Prospects in Biotechnology, Biochemsitry and dentistry

[sathyasri]

I have interest in biology.I m a stpm leaver.I got a average results.I am not sure i can get place in local universities with my interest of couses.I am planning to study degree course.I m interested of doing Biotechnology,biochemistry or dentistry.All these related to biology.Medicine takes very long time to established as i know.I think goverment of Malaysia have put interest in biotechnology and planning to invest in.That is the main reason i am planning to do either biotechnology or biochemistry but i cannot seek advice from many biotechnologist or biochemist.I want to jknow the prospects.My father advised to choose a route where i can do my own business by doing professional course.I scared that even i study abroad for biotechnolgy(twinning programmes) i would not get a good job in malaysia.It still infancy in malaysia.The policy n plan have just been issued.So i would like to get advice from all of you...what course will suit me..and at the same time can expect competitive salary.Medicine student have to serve atleast three years in public hospitals in malaysia .Then we need to spend atleast 8 years to become a speacialist.So when actually we will start counting money..I want some guidance here..

Moderator Note: Thread title slightly modified to better reflect the content.

[hunliang]

this topic has been on recom several times. u can search up for the forums and hav a good read about the prospects of bioindustry in malaysia.

few main points - biotechnology in malaysia, from what i see, is losing out to other countries, the bionexus/biovalley project is not going very well, and i doubt it will be in near future. if u want a job nearby, try s'pore or australia. of course the best place for biotech is US and UK.

the only part of biotechnology that i think will develop in malaysia is agriculture.

most jobs in biotech now are research positions. a degree won't take you very far in research. for a decent job, usually you need ur phd. so if u see it that way, it takes as long or even longer to establish a career in biotech if u compare it to medicine. in australia, it is 3 years degree, 1 year honours and maybe 2-4 years phd.

business in the biotech field is of course possible, many ppl r doing it. i've thought about it b4 as well, however i got other plans now. usually they finish their degree, work for a few years and get their MBA.

for the medicine part, i think ur better off toking to a doctor or to-be doctors. they shd know best.

hope that helps. :)

[sathyasri]

Thanks for ur advice.i have seen previous posts.I think i got some ideas now..as U said we need atleast Phd to work in research level.Anyway wat ru doin.. currently i m planning to do pharmacy or dentistry.I like medicine but many have scared me that there r so many doctors r coming out annualy.Some more there will be clinical pharmacy in future in malaysia.i didnt find nething bout dentistry here n i m dunno tat job is secured juz after graduation in government hospitals..do u think a dentist can earn a lot..?thanks..

[hunliang]

i just finish my biomed degree, will start my MPharm course later this year.

i can give u some insight in how much a pharmacist earn, since i can see that money is your main concern.

pharmacy is not the right choice unless u plan to migrate and not stay in malaysia. i know a few very successful pharmacist in malaysia, they r never community pharmacist, usually industrial pharmacists. but their pay is still like 10k a month after 20+ years of work.

the problem about pharmacy in malaysia is that doctors have the dispensing right in malaysia. thats why they don't earn big money. imagine a starting pay of around rm2000... who could earn that money when pharmacists in australia earns 70k a year in metro areas and >100k in the bush. and i heard that they get a fat pay as well in US and UK.

in aus, fresh graduates from pharmacy earn like 20-30k annually, but once they get their license, the pay will more than double. however, there isn't much chance of increasing the pay later unless u start owning your own pharmacy or businesses.

for dentistry, u should know roughly how much they earn by how much your being charged everytime u go to the dentist. they earn quite a bit, especially those in australia. dunno about uk and us.
however, to me, dentist is one of the worse jobs out there, i can't remember where i read this but they hav one of the highest suicide rate among all occupation. thats why they deserve wat they r paid.

[gal_flower]

Btw, just to let you know, biochemistry has more to do with chemistry than with biology...it's the chemistry of the living systems...

[sathyasri]

thank u so much for all your efforts to answer my doubts.As u said doctors in malaysia have the dispensing right..its so nice to hear that pharmacist earn really some gud money in aus..Is tat possible to do masters of pharmacy after finishing biomedical degree as what ur doing now.Mpharmacy means master rite..?i m not sure....I think if want to become a pharmacist should migrate to aus or us..Pharmacy more to chemistry as i know..Do u know bout the difficulty of doing pharmacy from ur own opinion,...?>Neway biomedical is another course which I think every hospital needs their skills..Wat they do bout? dentist are charging quiet well nowadays..i thought medicine is suicide one where have to study a lot..maybe i m wrong...How u pursue ur degree course..U study in malaysia before rite?..i think i will choose between pharmacy n dentistry very soon.THere r no many dentistry courses offered in malaysia..but there is pharmacy course in notthingam......i m still lacking knowledge in interesting features n challeges in each course...thanks..