I want to be a neuroscientist — help wanted

How does one become a neuroscientist?

I just read a news blip amount a neuroscientist who developed mental illnesses because she had 20 tumors in her brain.

She boldly states that mental illnesses are brain ‘diseases.’ It’s these diseases that we should treat like any other disease if we’re to accept the likelihood of the brain disease model.

I’m sure that I could get fast-tracked because I was a professional student and I have thousands upon thousands of esoteric semester hours that would satisfy the criteria for another PhD program.

Maybe in the next decade, or within the next century, ‘brain diseases’ can be repaired by surgical means.

So, I guess I’ll start a gofundme to startup this neuroscientist program.

Oh, I need to see which university to attend first? Quite Right.

How do you remember all of those big words in those medical text books? Those exams must be nightmares. I couldn't imagine cramming all night for one of those. You're smart, you can do it. What kind of entrance exam would you have to take?

Just look it up on the internet. I would think you would have to go to medical school and then choose research as your medical specialty. At any rate it a ton of school.

All i ever see is This week in church signs!

Have a bachelors, take the gre and apply to graduate programs....

Well, I’ve one PhD and my JD so I completed the GRE and LSAT many years ago. I’m fuzzy on the need for an MD.

I’m going to check locally. In just one moment.

None. I just checked my local university and I might be able to squeeze into the courses for a PhD in neuroscience this fall.

The ‘big words?’ I love words, big or small.

The first year PhD program includes lectures and lab work. I can do that!

Go for it!!

I believe the gre goes bad after 5 years and you have to retake it......

Md would be if you wanted to be a neurologist but you can do science with a PhD.

I'm in a biology PhD program... I focus on cell bio, but a lot of my peers do neuroscience, so I can answer questions if you have them

There's no need for an MD if you want to go into research. If you want to run your own lab someday you'll need a PhD (5+ years) and several years as a postdoc. Some people do MD-PhDs, a special program that gives both degrees, if they really want to focus on medical research, but that's not necessary.

To get into a PhD program you need a BS in a related field, some kind of research experience usually (required to get into the better programs, but not required for all programs... some people spend time as a lab tech or do a masters to get this experience if they weren't involved in research in undergrad), and reference letters. Oh and probably retake the GRE. I didn't take the subject GRE, just the general one, though a good score on the subject GRE could help if other areas of your application aren't as strong.

The good news is most PhD programs in STEM fields fund you. The program pays for your tuition and gives you a stipend. It varies a lot by program, and mine is one of the better funded ones, but for example I get all my tuition paid, really good health insurance paid for, and an additional stipend of $33k to spend on rent, food, etc (though I'm in an area with a high cost of living... this is a lot lower in areas with a lower cost of living, and lower at less well funded universities... I would say the average is maybe around $20-25k)

The lab work in a PhD program isn't lab work like a class, it's research work. Usually you "rotate" in the first year, which is like speed dating with different labs, and at the end of the year you pick which lab you want to be in for your PhD (the PI/prof who runs the lab also has to agree to take you). It's not really like a BS where you can take the courses ahead of time without being in the program, you have to get accepted to the program to do the course work.