraduate students in the biological sciences as teachers. Scientists who conduct “basic” scientific research do so without a specific goal in mind. This research includes scientists who are attempting to decode the human genome. Academic geneticists have no profit motive, allowing them to concentrate on research.