Hi!

Im currently a rising senior at Brown University looking to apply to graduate schools either this year or next year. My ultimate goal is to get a job in the biotech or pharmaceutical industry doing something along the lines of research and development. I do enjoy working at the lab bench but I think having a career that offers a bit more flexibility in terms of the jobs I would be doing would be much more fulfilling. Alongside my research I would love to get involved in marketing strategies and developing/overseeing clinical trials to test novel drugs.

Up until now, I was pretty much set on getting a PhD thinking it would help me land a position in industry that would allow me to take a leadership role within the company. However, Ive been hearing mixed reviews from the postdocs and graduate students in my lab as well as graduate school forums online. Ive heard many people say that getting a PhD makes them overqualified in the eyes of many hiring companies and often limits their career opportunities. Other people say that people with a masters will never reach top positions within a company, will always have to answer to a scientists with a PhD, and wont be offered the chance to lead their own research projects.

Knowing that I am not interested in going into academic, would it be better to get a one-year masters in research and then apply for a job in industry rather than spend 5-7 years of my life working towards a degree that might not be worth it in the end for me? I also want to go into industry straight away without getting a post doc after my PhD.

Thanks!