Career Outcomes
Your Success Story is Waiting. Students who pursue a biochemistry and chemical biology degree enjoy a wide variety of career options. Graduates pursue employment in the fields of research, health care, education, law, government, industry, and more. Many times, a student’s undergraduate research experience serves as a springboard into an engaging and fulfilling career path.
Alumni Stories
Minna Apostolova
Ph.D. Student, Biomedical Sciences Program, UCSF
My undergraduate experience at Vanderbilt emboldened me to pursue a career in science and equipped me with the tools necessary to pursue a Ph.D. directly out of college. More specifically, the interdisciplinary nature of the BCB program allowed me to customize my education to grow my knowledge in areas which interested me, including cell biology, genetics, chemical biology, pharmacology, and biochemistry. That breadth and depth of learning paired with my involvement in the SyBBURE-Searle Undergraduate research program, where I was lucky to learn from my peers from a variety of disciplines, has equipped me to now think critically and deeply about my graduate research in translational cancer immunology. I will forever be grateful to those in the BCB program for their support and commitment to student engagement and mentorship.
Kevin Liu
M.D./Ph.D. Student at UAB School of Medicine
I am very thankful for the opportunities, experiences, and education I received through my biochemistry major at Vanderbilt. Both the information I learned and the way in which I have been taught to think and question have prepared me well for my current endeavors—both in my medical school classes and in my current research projects. I always felt supported by my advisors and professors in the department and have met some of my closest friends from the program as well. While we have since gone our separate ways, we still check in with each other regularly and I am always excited to hear what they have been up to.
Alex Pedowitz
M.D./MPH Candidate at The University of Miami Miller School of Medicine
I loved being a BCB major at Vanderbilt for the opportunity to pursue a wide variety of classes and refine my laboratory, writing, and coding skill sets. My favorite project was a deep dive into the biochemical feasibility of Stitch’s superpowers! I had a lot of questions about clinical applications to the topics we were discussing in lecture, and my professors were always willing and eager to brainstorm with me and to get to know me as a person. As I am preparing to become a public-health focused physician, I am grateful for the strong, wide foundation that Vanderbilt BCB (and STEM in general) provided. Thank you so much to my professors and all the faculty that supported me in pursuing my dreams!
Kenny Ta
M.D. Student at University of Minnesota Medical School
Studying BCB at Vanderbilt was one of the best choices I made during my undergraduate experience. The department is full of wonderful professors, mentors, and community. Anytime I needed support, advice, or wanted to delve deep into the weeds of pharmacology, biochemistry, or organic chemistry, there was always an expert there. From my research projects to my own personal and academic aspirations, I always felt I had a strong foundation of people to rely on and challenge me. If you are thinking of a career in STEM (Ph.D., M.D., D.D.S, etc.), I’d highly recommend BCB for the cross-section of biology, chemistry, and the wonderful people you’ll meet along the way.