I’m heavily interested in biological stuff - so much so that my username is a pun of my name + the word polymerase, as in DNA polymerase. I just love it, particularly microbiology, genetics, and evolution. But I definitely definitely definitely do not want to go to medical school or enter the medical field at all. “Saving lives” doesn’t really appeal to me and I find human anatomy/medicine very boring. I figured I’d have a hard time with a degree in something biology-related but no medical degree to go with it. I hear there are way too many bio majors struggling with their dreams of “going into research” and that the money’s not great for it.
I was browsing my way around Quora when a question about computational biology popped up, and it was intriguing to say the least. I’ve literally never heard of computational biology or biostatistics but a quick bit of research has revealed that it is focused on genetics/genome research and also seems to involve a computer science background? It’s worth noting that I’m currently taking AP Computer Science and finding it very interesting and rewarding/enjoyable, though maybe not as enjoyable as my AP Biology class was.
Anyway, can someone shed some insight on career prospects for this field? I know nothing about it and compared to the information available for aspiring doctors, there doesn’t seem to be a whole lot of advice/comprehensive info out there. Is the job outlook decent? Can I make decent money? What exactly does someone do in this field and what kind of person thrives/excels in it?
Thanks!!!