Getting The Job	Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook	Working Conditions
Where to Go for More Information	Earnings and Benefits

Getting the Job

Your professors or the placement office at your university or medical school can give you information about getting a job as an anatomist. Professional journals sometimes list openings for anatomists. You can also apply directly to research centers, private companies, or government agencies that hire anatomists. You sometimes need to pass a civil service exam to get a government job.

Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook

Anatomists with a doctoral degree can advance to positions of assistant, associate, and full professor or to director of research in a university or medical center. Anatomists sometimes achieve distinction when their discoveries are important advances in science or medicine. They publish their research work in scientific and medical journals.

The employment outlook for anatomists with doctoral degrees is good through the year 2014; employment of biological scientists is projected to grow about as fast as average for all occupations through that year.

Working Conditions

Anatomists generally work in clean, well-lighted laboratories. They often spend some time in offices and classrooms as well. Although the standard workweek may be forty hours long, many anatomists work more. However, their schedules are often somewhat flexible. Anatomists often need to spend time attending meetings, correcting papers and examinations, and studying to keep up with the new developments in anatomy and in related fields of science and medicine.

Anatomists must be able to work alone or as part of a team. Those who teach must be able to explain complex concepts in simple terms. Researchers need to be precise and careful. They should also be able to write and explain their findings to others.

Earnings and Benefits

Earnings depend on the education and experience of the anatomist, as well as on the location and kind of job. In 2004 the median annual earnings of medical scientists in research and development were $65,110. In the federal government in 2005, general biological scientists in nonsupervisory, supervisory, and managerial positions earned a average salary of $69,908. Benefits usually include paid holidays and vacations, health insurance, and pension plans.

Getting The Job	Advancement Possibilities and Employment Outlook	Working Conditions
Where to Go for More Information	Earnings and Benefits