I hate when many people give u a strange look or worry about your future when you tell them we are doing research. In their mind, only a medical doctor knows everything in the field of bio science.
It is so unfair for ppl who work hard in research but always strive for a living when compared to those doctors with shallow knowledge.

Hi Murphy,

I do agree with you, the public knows nothing about research. I even had a hard time to explain to my parents about recombinant proteins. My barber even says that the research outcome which took months will not help the current patients in anyway, and is a total waste of time of what I am doing...

I always told them in a short answer: "In simple, our job is to make sure doctor give you the correct and good antibiotics in the future. That's the reason we start by studying how the bacteria works."

In addition, I also told them: "but is very unjust that people always pay us very little, after all we are the real front line to find cures for your healthy well being. And you should encourage and support my work by charging me half price or give me 'free' because as a scientific researcher, I'm damn poor now."


p/s: you are from Hong Kong University?

Adrian K on Wed Jul 27 03:09:57 2011 said:

I shld give you a hundred pluses for this one Adrian....you shld work for a research PR office...so did you get that discount?

MurphysunHKU on Tue Jul 26 15:30:13 2011 said:

I understand your feelings and sometimes, it's really unfair how most researchers remain unsung "heroes". How many of us have direct contact or interaction with the public anyways? But doctors do....and they have to face patients and their problems everyday..and in many cases, lives depend on them...that's why they get the big bucks...

Hi Adrian,
I am from the university of hong kong.
I am really sad when my parents always tell me to transfer to MBBS.
Actually I am an early admission student but I just got two B in English and Chinese .that's y I fail to enter MBBs. Instead I took biochemistry.
But when u saw those mbbs students who actually have little and superficial knowledge in bio science , yet they have a bright future, u can't help mad about them!
What's worse, those mbbs students really think they are god and know everything and are fucxing proud of themselves

I think that trait of medical students or doctors is pretty universal - although I guess to deal with life and death situations maybe its important.
It is a shame that pure scientists seem by the public to be slightly crazy boffins- barely aware of people around them or dangerous lunatics who lie, scheme and manipulate or pointless in the scheme of things.
However without us, I would imagine that many of of the new treatments, cures or understandings of diseases or how the body works would exist.Thats what should be made more clear to people.

casandra on Wed Jul 27 03:19:08 2011 said:

Nope, he answered that all the price was fixed, no discount.
I don't mind if I hired as a PR now... I really need money to fund myself now. The next semester is near and I need to pay for semester fees.

MurphysunHKU on Wed Jul 27 04:34:57 2011 said:

Hi Murphy,
First of all, please blame TVB for showing so many movie series about doctors, and glorified them. Blame the media.
one arrogant surgeon used to humiliate a lady MTL whom I know personally, and saying their medical diagnostics department is slow, inefficient and useless compare with surgical department. The lady was damn angry, and she told the surgeon: "since you are so good in surgery, why not you perform surgery on HIV infected patients and cure them?"

LostintheLab on Wed Jul 27 09:17:43 2011 said:

Lolx... I told my juniors in high school whom called me freaks: "Boys, I'm lunatics because I make your children suffering by study my research in future biology and science lessons. Also, Don't blame school teachers fow the low marks in your biology exam, blame us for making the concept ATGC confusing."

I think, unlike medicine, where people get the impression of having supernatural powers, research teaches you to be humble and honest. If clinicians make more money, with superficial knowledge and fail to see it, it reinforces the idea that their thinking is shallow. There are some clinicians that I know who are not interested in research but also strive to get involved in it along with their clinical duties.

Until a few years ago, I would sincerely believe that clinicians are mere parrots, who can do nothing more. I even tried to convince my friends who took up MBBS. But they probably saw something in the field, that could not fascinate me. Now, it does not matter to me anymore. They are registered clinicians now and are proud of their achievements. Probably primers working out during the first trial would not have given them so much joy. But it makes me happy... and that is all that I care about

Adrian K on Wed Jul 27 03:09:57 2011 said:

Had a chat with my colleagues few days ago. We all wondered why researchers are always underpaid. Why those PIs and people "on top" get the credits, get high pay. But we are being suppressed - not only we get low pay, our work load is heavy too!
A friend got really angry and said, why can researchers form a union? "Underpaid" is an issue faced by researchers all over the world! Can we organize a global strike? Even strike for a week is enough to send the message.
Hmm... just like the "Hollywood TV script writer's 3-month strike" huh?

sanjiun on Wed Aug 24 08:54:35 2011 said:

Well, wear our lab coat, face mask, bring our PCR machines and start roaming the streets??? Great idea!!!
Also, smashing the pipettors like rock band smashing the guitar....