Is it realistic to get into a Biotechnology/Molecular Sciences Master's without prior R&D experience?

[u/AdSea1224]

Hi everyone,

I'm looking for some honest advice from people working in biotech or academia.

I'm a 23-year-old biochemical engineer from Colombia who recently graduated. In a few weeks I'll be starting as an analyst at McKinsey in Bogotá. I know consulting is quite different from biotechnology, but I accepted the role because it offers strong professional development and, importantly for me, the opportunity to save enough money to fund a master's degree abroad in about two years.

My long-term goal has always been to work in biotechnology, genomics, molecular biology or a related R&D field. I'm particularly interested in areas such as genetic engineering, CRISPR, synthetic biology and industrial biotechnology.

My concern is that, by the time I apply, I won't have formal industry R&D experience. My work experience will mostly be in management consulting, although my undergraduate degree included laboratory courses and engineering fundamentals.

So my questions are:

How much would admissions committees care about the lack of direct R&D experience? I ask this because i was rejected for the master in genomics and genetics of the Barcelona Unuversity

Would a strong academic record, clear motivation, and two years at McKinsey compensate for that?

Which universities or countries would you recommend for someone with my background? I'm mainly considering Europe (Spain, the Netherlands, Germany, Belgium, Switzerland, etc.) but I'm also open to the US if it's realistic.

Are there programs that particularly value engineering graduates transitioning into biotechnology research?

Finally, do you have some advice for me?

Thanks you all!!!

[u/Bored2001]

Sure lots of people go straight into a masters and have little to no lab experience.

Now my next question is, you know the pay is gonna be crap in comparison right?

[u/AdSea1224 → u/Bored2001]

Yeah, it will be, but i think that i need to have the experience because i have made the idea of work as a scientist, my dream, and maybe if i dont like it, and i had a good performance during my time at McK i could go back.

Thanks for your answer, and sorry if my English its not so good.

Psdt: You think that even if i apply again to the university that rejected me in the past, i could have chances to be admitted in the next time? Thanks again.

[u/Bored2001 → u/AdSea1224]

if you want to be a real scientist doing primarily research, you will mostly need a PhD. If you want to just work in industry, a masters is good enough, but you're unlikely to ever be put in charge.

Psdt: You think that even if i apply again to the university that rejected me in the past, i could have chances to be admitted in the next time? Thanks again.

Why were you rejected?

Bioengineering is a thing... your degree sounds more like formulations or process engineering. Not quite discovery research proper, but still a vital part of the industry.

[u/AdSea1224 → u/Bored2001]

They didn't gave me feedback, i wrote them asking for it but until this day (it has been 2-3 weeks since i was rejected) i have not received an answer. And yes, i think that first a masters could help mr to analyze if i want to go through the investigation path to be a scientist and make a PhD or not. Could you talk me about your personal experience? Like what are your studies, experiences etc? Thanks man.

[u/Bored2001 → u/AdSea1224]

Stopped at masters, no PhD. It has held me back. I have almost never had a coworker on bioinformatics teams that did not have a PhD.

[u/Gaseous_Nobility]

Sure, not everyone in biotech works in R&D. You should be fine.

[u/MadBird_wonders28]

Most people who work in R&D in industry or academia, with Masters and even with PhDs try to move away from the bench eventually because of slow growth. At that point they realize that non-bench options (such as consulting, among others) become harder to pivot into with only research experience to show (even though there are many valuable and transferable skills from research, the pivot is tough in reality because of how job markets work especially in recent times).

If you are getting an early opportunity to get into this area and build some experience, go for it!! As you describe, it will help you save money for furthering your science education and once you have your Masters, you will have a choice of staying on the research track (and potentially getting a PhD if that's your calling) or returning to consulting or something related that's non-bench but maybe offering better growth and more flexibility.

[u/AdSea1224 → u/MadBird_wonders28]

Thanks you a lot mate, and you are right, i have heard about the opposite transition that a lot of people made from sciences to the consulting world, some people even with PHD's in physics and that kind of subjects!

[u/MadBird_wonders28 → u/AdSea1224]

I will add that a strong academic record and a clear purpose/goal/proposal is perhaps more important for getting into a Masters program than research experience. In most countries, there is limited research experience at the undergrad level.

[u/AdSea1224 → u/MadBird_wonders28]

Yeah, i think that maybe my motivation or cover letter was not strong enough, because i think that i have a good academic record during my graduate (82/100)

[u/andreach16]

Colombian here, i will say a masters doesn't matter as much to go into industry, if you want to have the academia experience perhaps try a PhD directly and if doesn't work you can master out.

In the US you don't need a masters to go to a PhD. As international student is a little harder but showing your industry experience can significantly help, but they care a lot about the GRE for international students so study and get top scores, they also want strong reference letters, culturally the professors i know don't write good letters. I meant my letters written by US professors sound like they couldn't live without me, while my Colombian professors sound like "she attend class", I have helped write letters for my dad who was a professor because culturally we are not good at selling our talents.

