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Young Forensic Scientists Forum Newsletter - January 2003 |
| Recently, I had a conversation with YFSF Chairman Ken Williams about continuing education. In our discussion, he asked me why I had decided to return to graduate school, and if I would share some of my decision making and experience with the forum. The decision to pursue an advanced degree wasn't a difficult one for me. Before working in forensic science, I had worked for a large pharmaceutical company. If anyone has worked for a pharmaceutical company before, you would know that most chemists with only a bachelor’s degree are considered research associates and work in a group either running assays or quality control for the research scientist who leads the group. Without an advanced degree, there is little hope of doing your own research. So early on in my career I had decided that I would like to go back to school. When I became a forensic scientist, the career change only reinforced my decision. I work in a small, four person, county laboratory with a very limited training budget. It is my personal belief that in order to develop and improve myself as a scientist I would need to remain current with knowledge and technology. There are many ways to do this. If you a reading this article you are either a member of AAFS or the article was given to you by a member. By becoming a member of professional organizations, such as AAFS and the YFSF, you will receive current literature and make important contacts that you may use throughout your career. You also have the opportunity to attend various conferences, seminars, and workshops on topics of interest. However, if you are interested in making a change of job description, it is sometimes necessary to do more than just attend a workshop. There may be times where you decide that the courses, seminars, or workshops don't meet your needs. Furthermore, recent criteria adopted by laboratory certifying bodies may mandate graduate degrees in order to receive certification in some forensic disciplines. This was another factor in my decision. In my current laboratory, I only need a bachelor’s degree to fulfill the job requirements. However, if I want to do forensic DNA, or leave for another lab system, having the graduate degree may give me the opportunity to do just that. In short, the graduate degree will provide more potential opportunities for a broader scope of forensic analyses. The challenge for me was to balance my family, work, and school in my schedule. Depending on the college or university, and the program of study, you may be able to attend school part-time, taking one or two courses each semester. In my case, my superiors also allowed me to have a flexible schedule, so that I could fit in courses that were only available at inconvenient times. The most difficult part of the scheduling was finding time to do the thesis research portion of the degree. Most professors or programs require the students to complete from nine months to a year of full-time research in order to receive a degree. I was fortunate enough to find a professor who allowed me to work in the lab 16-20 hours a week over two years. This allowed me to complete my research, yet didn't interfere too much with my family life or work schedule. The important point is to ask. I first contacted four other professors who were not as flexible. It certainly was a long and difficult process, but I feel that it was worth the effort. Hopefully, continuing my education will provide me with opportunities that I may not have had with an undergraduate degree. If nothing else, going back to school was personally rewarding. Matt is scheduled to graduate with a Master of Science Degree in Biology in December 2002. |
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© 2003 Young Forensic Scientists Forum / American Academy of Forensic Sciences |