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Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Occupation Detailed Description

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists career

General Job Description and Education/Training Levels for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

The main tasks and work activities of Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists are to direct medical science or healthcare programs, plan biological research, monitor operational procedures in technical environments to ensure conformance to standards, research diseases or parasites. In general, for the Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists, critical Thinking, science, writing, active Listening and other 17 skills are required.
Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Job Description
EducationMost of these occupations require graduate school. For example, they may require a master's degree, and some require a Ph.D., M.D., or J.D. (law degree).
Related ExperienceExtensive skill, knowledge, and experience are needed for these occupations. Many require more than five years of experience. For example, surgeons must complete four years of college and an additional five to seven years of specialized medical training to be able to do their job.
Job TrainingEmployees may need some on-the-job training, but most of these occupations assume that the person will already have the required skills, knowledge, work-related experience, and/or training.
ExampleThese occupations often involve coordinating, training, supervising, or managing the activities of others to accomplish goals. Very advanced communication and organizational skills are required. Examples include pharmacists, lawyers, astronomers, biologists, clergy, neurologists, and veterinarians.
The following chart shows the education/training levels for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists jobs.
Less than a High School Diploma
0.00%
High School Diploma (or the equivalent)
0.00%
Post-Secondary Certificate
0.00%
Some College Courses
0.00%
Associate's Degree (or other 2-year degree)
0.00%
Bachelor's Degree and Above
100.00%

Tasks and Work Activities of Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

  • Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
  • Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
  • Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
  • Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
  • Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
  • Standardize drug dosages, methods of immunization, and procedures for manufacture of drugs and medicinal compounds.
  • Investigate cause, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission of diseases or parasites.
  • Confer with health departments, industry personnel, physicians, and others to develop health safety standards and public health improvement programs.
  • Study animal and human health and physiological processes.
  • Consult with and advise physicians, educators, researchers, and others regarding medical applications of physics, biology, and chemistry.
  • Use equipment such as atomic absorption spectrometers, electron microscopes, flow cytometers, or chromatography systems.
  • Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
  • Write and publish articles in scientific journals.
  • Getting InformationObserving, receiving, and otherwise obtaining information from all relevant sources.
  • Analyzing Data or InformationIdentifying the underlying principles, reasons, or facts of information by breaking down information or data into separate parts.
  • Identifying Objects, Actions, and EventsIdentifying information by categorizing, estimating, recognizing differences or similarities, and detecting changes in circumstances or events.
  • Updating and Using Relevant KnowledgeKeeping up-to-date technically and applying new knowledge to your job.
  • Documenting/Recording InformationEntering, transcribing, recording, storing, or maintaining information in written or electronic/magnetic form.
  • Monitor Processes, Materials, or SurroundingsMonitoring and reviewing information from materials, events, or the environment, to detect or assess problems.
  • Establishing and Maintaining Interpersonal RelationshipsDeveloping constructive and cooperative working relationships with others, and maintaining them over time.
  • Processing InformationCompiling, coding, categorizing, calculating, tabulating, auditing, or verifying information or data.
  • Communicating with Supervisors, Peers, or SubordinatesProviding information to supervisors, co-workers, and subordinates by telephone, in written form, e-mail, or in person.
  • Making Decisions and Solving ProblemsAnalyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
  • Direct medical science or healthcare programs.
  • Plan biological research.
  • Monitor operational procedures in technical environments to ensure conformance to standards.
  • Research diseases or parasites.
  • Instruct college students in physical or life sciences.
  • Analyze biological samples.
  • Establish standards for medical care.
  • Establish standards for products, processes, or procedures.
  • Advise others on healthcare matters.
  • Operate laboratory or field equipment.
  • Prepare scientific or technical reports or presentations.

