Biogerontology is the study of human aging and the biological processes that lead to the inevitable result. It is actually a subfield of gerontology which is a general study of aging and elderly health. Biomedical gerontology or experimental gerontology is a subfield under Biogerontology that deals with extending life by slowing and reversing the aging effects in humans and animals. All these definitions may seem boring to the average person but if you look into it, this career is actually interesting and in demand considering the humanistic approach that the world is heavily into nowadays. Medicine and science always try to discover ways and means that can lengthen human life and in more drastic ways, give humans the ability to become immortal.
In any case, here are some details on the work of a biogerontologist and how a person can enter one of the exciting careers in gerontology.
- Education: Lots of great online schools now offer gerontology degree tracks. Before you start signing up for online gerontology programs, though, it's important to note that the road to becoming a biogerontologist starts in high school. It is all about the sciences so chemistry, biology and physics courses should be taken seriously. In fact, it is recommended to take advanced courses in these sciences to prepare you for a better understanding as you move on to college. Once you reach college, you can advance your studies by getting a Bachelor’s degree in Biology or Genetics. After obtaining your bachelor’s degree, you will need to advance your studies a little more via a Master’s degree and later a doctorate in the field of biology. Some universities may have specific advanced studies in biogerontology that would probably be a more direct approach for the career. Another option for advancement would be to get a medical degree. Regardless of your choice, advanced studies in the field is a rigid requirement to build your career in biogerontology. Obviously, working in the field and gaining experience as you advance your studies is highly recommended as well.
- Scope of Work: To put it straight and simple, the work of a biogerontologist is actually quite simple. All they do is research, research and more research on the biology of aging. In other words, your life is the lab with all the microscopes and computers.
- Employment Opportunities: While a career in biogerontology seems quite boring with all the research, the profession is actually rewarding since the pay is pretty steep even if many of the opportunities are through government grants and research groups funded by non-profit organizations. Double or triple the pay if you work for private companies such as cosmetic and pharmaceutical conglomerates that hire mass amounts of scientists to help them discover and develop commercial treatments to slow or reverse the process of aging. Regardless of the outfit, the employment opportunities in the field are very high and the pay is nothing to squint at either.
These are some of the basic facts that you should know if you are looking to find a good science career for yourself, especially one in geriatrics. Be prepared for a long and tedious academic life full of research and long nights in the laboratory with this career in geriatric medicine.