Once I had made the fateful decision that I would not pursue a long-term career as a bench scientist, the next obstacle to overcome was naturally figuring out what to do with my time and talents.

Back then I wasn’t fully aware of all the non-research options available, so I just started thinking about the aspects of graduate research that I enjoyed the most and see if that could lead me down a path. Fortune did favor me since I was in the process of putting together the first chapter of my dissertation (the literature review and overview of my goals) and it dawned on me fairly quickly that what I was doing now was what I would like to do in the future; writing about the science, as opposed to conducting the actual experiments.

I enjoyed the art of going over the historical and recent research to tell a coherent story about my work and why it was important. When I thought back to previous events, I recalled I had similar positive feelings when I prepared the written portion of my qualifying exam, not to mention putting my student seminar together every year. Unlike many other students who viewed the seminars as a pedestrian affair, organizing my slides, deciding how much background to give, what points to emphasize, and even how to best visually present my data were all aspects of what I saw as a very creative process.

I then remembered that I had in fact visited the university career center a couple of years back to discuss my life as a graduate student and take one of those self-analysis tests. This had occurred shortly after I had passed my qualifying exam, during one of my moments of doubt and frustration, when I wondered whether taking a master’s degree and running would be a wise course. Right after I had finished, I had thought the tests hadn’t been too helpful and brushed them aside. Now, though, I went back to my files and found that yes, that self-analysis had pointed out writing as a career that suited me. That proved to be the final kicker.

Once the "what" had been uncovered, the where and how were next on the agenda. A little bit of legwork and the power of the internet soon uncovered several of the options available: the AAAS mass media fellowship and other intern opportunities at media outlets, graduate programs in communications or journalism, or just a few self-help books and trying to get your material published on your own. Coming from a background that featured no organized writing knowledge since my early undergraduate days, I figured going back to school would be the best choice so I could learn some of the principles of sound non-technical writing (and hey, what’s another year or two of schooling for a PhD student?).

During my subsequent web searches, I managed to literally stumble onto the option of a master’s degree specifically in science writing –I had no idea such specialized programs existed. The combination seemed perfect; a one year program that would enable me to develop my crude writing skills while interacting with other budding writers who shared a similar interest in science, all in the familiar confines of an academic setting. That I had an opportunity to go back to Johns Hopkins where I had completed my undergraduate studies was only an added bonus.

Being an independent sort, it may not be surprising that I did most of the research on my own using my personal resources. It ended up working out extremely well, but I do believe that the external resources available can be quite helpful when making this decision. The self-analysis tests offered by the career center ended up being quite accurate, and should be considered by those exploring their options. And though I didn’t use them, other career center services like resume or application help would also be beneficial.

Recently, I have also had a few current graduate students of my alma mater email me about my decision to change from scientist to science writer and how my writing program went. Hopefully I helped them in their tough decision-making process, and having contributed on this end of it I can say talking to former students who have veered away from research (I’m sure every school has some) would provide some of that "real world" perspective to help one find their path.

Ultimately, however, I do think that a brief inner reflection would certainly help any unsure scientist which of the many paths to take. If you find the teaching aspects of graduate school the most rewarding, then you could pursue a career as a professor at a small, teaching-oriented college or as a lecturer at a larger institution. Perhaps you really enjoy going to seminars or conferences, taking in the varied research and discussing the latest goings-on with other scientists; a career in consulting or public relations field might be up your alley. Or, maybe like me, you enjoy science as a story to tell.