Become a physicist?

Question

Ok, so I'm ion that part of our life when we gotta choose our future. So, I'm here to find out a little bit more about one of my biggest options (actually the biggest): Physics.
Although I love the subject on its own, - specially all the waves, colours, sound, etc. - I have no idea on what is to be a physicist.
I wanted to find out:
-What kind of jobs there are available after you graduate
-When do I've to choose (If I do) my sub-physic
-How is the carreer itself.

I'd really apriciate any kind of information you can give me, so please don't be shy, and if you know something, post it.

Thanks a million to everyone that can help me :) .

Answer 1

If you think it is interesting, by all means do it! "Being a physicist" just means you enjoy doing physics.

I studied Physics throughout college and received a PhD. After that, I didn't want to continue as an academic physicist, because I wanted to try out the real world! So now I'm a software engineer.

I've never regretted the Physics PhD, and I've met countless others in other fields (engineering, sciences, business) who received a Physics degree but went on to other vocations. Mastering physics is a great combination of mathematics, scientific method, and engineering, and it sets you up well for success in practically any later career. Plus you get to study and work with very smart people. Graduate school in physics is an awesome intellectual environment.

And there are very cool jobs within Physics itself. There are several specialties (condensed matter, nuclear, astrophysics, others), and a good balance between theory and experiment, depending on taste. Each specialty tends to have a closely-knit international community, and all participate in the larger Physics community. But it can be hard to make a career out of academic physics. The post-doc process can extend for many, many years as you hunt for permanent faculty positions, and the need for funding can sometimes dictate the sorts of problems you work on. That said, I know many post-docs who loved what they did, and therefore were happier in life than others with higher-paying and more secure jobs.

I myself still occasionally tinker with physics (I'm drawn to astrophysics and some unification theories) and will probably return to those studies once I achieve more financial independence. But for now I enjoy the engineering and business challenges I own.

I don't think you would ever regret studying physics, whether you stuck with it as an academic physicist or not. You can always change career paths later in life, but it would be much, much more difficult if you studied something else now and later decided you wanted to get a physics degree after all.

Good luck!

Answer 2

First off - you can study physics and still earn a really good income - but it your wages won't be great if you try to earn a living as a physicist working in academia... There are a few industry jobs - but they are scarce and graduate school is still essential. For some reason, banks seem to hire a fair number - maybe to do with mathematical modeling skills.

Physics is an unbelievably wide discipline - it covers all scales of reality - from the tiniest sub-atomic particles to the biggest structures in the universe - it's all part of the business. Generally, the courses start of with broad strokes and fill in the detail in subsequent years. That doesn't mean it's easy or boring - you will have to study harder than you have ever done in your life.

The biggest problem you will face is that your math skills will not be able to cope with the demands that the physics courses will place on them - my recommendation is to get stuck into your math text books asap, so that you have a couple of months head start when you begin physics. Things get really interesting (but definitely not easier) once you start to study modern physics - quantum mechanics, relativity, solid state, superconductivity...

Somewhere down the line - probably in 4th year - you will need to think about specialisation. Worry about that problem when you need to - for now I suggest you work on really mastering first year - everything grows from it.

Answer 3

The third and fourth answers were particularly good. You are choosing your course of study, not necessarily your career. I switched from physics to electrical engineering in my third year, but the extra physics background has served me very well. If physics is what you enjoy and are good at, go for it. You still have a wide range of choices. It's a good background for any science or engineering, and even for any technology-related employment, including management. As your education progresses, and you think more about what you want to do, you'll know better how to change your educational course and how much more education you need to start. If you're serious, the education never stops. You just do more learning on your own, and less being taught.

Answer 4

If you want to go to school for the next 9 years of your life and get a PhD - you can teach physics and do some research. But that is only if you study really really REALLY hard.

If you get an MS - you can teach at community college or high school level.

If you only get a BS in physics - forget about getting a job as a physicist.

From - A Physics Instructor who loves physics.

PS - Consider Engineering - since it is applied physics

Answer 5

Hello There.. (first, sorry for my engrish)

Become a Physicist is not easy as you thought. You need to understand the life movement, how others material interact and fulfill others material behavior and so on. Because Physics itself studies the way of how-material-work. So it will be the endless journey of your career to discover the natural movement.

If you are Physicist, you will face the challenge to discover the better way against natural force. For examples, you need to find a better solutions to build a better building that can stand against earthquake. Or, designing a launching rocket with all aerodynamic feature to reduce friction with air.

That my little opinion about be a physicist.