Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists: Job Description
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.
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What Do Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Take On?
The day-to-day responsibilities of medical scientists, except epidemiologists include:
- 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.
- Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
- Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.
- Write and publish articles in scientific journals.
- Write applications for research grants.
Key Skills and Knowledge
Top medical scientists, except epidemiologists combine a mix of skills and domain knowledge.
Top Skills
The abilities most central to this role, rated on an importance scale of 0 to 5:
Knowledge Areas
Other Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Job Titles
Common job titles for this role include:
- Anatomist
- Cancer Researcher
- Chemotherapist
- Clinical Analyst
- Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist)
- Clinical Pharmacologist
- Clinical Research Analyst
- Clinical Research Scientist
Employment and Demand
The U.S. employs around 115,486 medical scientists, except epidemiologists working in the United States today. Employment is projected to grow by +8.9% over the projection horizon.
Salary for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
| Statistic | Value |
|---|---|
| Annual median | $111,314 |
| Hourly median | $53.52 |
| 10th percentile | $68,983 |
| 25th percentile | $90,148 |
| 75th percentile | $132,479 |
| 90th percentile | $153,644 |
Pay can vary substantially based on experience, location, and industry.
Pay by State
| State | Annual median salary |
|---|---|
| California | $131,430 |
| Massachusetts | $129,230 |
| Connecticut | $128,140 |
| New Jersey | $127,210 |
| District of Columbia | $110,830 |
| Maine | $107,950 |
| Rhode Island | $104,330 |
| North Carolina | $104,300 |
| Maryland | $103,500 |
| Arizona | $102,250 |
| Washington | $101,140 |
| Alaska | $100,960 |
| Nevada | $100,580 |
| Oregon | $99,540 |
| Pennsylvania | $99,440 |
| Florida | $98,240 |
| Delaware | $97,640 |
| Missouri | $96,880 |
| Kansas | $96,150 |
| Tennessee | $95,580 |
| Virginia | $95,080 |
| Georgia | $94,320 |
| New Hampshire | $92,490 |
| South Carolina | $87,870 |
| Iowa | $85,010 |
| New York | $84,950 |
| West Virginia | $84,350 |
| Minnesota | $83,450 |
| Michigan | $81,300 |
| Wisconsin | $80,940 |
| Ohio | $79,470 |
| Oklahoma | $79,370 |
| Utah | $78,570 |
| Illinois | $78,430 |
| Texas | $78,410 |
| Indiana | $77,220 |
| South Dakota | $77,070 |
| Colorado | $76,770 |
| Nebraska | $76,030 |
| North Dakota | $75,870 |
| Idaho | $75,580 |
| Kentucky | $73,220 |
| Vermont | $67,410 |
| Montana | $67,120 |
| Alabama | $65,750 |
| Arkansas | $64,730 |
| New Mexico | $60,680 |
| Mississippi | $49,220 |
| Puerto Rico | $47,520 |
Where Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists Earn the Most
Compensation for medical scientists, except epidemiologists vary by region. The following regions pay the most:
| Region | Median annual wage | Share of U.S. jobs | Location quotient |
|---|---|---|---|
| New England | $127,447 | 12.4% | 3.84 |
| Far Western US | $122,600 | 21.4% | 1.41 |
| Middle Atlantic | $102,343 | 19.5% | 1.42 |
| Southeast | $91,104 | 15.2% | 0.81 |
| Plains States | $85,961 | 7.6% | 1.66 |
| Southwest | $80,272 | 8.7% | 0.75 |
| Great Lakes | $79,527 | 11.6% | 0.83 |
| Rocky Mountains | $76,721 | 3.4% | 0.96 |
Highest-Paying Metro Areas for Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists
| Metro area | State | Median annual wage | Employment |
|---|---|---|---|
| Vallejo, CA | CA | $158,810 | 90 |
| San Jose-Sunnyvale-Santa Clara, CA | CA | $155,990 | 1,600 |
| Syracuse, NY | NY | $153,890 | 150 |
| Santa Cruz-Watsonville, CA | CA | $144,660 | 100 |
| San Francisco-Oakland-Fremont, CA | CA | $142,540 | 6,870 |
| Santa Rosa-Petaluma, CA | CA | $139,110 | 140 |
| Eugene-Springfield, OR | OR | $137,200 | 90 |
| Modesto, CA | CA | $136,180 | 100 |
Industry Breakdown
Most medical scientists, except epidemiologists work in these industries:
| Industry | Employment | Median annual wage |
|---|---|---|
| Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services | 60,550 | $120,890 |
| Health Care and Social Assistance | 54,000 | $96,280 |
| Educational Services | 24,330 | $76,120 |
| Manufacturing | 6,360 | $112,120 |
| Wholesale Trade | 4,750 | $164,100 |
| Management of Companies and Enterprises | 1,700 | $125,530 |
| Administrative and Support and Waste Management and Remediation Services | 1,620 | $94,610 |
| Other Services (except Public Administration) | 430 | $100,960 |
Below are examples of industries where medical scientists, except epidemiologists work:
Tech Stack
- Graphics or photo imaging software: Adobe Photoshop (hot technology)
- Geographic information system: ESRI ArcGIS software (hot technology)
- Analytical or scientific software: IBM SPSS Statistics (hot technology)
- Operating system software: Linux (hot technology)
- Spreadsheet software: Microsoft Excel (hot technology)
- Office suite software: Microsoft Office software (hot technology)
- Presentation software: Microsoft PowerPoint (hot technology)
- Project management software: Microsoft Project (hot technology)
- Development environment software: Microsoft Visual Basic (hot technology)
- Word processing software: Microsoft Word (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: Python (hot technology)
- Object or component oriented development software: R (hot technology)
The Day-to-Day Environment
The work environment for medical scientists, except epidemiologists is shaped by the following characteristics:
- Face-to-Face Discussions with Individuals and Within Teams
- Indoors, Environmentally Controlled
- Work With or Contribute to a Work Group or Team
- Contact With Others
Education and Training
This career aligns with Extensive Preparation Needed (Job Zone 5), reflecting the level of preparation typically expected.
Other Careers to Consider
Similar Occupations
- Clinical Research Coordinators (Supplemental)
- Bioengineers and Biomedical Engineers (Supplemental)
- Biochemists and Biophysicists (Primary-Short)
- Microbiologists (Primary-Short)
- Bioinformatics Scientists (Supplemental)
- Molecular and Cellular Biologists (Primary-Long)
- Geneticists (Primary-Short)
- Epidemiologists (Primary-Long)
Top Programs to Study For This Career
Future medical scientists, except epidemiologists often complete programs in:
Health Professions and Related Programs
9 programs across 3 majors
References
Statistics shown above are sourced from the following authoritative sources:
- U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics — Occupational Employment and Wage Statistics (OEWS) for employment and wage data by state and industry.
- BLS Employment Projections for total employment and growth forecasts.
- O*NET (Occupational Information Network) for skills, knowledge, tasks, work activities, work context, technology, and education-zone data.
SOC code: 19-1042.00 (Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists).