by Bob Chai
Lee Davies (CC'72), Tamara Cochran (CC'92), Rene Baston (CC'91), and Dr. Paulette Bernd, were invited to speak in a "Careers in Biology" panel, co-sponsored by The Center of Career Services (CCS) and The Biology Club, on April 6. The event, held in John Jay Lounge, attracted students considering careers in biology, health, and medicine. Hosted by Heather Holtman, a representative from CCS, the panel addressed concerns about deciding on majors, obtaining internships, and applications to medical schools.
Mr. Davies, who currently works for his own pharmaceutical marketing company, Davies & Murray, described biology as being a very broad area with plenty of opportunities in which to develop a specialty within a certain field of interest. Mr. Davies majored in biology during his undergraduate years but did not feel quite comfortable working as a physician or a researcher. Instead, he obtained an MBA and worked with various pharmaceutical companies before starting his own company. Mr. Davies said that working in a pharmaceutical marketing company has allowed him to use his knowledge of biology to facilitate communication and promotion of pharmaceuticals with the media. Using Mr. Davies as an example, Ms. Holtman concluded that "a major need not have any connection with what you do."
Ms. Cochran, who majored in art history at Columbia, said that a diverse background in college is very important, both for a student's personal interests as well as for medical school. For example, she participated in the Columbia College Student Council for two years in addition to other student activities at Columbia. Furthermore, her summer internship at Synaptic Pharmaceutical Company gave her a 'feel' for the job and assisted her in deciding her career path. She suggested that students take a year or two off after graduating to enjoy life by traveling and working, as she herself did before entering medical school. In fact, most people do not go directly to medical school right after graduation from college; rather, they gain some work experience before returning to school, indicated by the fact that the average age of entering first-years into medical schools is about 25 years old.
A perfect example is Mr. Baston, who has worked as a lab manager at the Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center (CPMC) for two and a half years. Originally, he started by asking for summer internships in the sciences after taking only half a semester of organic chemistry. Obviously, he was not given a job until he offered to work at CPMC for free on a trial basis before being hired full-time. He enjoyed his job as a lab manager because he has the opportunity to work with all fields of science at the same time, creating a web of contacts. Mr. Baston decided not to get a Ph.D. immediately simply because it was a lot of work and because he did not like the lifestyle of a graduate student. A lot of commitment is required in medical school, especially in a MD-Ph.D. program, explained Dr. Bernd, who currently works as a professor during the fall and as a researcher during the spring at The State University of New York's Department of Anatomy and Cell Biology in downtown Brooklyn. She obtained her Ph.D. from Columbia Presbyterian Medical Center and has since worked in a multitude of universities and medical centers. Dr. Bernd's decision to serve as a professor for half-semesters comes from her enthusiasm to teach. During the rest of the year, she enjoys doing biological research.
Students asked the panel concerning acceptance into medical schools. "Grades are really important," Mr. Baston flatly stated. There are just too many applicants, so that there is usually a cut-off mark which determines whether a prospective student will be interviewed or not. For graduate schools, interviews are only granted to those who have reached a minimum "standard". However, Mr. Baston assured the students that once one gets an interview, acceptance is based strongly on the extra-curricular activities and work experience. "Try to make things that stand out by pursuing different areas of interest," suggests Mr. Baston. In addition, Ms. Cochran added that many schools accept students on a first-come, first-serve basis so that taking MCATs in the spring and sending out medical school application forms over the summer is a good choice. She suggested that one should apply to safety schools as well as dream schools. For the MCATs, Mr. Baston strongly recommended students to study for it months in advance since the amount of material is overwhelming. Preparation courses, such as Kaplan, are helpful in organizing routine studying, although they are not necessary to those with self-discipline. Recommendations are also a big factor in applying to medical school. Ms. Cochran strongly urged students to ask professors: "Could you write me a REALLY GOOD recommendation letter?" rather than the simple: "Could you write me a recommendation?" It is important to make a professor more devoted and committed to writing a good recommendation. As to establishing connections with companies for summer internships or just simply getting contacts, the alumni panel recommended asking family, friends, Columbia faculty, the alumni network, or simply contacting companies. Heather Holtman of CCS can be reached at x4-5498 to help students discuss ways to establish a wider array of contacts.