Medical Scientists

Medical Scientists typically perform the following tasks: • 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. • Standardize drug dosages, methods of immunization, and procedures for manufacture of drugs and medicinal compounds. • Study animal and human health and physiological processes. • Investigate cause, progress, life cycle, or mode of transmission of diseases or parasites. • Use equipment such as atomic absorption spectrometers, electron microscopes, flow cytometers, or chromatography systems. • Confer with health departments, industry personnel, physicians, and others to develop health safety standards and public health improvement programs. • Consult with and advise physicians, educators, researchers, and others regarding medical applications of physics, biology, and chemistry.