How To Become A Chemist! (Becoming a Chemist in the US or Canada)

There are multiple paths to becoming a chemist.  Chemistry is easy, despite what people tell you!  Chemistry is often associated with negative connotations, but in reality everything is chemistry.  From the water you drink, to the air you breath, chemistry surrounds us and is part of everything that we do!

I can only really discuss how to become a chemist based on my own decisions, or at least the ones that I should have made! There are multiple paths to becoming a chemist, and the reality lies in exactly what type of chemist you want to be!  Hopefully by the time you are done reading this article you will have a better idea of what type of chemistry is for you.

In order to become a chemist you need a bachelor's degree (B.Sc.) in chemistry from an accredited body.  In Canada and the US, most universities offer a chemistry program.  This will require a high school diploma, or a GED.  I suggest this route because universities tend to have more funding, and more funding means a better chemistry program.  Although a degree from a very reputable university (UofC Berkeley, Stanford, Harvard, etc.) will help with getting hired, most employers care more about your skill as a researcher than where you were trained.

A bachelor's degree (B.Sc.) will require a lot of work, but can be fun.  There are usually three, four, and four with honors programs.  I should mention that three and four year programs are usually terminal, and in these cases you should concentrate more on the marks that you get, rather than how fast you do the degree.  I personally did the four years with honors program, but it took me five years instead.  The year length is a suggested length, but universities understand if you need to reduce your course load in order to support yourself.  The four year with honors program is usually reserved for those wishing to continue on to either a master's degree (M.Sc.) or a doctorate (Ph.D.).

Whichever degree you choose, chemistry can be very interesting, and not nearly as hard as it is made out to be.  If you attend as many classes as you can (hopefully all of them), do your assignments, and review as much as possible, it can prove to be quite easy, because unlike social science, there are usually right and wrong answers (this is a good thing).  The key is to study often, but work little.  For instance, although assignments may not be marked worth much, they give breathing room and make sure that you study material before a test that is actually worth something.

In order to do well on assignments or quizzes it is necessary to fully understand the subject matter.  It doesn't really matter if you like videos, flash cards, re-writing, whatever, the real key is to do it often, during your down time.  This way when a quiz comes, you don't have to cram like crazy.  This is easier said than done, and I am as guilty as anyone, but I've learned that in order to succeed at chemistry, you need to have "a ha!" moments.  For me, chemistry makes no sense... until it does.  Studying right near the test you risk never having these moments, but if you work at it slowly, you'll find that you understand things much better when test studying time comes.

If you choose to do an M.Sc. you are opening yourself to more opportunity.  While a B.Sc. is hireable, an M.Sc. degree will afford you a higher wage, as well as more research freedom and responsibility.  B.Sc. degrees will usually gain you employment as a technician, working on usually repetitive tasks.  M.Sc. degrees may gain you some freedom to conduct research how you see fit, as an M.Sc. degree means that you have a history of independent research.

The qualifications of an M.Sc. degree change from university to university, but a basic university will allow you to enter with a 75% average in your last two years of study.  There may also be a possibility of entering with a lower average but on academic probation.  M.Sc. degrees pair you with a research group and allow you to conduct research on a particular project, therefore learning skills.  Graduate classes are usually required, as well as time spent teaching undergraduate laboratory classes.  If you are able to obtain a scholarship it is wise to apply, as this looks great on your resume.  M.Sc. degrees usually take ~2 years, and require a written thesis about your research.

In some programs, you are able to transfer directly from the M.Sc. degree program into the Ph.D program.  This route allows you to obtain a Ph.D. in less time, but requires more graduate classes and laboratory teaching time.  These programs usually take four years total, and you must pass a difficult test in order to qualify for the program.

The Ph.D. program usually takes four years if you don't transfer.  Ph.D. programs emphasize strong independent research, and are the highest degree one can obtain in chemistry.  There will also be a thesis at the end.  If you have a Ph.D., you are employable almost anywhere, and are guaranteed a higher wage than a B.Sc.!

There are basically three types of fields that a chemist works in; industry, government, or academia.  Although there are many examples where these three work together, most chemists obtain employment from a single entity.  These are the basic breakdowns:

Industry - Industry usually pays the most of the three fields.  This can be good, but you may have moral problems with the companies hiring.  You will also loose independence, so if you have any ideas of carrying out your own research, this is most likely not the field for you.

Academia - This is the academic research field, usually requiring becoming a professor or something of that nature.  While it pays well, it usually doesn't pay as much as the other two.  In exchange, you receive complete freedom to research what you want.  Keep in mind that you will also be constantly applying for funding, and dealing with teaching and your graduate students, so there is not much time for your own research.

Government - This is the middle of the road option.  Government jobs allow a little more flexibility than industry in what you want to research, but it isn't as much as academia.  That being said, you will find that you have more time to actually DO the research in the government field.

Good luck with your program, and let me know if I've left something out or if you'd like more information on something!