Name: Kimberly Villar (she/her)
PhD: Pathology, University of Rochester School of Medicine and Dentistry, 2023
What was your main area of research?
I studied the cardiomyocytes at the border of a myocardial infarction. I focused on a novel protein shown to be upregulated only in these cells. We used cell culture, mouse models, and molecular/biochemical techniques to determine the mechanism of action.
What is your current job?
I am a Clinical Chemistry Fellow at the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, New York.
Our main focuses are clinical, research, administration, and regulation. As a director of a clinical lab, we oversee the laboratory testing of blood, urine, feces, and body fluids. We consult with physicians regarding confusing test results, recommendations on additional testing, and interpretation of various tests. Depending on the job, you can have varying degrees of research involvement. Lastly, we are responsible for ensuring the laboratory is adhering to national and state regulations.
I love consulting on clinical cases. I also enjoy the flexibility, autonomy, and diversity of everyday activities.
How did you find this position? What were the career steps you took to get to where you are now?
I found this job through ComACC (commission on accreditation in clinical chemistry).
PhD graduate (any life sciences) ➡️ clinical chemistry fellow ➡️ clinical chemistry director/attending/faculty
Why did you decide to not pursue a career in academia?
I felt like I wanted a better life balance, and I didn't want to spend years chasing a dream that I had no guarantee of achieving. Meanwhile the pay and benefits were pitiful. I got tired of constantly going to the lab on nights/weekends to check on cells or mice or finish experiments. The idea of missing an important life event because I was trying to submit last minute changes to a grant so I wouldn't lose funding/my job just didn't sound like the future I was interested in. I think it was hard because it felt like leaving academia was construed as 'failing'. Once I realized that it wasn't because I couldn't do it, it was because I didn't want to do it, I was much happier.
What advice do you have for someone getting their PhD and looking to pursue a career outside of academia?
Ask your program coordinator about previous graduates and what they are doing now. Many times people are willing to talk to students from their same schools/programs.
You may feel out of place initially leaving academia, but there are so many wonderful niches. Leaving academia bonds people together in an interesting way. It is such a unique experience and many PhDs in alternate career paths share similar sentiments.
Don't be afraid to ask. There were no established internships or connections for the field I wanted to go into at my university. I took the initiative to reach out to my desired contacts to ask about setting up informal internships/learning opportunities. Without those experiences, I might not be where I am.
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