I have a First Class Degree in Physics, what do I do next?

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dont knw

Actually no one has suggested this, but what about training to become a Medical Physicist?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_physics
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=243

Reply 42

ollyp100

Original post by im so academic

Actually no one has suggested this, but what about training to become a Medical Physicist?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medical_physics
http://www.nhscareers.nhs.uk/details/Default.aspx?Id=243

Just today I spoke to a guy that did Physics at undergrad level and now works in medical physics (with a masters en route). He said he's having an absolute blast and would highly reccommend it to anyone.

Reply 43

manthew

Original post by Mithra

I think they probably make exceptions for those they hand-pick. Also he worked there like 40 years ago, rules could have changed since then :p:

.

http://www.spacex.com/careers.php

To conform to U.S. Government space technology export regulations, SpaceX hires only U.S. citizens and U.S. Permanent Residents.

SpaceX is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

WHAT?!! :confused:

Reply 44

M.S

Hey! Would anyone advise me on any internship opportunities.

I'm a second year Medical Physicist at one of the most hippest London Universities.

I'm not too interested in a finance related internship, any medical physics related opportunities wud be more than welcome!

Please help with your suggestions (useful as they always are!)

Cheers!

Reply 45

Jake22

Original post by sbarron

*with a first you should easily get a PhD which usually leads to a postdoc and eventually lecturing...

Easily is very optimistic in the current economic climate (if you need funding that is). Also, I think you are overestimating how easy it is to then get a postdoc and then a lectureship. There are many PhDs who can't get a postdoc and many postdocs who can't get a lectureship.

Reply 46

Dude Where's My Username

I would of thought anything in the Defence industry, namely DSTL, BAE Systems, Babcock (mainly a mechincal engineering firm but they would welcome physicists too), Ministry of Defence e.t.c would be falling over themselves to hire someone like you

Reply 47

7589200

first thing you should do is stick it up on the wall!
Congratulations!

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 48

snufkin_

Speak to some local research buisness's and see if they will fund a postgrad.
If you have a first from a "good" university you can quite often progress to do a PHD without having a masters first, so I would do that. Gives you another 3 years of academic work which your evidently good at since you have a first, you can quite often get it fully funded so you don't have to worry about money, and It's a good thing to have on paper. You can spend those 3 years deciding what really interests you and what path you should chose to go in. Also if you have a phd you can become a university lecturer.

Reply 49

Helsy

First of all, to go onto the PhD route and stuff, you need to have a Masters. So that would be worth researching, and that will take probs 1-2 years. Or you could consider PGCE course, but only do that if you think you do want to go into teaching. One advantage of doing that it that you have a job and time to think more about what more you might want to do. You could consider doing something from the Open University.

If you do a MSc and then a PhD, then there will be tons for you to do. You can aim at the space sector, ESA and the UK Space sector which is slowly taking shape. Or if you are willing to change your citizenship to American, you can work for NASA. (But apply for a job first :tongue:

) Become a researcher at a Uni. Or apply to most jobs you see dotted in the big newspaper, with a physics degree (especially a 1:1) you should be attractive to most places. :smile:

God, I hope I'm not in your shoes in 4-5 years time. :s-smilie:

Reply 50

Jake22

Original post by sbarron

Well i did a masters with 4 other people and all of them easily got PhDs... 'easily' because they all got offered more than 1 PhD each. i was also offered a PhD staying at my uni but this is not what i wanted to do and my boyfriend who has a 2:1 BSc in physics also got a PhD offer which he accepted. so i stick with my previous statement that you could easily do a PhD.

And the research council has reduced its funding massively but industries are still funding PhDs.

Searching on findaphd.com it gave me 308 phds when i searched physics phds!

And if you do a good PhD, get publications etc. you should be able get a postdoc- i guess it depends what you consider easy- i mean work hard at your phd, networking and application and you'd get a postdoc.
you'll probably have to do a fair few postdocs of them before you work your way upto lecturing.

OK. I was guessing Physics (particularly theoretical physics) would be like my subject (maths) where a low first isn't good enough to get a funded phd place - let alone a 2:1. I know someone who published as an undergrad yet still didn't get a funded place in the first year he applied.