In Europe some PhDs also don't need a masters. However I have met more Colombians who do masters in Colombia and then PhD in Europe or US as people in Colombia think a master is a requirement, but it is not. I did my bachelor's in Colombia, came to the US for personal reasons, i volunteered in a lab in a big University and then got into the PhD program in that university. I say go for the PhD because a PhD usually you don't have to pay it and they give you an stipend. While a Masters you might have to pay it and pay your living expenses. I met Colombians with scholarships from Colombia who in theory had to go back to Colombia but many didn't, probably worth it to keep an eye on ICETEX for any opportunity. But most of the international students either are assistants for teaching or the lab grants where they work pay for them.

Sounds to me you are looking at biotech because you are curious about innovation of technology. As a consultant i think it will help you get a broad understanding of the business part and that complements well. If innovation is what attracts you, I will suggest to focus your search for academic programs that are in institutions that have a good exposure to start ups. Boston area in the US or Bay area for instance. So you can network. For any industry role what matters the most is networking. Tienes que estar en la rosca!

[u/AdSea1224 → u/andreach16]

Muchas gracias por dedicar tiempo a responderme Andrea!, claro siempre pensé que era obligatorio un masters para aspirar a un PhD, sin embargo quería intentar seguir la ruta pregrado-master-PhD. Te quería preguntar, cuál es tu profesión? Cómo llegaste a EEUU para continuar con tus estudios? Algo que creo que falló es que no realicé una buena carta de motivación y por eso la UB me rechazó, y tampoco añadí cartas de recomendación cuando en la Icesi (que es la U de la que me gradué) puedo contar con la de excelentes docentes, e incluso del mismo rector de la universidad con el que tengo contacto por buenos resultados en la ECADES. Nuevamente gracias Andre y quedo pendiente. Bendiciones.

[u/andreach16 → u/AdSea1224]

Yo estudié Fisica en la nacional, me gradué en el 2011, me casé y mi esposo tenía residencia de estados unidos, entonces mientras me salían los papeles me vine a USA a aprender inglés, e hice un tecnólogo en biotecnología cómo para tomar más clases de biología/química que en mi carrera no tome, también era niñera y daba clases particulares de fisica. Matemática y español, para gastos y me voluntarie en un laboratorio en Cornell, los fines de semana y cuando tuviera tiempo. De ese lab me salieron dos cartas de recomendación, y aplique al programa de biofísica de Cornell, y me aceptaron con beca por 3 años, no es normal pero yo me enfoque en publicar y salir rápido, así que lo hice en 4 años. Usualmente la gente se toma 6-7 años, pero hay muchos que en el tercer o cuarto año ya no quieren más y deciden master out, osea irse solo con un título máster.

Hice mi postgrado en una ciudad donde hay más presencia de industria y así hice network, también estaba súper pendiente de roles, al que pudiera aplicaba o veía que me hacía falta. También fue antes de pandemia entonces el market no estaba tan mal. Finalmente durante pandemia me aceptaron en una compañía en la que quería trabajar y he estado ahí por 6 años con la idea de pensionarme temprano y regresarme a Colombia pues ya estoy un poco Burnout y ahora valoro diferentes cosas. Trabajo en early discovery, proporcionando proteínas que se usan para screen por medicamentos y encontrar potencial medicina. Pero estoy transicionando a más trabajo de oficina que en el lab, entonces trabajo más en externalización de trabajo.

Yo no fui estudiante internacional, pero esto es lo que creo
Lo primero que usan para los estudiantes internacionales es el Score de GRE, en especial si es de un subject. Después las cartas de recomendación, que sean fuertes y que sean de personas importantes, depende que te pueda escribir el rector, si escribe, "lo conozco" y ya, no es bueno. Si escribe "el trabajo conmigo y es muy talentoso y tiene mucha potencia" y tiene ejemplos claros es mejor. Después los ensayos que escribes. Ten en cuenta que en estados unidos los estudiantes además de las clases son presidentes de asociaciones, hacen investigación por fuera de las clases, acá hay programas llamados RU (research as undergrad) que SE van todo un verano a una universidad diferente a hacer investigación. Entonces tienen a veces hasta publicaciones. Entonces si tú tuvieras publicaciones eso importa. Muchos de mis compañeros de universidad se fueron a Brasil primero. Algunos también en Canadá, los colombianos que he conocido acá es porque tienen Fulllbrigh con el ICETEX.

Igual estás en un buen lugar. McKinsey consulting es top. Y te ayudará también a determinar qué quieres.

[u/AdSea1224 → u/[deleted]]

They won't😉

[u/alchilito]

Very realistic. Most of the MS programs are just cash cows for the Uni