How to transition to equity research with only a biology degree

Hi all,

I am a junior at a top 50 school. I have a degree in molecular and cellular biology (4 semesters straight with 4.0). current gpa of 3.92. Was planning on medical school but am not sure now. I have many volunteer experiences in the hospital and with physicians and working in a lab (made a poster). is there any way I can get a job right out of college in equity research? What would y'all recommend I do?

4 Comments
 
Most Helpful

I was in your shoes over a decade ago so I can empathize with what you are going through. It sounds like you are interested in the business side of biology (if you can call it that). If so, I would suggest that you keep your mind open and explore other paths as well beyond just equity research i.e. consulting/business-related roles at pharma and see if those will be a better fit with what you are looking for.

I'm on the healthcare/life science side of investing and unlike other facets of finance where there is a clearer path, the paths people took to get here are much more ad hoc. Very few people went the whole GS IB -> Elite Mega Fund -> HBS -> etc route. If I look at my colleagues and other folks in the space, oftentimes their first job was in R&D somewhere or some BD/strategy role at a major pharma company etc.

Almost everyone has at least a Masters, so I would highly advise you to take on at least some post-grad education. Hope this helps.

 

Aut aliquam tenetur ex tempore sapiente. Ea numquam aut consequatur rerum sunt nesciunt. Corrupti voluptatum ut molestiae. Et deserunt facilis nihil ea.

Ullam suscipit cum dicta tempora voluptatem quisquam eius. Blanditiis unde vel et et odio. Tenetur pariatur laboriosam autem et molestiae. Aspernatur et autem similique veniam et omnis veniam.

Dolores distinctio pariatur et. Nulla quidem odit magni molestiae nisi ut voluptatibus. Nostrum sit omnis harum est.

Career Advancement Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • JPMorgan 01 98.3%
  • Guggenheim Partners 01 97.7%
  • Morgan Stanley 07 97.1%

Overall Employee Satisfaction

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Moelis & Company No 99.4%
  • Evercore No 98.8%
  • Morgan Stanley 01 98.3%
  • BMO Capital Markets 13 97.7%
  • Banco Santander 01 97.1%

Professional Growth Opportunities

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Evercore 01 99.4%
  • Moelis & Company 01 98.9%
  • Morgan Stanley 06 98.3%
  • Goldman Sachs 01 97.7%
  • JPMorgan 01 97.1%

Total Avg Compensation

July 2026 Investment Banking

  • Vice President (15) $434
  • Associates (46) $258
  • 3rd+ Year Analyst (8) $210
  • 2nd Year Analyst (22) $179
  • Intern/Summer Associate (13) $156
  • 1st Year Analyst (80) $150
  • Intern/Summer Analyst (73) $101
notes
16 IB Interviews Notes

“... there’s no excuse to not take advantage of the resources out there available to you. Best value for your $ are the...”

Leaderboard

1
redever's picture
redever
99.2
2
BankonBanking's picture
BankonBanking
99.0
3
Secyh62's picture
Secyh62
99.0
4
kanon's picture
kanon
99.0
5
CompBanker's picture
CompBanker
98.9
6
DrApeman's picture
DrApeman
98.9
7
Betsy Massar's picture
Betsy Massar
98.9
8
dosk17's picture
dosk17
98.9
9
GameTheory's picture
GameTheory
98.9
10
Linda Abraham's picture
Linda Abraham
98.8
success
From 10 rejections to 1 dream investment banking internship

“... I believe it was the single biggest reason why I ended up with an offer...”