Reply 51

M_E_X

Original post by Jake22

Probably depends a lot at which institution you're from. At St Andrews they told us that anybody who gets a first in the MPhys is guaranteed a PhD place at a UK uni, and with a 2:i it's about 50/50. Most 'lower' ranked unis would love to snap people up from the top few unis for their PhD programs, but it's not true the other way around.

On topic: OP I am graduating in 2012 with (hopefully!) a first in physics, I'm hoping to go in to finance. Have you done any work experience? What did you do it in and did you enjoy it? That should give you some ideas.

Reply 52

Jake22

Original post by M_E_X

Wow. Physicists are truly in a priviledged position! The situation is a lot tougher in most other disciplines.

Reply 53

M_E_X

Original post by Jake22

Wow. Physicists are truly in a priviledged position! The situation is a lot tougher in most other disciplines.

It's possible that physics is more research-friendly than maths? I mean I would imagine anybody with a good degree in physics can be stuck on some apparatus and told to take some readings etc (hence being useful to their supervisor), whereas in maths it seems a lot more difficult to make yourself useful, so they only want the truly 'top' students? (ie people with a high first)

Reply 54

py0alb

PhD? Fun, but you do have to enjoy the subject otherwise you will go insane
Graduate Training Program? Lots of different physics options around
Financial Sector? If you want to earn lots of money but work 70 hour weeks

Reply 55

clarissa:)

How hard is it to get a 1st in physics? What % of the year do so? Is the % noticeably different from other subjects?

Reply 56

cttp_ngaf

Original post by hoffman11

I have never known what to do with my life.

Can one ever really "do something with" their life? To me that always sounds like afterwards you can step back and see what you've "done" and then conclude something from it or continue and build on that. Like "doing something with" a piece of clay. But actually you just live and then, presumably, die.

Original post by hoffman11

I am 24 and have a 1:1 BSc in Physics, but am stumped as to which direction to take. I chose the subject due to interest but also due to lack of direction, as I was aware the Degree can be valued in varible situations. I am not largely motivated by money.

That's me except I'm soft and did biochemistry.

I am more than competent socially, but am a geek at heart, and since finishing Uni I have regressed to working part time and spending the remainder practising advanced mathematics. I do have a keen interest in sound physics, but most jobs in that sector tend to be allocated on a 'who you know' rather than a 'what you know basis'.

And in every other sector, brah. Getting anything is always about who you know and who you blow.

Not quite sure what to expect in terms of a reply to this ambigous question, but it feels better just writing it down.

:smile:

You have several options:

> Teaching - pretty much anyone will be accepted onto a PGCE for science. You know where that leads, not sure if you want to teach. PGCEs are pretty tough as well, you know.

> Postgrad - quite unlikely you'd find a place, and more importantly a FUNDED place. And then what, anyway? Higher degrees just decrease employability, seriously.

> Some soul-destroying "graduate training course". Again you'll be lucky to get anything these days and most are horrible things.

> Give up the idea that you have to work, or work much at all, and just live cheaply and simply for the rest of your days.

> If you have some savings, or can sell your stuff to raise cash, you could move abroad and bum around/"travel", TEFL for a while when you need more money, and just wait for the horrors of ageing to really catch up to you.

> I assume you have no special physical talents? Anyone who has a background in gymnastic-type activities or object-manipulation (juggling etc) can perform for money, either in local circuses or busking, personal shows, tuition etc. I know people who do this. Same with music - people can busk for a living.

> Spend some money (£1000s) to retrain in a trade. The sort of thing early school-leavers do, you know. They have jobs, at least - going to university guarantees unemployment, leaving school at 16 guarantees a job and then if you're clever you move up fast.

Here are some more thoughts: http://www.thestudentroom.co.uk/showthread.php?t=1494711

Reply 57

M_E_X

Original post by clarissa:)

How hard is it to get a 1st in physics? What % of the year do so? Is the % noticeably different from other subjects?

Varies a lot from uni to uni, I'd imagine. Here at St Andrews it's around 15%, but then consider that almost everybody here has AAA or better, so that's like 85% of people with AAA not getting a first...it's tough.

Reply 58

pooo

Original post by hoffman11

Someone's probably said this already but: Go into research? We need great minds like you and if its something you have a keen interest in then all the better!

Wish you all the best mate! Good luck!