Salary and Outlook

According to the US Department of Labor, there are 133,900 people employed as medical scientists, except epidemiologists in the United States. The median annual salary is $91,500. Entry level employees earn approximately $50,240 per year and senior employees earn approximately $164,650 per year.

Estimates do not include other potential benefits such as health insurance, overtime pay, or retirement benefits that may be offered by employers.

Job Duties

• Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
• Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
• Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
• Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
• Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
• Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
• Write and publish articles in scientific journals.
• Write applications for research grants.
• Standardize drug dosages, methods of immunization, and procedures for manufacture of drugs and medicinal compounds.
• Study animal and human health and physiological processes.
• Investigate cause, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission of diseases or parasites.
• Use equipment such as atomic absorption spectrometers, electron microscopes, flow cytometers, or chromatography systems.
• Confer with health departments, industry personnel, physicians, and others to develop health safety standards and public health improvement programs.
• Consult with and advise physicians, educators, researchers, and others regarding medical applications of physics, biology, and chemistry.

Career List