Virology Trainer

Today, it’s more important than ever to find a career that offers you the kind of financial, personal, and professional rewards you deserve. Good pay, opportunities for advancement, great benefit packages, and the chance to know that you’ve made a difference in the lives of others are all things that stand out as advantages of entering the medical or public health field. And you don’t have to enter positions that are only about bedside care, either. Jobs like that of a virology trainer allow you to get the benefits of a public health career while handling unique, different job duties.

It can be confusing to understand just what a virology trainer does, and learning more about a virologist and a virology trainer will be important for determining whether or not the job is right for you. To learn more about the job, read on.

What Is a Virology Trainer?

As its name suggests, a virology trainer is someone who works in the field of virology with a specific interest in training others in the medical profession about the various health issues posed by viruses. Virologists study viruses that have an impact on human health, and as such they will have a variety of different duties throughout their daily routine.

  •   Work to research different viruses, outbreaks, and potential cures or vaccination options
  •   Complete medical and virology related writing for journals, textbooks, or research papers
  •   Work to help develop new medications to treat viruses
  •   Teach in a classroom setting to enhance other medical workers’ understanding of viruses and virus control
  •   Teach in a health facility or hospital to help employees reduce the spread of disease and illness

The specific duties of a virology trainer will vary greatly. Many work as a trainer only on a part time basis while focusing on research and other efforts the remainder of the time, while some enter training-only roles. Either way, it’s a rewarding position filled with challenge and possibilities.

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Characteristics

Some key skills can help one stand out as a virology trainer. While they aren’t technically a requirement, having them is important for thriving in the job. Strength in the following areas will be a big plus.

  •   Strong Communication – Since trainers often have to help teach others how to prevent disease or deal with outbreaks, it’s important that good communication skills be a key characteristic they possess.
  •   Good Critical Thinking – It’s important that you be able to take data and information and then apply it to solving problems and developing solutions or strategies to overcome different issues.
  •   Good Perseverance – Sometimes the job can be incredibly challenging. As such, it’s important that those entering the field aren’t likely to give up easily and will stick with a problem until it is overcome.

Nature of the Work

The job will place you in a variety of settings and often involve numerous tasks. An average day may involve research in a lab, presenting training materials and lectures to workers or students, and creating educational pamphlets or brochures concerning virology. In other cases it could involve working alongside others to develop medication. And others could work directly with patients, assisting them in their recovery and on how to better prevent future infections.

Jobs for virology trainers are available in a wide range of places including hospitals, universities, research facilities, and government labs. As such, those in the field usually have little trouble finding employment.

Education and Training

The road to become a virology trainer is long and filled with challenge. To begin with, you’ll need to focus on biology or chemistry during your undergraduate studies. Earning a Bachelor’s in one of those fields is the first step, and spending extra time on areas of study like cell biology, biochemistry, and epidemiology will also help. Following the Bachelor’s degree, earning an MD or PhD will be the next step. This is followed by 3 to 5 years of postdoctoral training. Throughout your education, focusing on courses that are directly related to the field will be important in order to ensure that you are able to find employment.

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Average salaries vary greatly, and start at around $46,000 and go up quickly from there. The pay will vary depending on the overall level of experience, training, and the specific position held. Some jobs may pay much more.

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