Skills and Abilities for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

  • Critical ThinkingUsing logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
  • ScienceUsing scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
  • WritingCommunicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
  • Active ListeningGiving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
  • Reading ComprehensionUnderstanding written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
  • Complex Problem SolvingIdentifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
  • SpeakingTalking to others to convey information effectively.
  • Active LearningUnderstanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
  • MonitoringMonitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
  • Systems AnalysisDetermining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
  • Judgment and Decision MakingConsidering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
  • Systems EvaluationIdentifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
  • MathematicsUsing mathematics to solve problems.
  • Social PerceptivenessBeing aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
  • Time ManagementManaging one's own time and the time of others.
  • CoordinationAdjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
  • Management of Personnel ResourcesMotivating, developing, and directing people as they work, identifying the best people for the job.
  • Service OrientationActively looking for ways to help people.
  • InstructingTeaching others how to do something.
  • PersuasionPersuading others to change their minds or behavior.
  • Written ComprehensionThe ability to read and understand information and ideas presented in writing.
  • Oral ComprehensionThe ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
  • Inductive ReasoningThe ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
  • Written ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
  • Oral ExpressionThe ability to communicate information and ideas in speaking so others will understand.
  • Information OrderingThe ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
  • Deductive ReasoningThe ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
  • Problem SensitivityThe ability to tell when something is wrong or is likely to go wrong. It does not involve solving the problem, only recognizing there is a problem.
  • Category FlexibilityThe ability to generate or use different sets of rules for combining or grouping things in different ways.
  • Speech ClarityThe ability to speak clearly so others can understand you.
  • Near VisionThe ability to see details at close range (within a few feet of the observer).
  • Speech RecognitionThe ability to identify and understand the speech of another person.
  • Flexibility of ClosureThe ability to identify or detect a known pattern (a figure, object, word, or sound) that is hidden in other distracting material.
  • Mathematical ReasoningThe ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
  • Selective AttentionThe ability to concentrate on a task over a period of time without being distracted.
  • Fluency of IdeasThe ability to come up with a number of ideas about a topic (the number of ideas is important, not their quality, correctness, or creativity).
  • Perceptual SpeedThe ability to quickly and accurately compare similarities and differences among sets of letters, numbers, objects, pictures, or patterns. The things to be compared may be presented at the same time or one after the other. This ability also includes comparing a presented object with a remembered object.
  • Number FacilityThe ability to add, subtract, multiply, or divide quickly and correctly.
  • OriginalityThe ability to come up with unusual or clever ideas about a given topic or situation, or to develop creative ways to solve a problem.
  • Chromatography tubinge.g. Absorption tubes
  • Atomic absorption AA spectrometerse.g. Atomic absorption AA spectrophotometers
  • Steam autoclaves or sterilizerse.g. Autoclaves
  • Benchtop centrifugese.g. Automated centrifuges
  • Deoxyribonucleic sequence analyzerse.g. Automated deoxyribonucleic acid DNA sequencers
  • Laboratory balancese.g. Balances
  • Beta counterse.g. Beta counters
  • Binocular light compound microscopese.g. Binocular light compound microscopes
  • Laboratory blenders or emulsifierse.g. Blenders
  • Blood gas analyzerse.g. Blood gas machines
  • Calorimeterse.g. Bomb calorimeters
  • Medical ultrasound bone densitometerse.g. Bone ultrasound densitometers
  • Instrumentation for capillary electrophoresise.g. Capillary electrophoresis equipment
  • Dry wall single chamber carbon dioxide incubatorse.g. Carbon dioxide CO2 incubators
  • Ultrasonic disintegratorse.g. Cell disruptors
  • Benchtop centrifugese.g. Centrifuges
  • Chemistry analyzerse.g. Chemistry analyzers
  • Chromatography tubinge.g. Chromatographic tubes
  • Coagulation analyzerse.g. Coagulation machines
  • Spectrophotometerse.g. Cold vapor atomic absorption spectrophotometers
  • BiologyKnowledge of plant and animal organisms, their tissues, cells, functions, interdependencies, and interactions with each other and the environment.
  • English LanguageKnowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
  • Medicine and DentistryKnowledge of the information and techniques needed to diagnose and treat human injuries, diseases, and deformities. This includes symptoms, treatment alternatives, drug properties and interactions, and preventive health-care measures.
  • Administration and ManagementKnowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
  • ChemistryKnowledge of the chemical composition, structure, and properties of substances and of the chemical processes and transformations that they undergo. This includes uses of chemicals and their interactions, danger signs, production techniques, and disposal methods.
  • MathematicsKnowledge of arithmetic, algebra, geometry, calculus, statistics, and their applications.
  • Computers and ElectronicsKnowledge of circuit boards, processors, chips, electronic equipment, and computer hardware and software, including applications and programming.
  • Production and ProcessingKnowledge of raw materials, production processes, quality control, costs, and other techniques for maximizing the effective manufacture and distribution of goods.