Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
Health ScienceO*NET 19-1042.00United States
Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities.
- Median annual earnings
- $103,415
- Projected change
- +12%
- Typical education
- Doctoral degree or more
- Employment
- 186.85K jobs
50th percentile, United States
2025 to 2035
60.6% of the workforce
Growing to 209.31K by 2035
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ASU learning related to this career
These courses and certificates are connected through catalog career relationships and Lightcast skill tags.
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The work
What medical scientists, except epidemiologists do
Tasks reported for this occupation, ordered by how often they come up in the role.
- 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.
- Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
- Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
- Write applications for research grants.
- Write and publish articles in scientific journals.
Pay and outlook
What the job pays and where it is heading
Annual earnings range
Reported earnings by percentile, United States
- 10th percentile
- $64,477
- 25th percentile
- $79,645
- 50th percentile
- $103,415
- 75th percentile
- $140,608
- 90th percentile
- $179,418
The gold marker shows the median. Half earn more than $103,415 and half earn less.
Employment outlook
2025 to 2035 projection
+12%faster than average
2025186,848 jobs
2035 projected209,308 jobs
22,460 more positions over the decade, before replacement hiring.
Preparation
Education levels
What people currently working in the career hold. These are not entry requirements.
- Doctoral degree or more
- 60.6%
- Master's or Professional degree
- 31.4%
- Bachelor's degree
- 8%
Skills
Skills employers ask for
Technical skills appearing most often in job postings for this occupation.
How the work gets done
Core competencies
Broad capabilities associated with strong performance in this occupation.
- Writing
- Communicating effectively in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
- Active Learning
- Understanding the implications of new information for both current and future problem-solving and decision-making.
- Science
- Using scientific rules and methods to solve problems.
- Speaking
- Talking to others to convey information effectively.
- Reading Comprehension
- Understanding written sentences and paragraphs in work-related documents.
- Critical Thinking
- Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions, or approaches to problems.
- Judgment and Decision Making
- Considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions to choose the most appropriate one.
- Active Listening
- Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
- Complex Problem Solving
- Identifying complex problems and reviewing related information to develop and evaluate options and implement solutions.
- Systems Analysis
- Determining how a system should work and how changes in conditions, operations, and the environment will affect outcomes.
- Mathematics
- Using mathematics to solve problems.
- Monitoring
- Monitoring/Assessing performance of yourself, other individuals, or organizations to make improvements or take corrective action.
- Learning Strategies
- Selecting and using training/instructional methods and procedures appropriate for the situation when learning or teaching new things.
- Systems Evaluation
- Identifying measures or indicators of system performance and the actions needed to improve or correct performance, relative to the goals of the system.
- Instructing
- Teaching others how to do something.
- Time Management
- Managing one's own time and the time of others.
- Service Orientation
- Actively looking for ways to help people.
- Social Perceptiveness
- Being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.
- Coordination
- Adjusting actions in relation to others' actions.
- Operations Analysis
- Analyzing needs and product requirements to create a design.
In the market
Job titles and employers
Recent job postings in United StatesCommon job titles
- 01Medical Laboratory Scientists8,270 postings
- 02Medical Science Liaisons3,975 postings
- 03Research Scientists931 postings
- 04Applied Scientists676 postings
- 05Scientists649 postings
- 06Immunology Medical Science Liaisons587 postings
- 07Postdoctoral Fellows496 postings
- 08Principal Scientists448 postings
- 09Oncology Medical Science Liaisons425 postings
- 10Laboratory Scientists305 postings
- 11Medical Science Liaison Managers272 postings
- 12Toxicologists231 postings
- 13Directors of Toxicology222 postings
- 14Research Specialists214 postings
- 15Medical Laboratory Technicians/Medical Laboratory Scientists199 postings
- 16Infectious Disease Physicians181 postings
- 17Clinical Scientists179 postings
- 18Clinical Laboratory Scientists177 postings
- 19Postdoctoral Scientists173 postings
- 20Clinical Research Associates171 postings
Top employers
- 01K&A Recruiting864 postings
- 02Amazon769 postings
- 03Otsuka America734 postings
- 04Quest Diagnostics677 postings
- 05Bausch Health543 postings
- 06Merck & Co.425 postings
- 07Cedars-Sinai342 postings
- 08AbbVie321 postings
- 09Parexel308 postings
- 10Bristol-Myers Squibb304 postings
- 11Amgen284 postings
- 12Bayer261 postings
- 13AdventHealth260 postings
- 14GlaxoSmithKline245 postings
- 15AstraZeneca228 postings
- 16Sanofi211 postings
- 17Johnson & Johnson183 postings
- 18Mercyhealth179 postings
- 19Cardinal Health153 postings
- 20Baylor Scott & White Health148 postings
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