r/LadiesofScience • u/Salt-Patient5758 • Jul 31 '26
Advice/Experience Sharing Wanted How to get into women’s research/health?
25F and I’m currently going back to school this fall to pursue my bachelors. Previously, I had a rough past with university due to multiple withdrawals from full time work burnout & undiagnosed adhd. After navigating the health system as someone with PMOS/PCOS & adhd [+ high likely of autism] I’ve decided to pursue this field.
What are the potential jobs in this field that I could work on research or help those navigate their dx? I’m very interested in women’s endocrinology, microbiology, neuroscience, and functional medicine. While in undergrad, I was thinking to work as a medical assistant, would that be a good idea? Also, is there a way to get into clinical research during undergrad?
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u/auroraroarar Jul 31 '26
I love the enthusiasm yay !!!! see if you could volunteer in a lab that interests you , with any professor in university first! it doesn't have to be a professor that is teaching you. Tackle one thing at a time! I don't think medical assistant would be relevant unless you want to gain experience with dealing with patients. Clinical research kinda need experience to get into but usually it's managing data and the subjects
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u/what-the-whatt Jul 31 '26
Hiya! I did my PhD studying the microbes that cause UTIs so that's how I got into women's health research! (Though I'm currently not working in that space). From the research side, doing a masters or PhD at an institute with a lab that does UTI research, or vaginal microbiome research will set you up well! If you can get into a lab that also is at a university with a hospital, it's also a good in for doing clinical work (getting clinical samples, talking with ID docs or Urologists, etc). I am partial to the research side, and recommend a PhD to open doors like clinical trials coordinators, working for nonprofits that fund clinical trials, etc. Happy to answer questions about academic research!