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Boston Career Explorer

Life, Physical, and Social Science

Medical Scientists, Except Epidemiologists

Conduct research dealing with the understanding of human diseases and the improvement of human health. Engage in clinical investigation, research and development, or other related activities.

Also called: Clinical Laboratory Scientist (Clinical Lab Scientist), Clinical Pharmacologist, Clinical Research Scientist, Medical Researcher, Physician Scientist, Research Scientist

Median pay in Greater Boston
$129,500
$62.26/hr
Jobs in Greater Boston
16,060
Massachusetts 2024–2034
+3.1%
840 openings a year
Typical U.S. entry requirement
Doctoral or professional degree

Greater Boston: Boston-Cambridge-Newton, MA-NH metro area, May 2025. Growth and openings: Massachusetts statewide projection.

Pay range in Greater Boston

Yearly pay in Greater Boston by percentile
10th25thMedian75th90th
$77,770$97,520$129,500$168,020$209,520

10% of workers earn less than the first figure and 10% earn more than the last.

What you’d do

  • Follow strict safety procedures when handling toxic materials to avoid contamination.
  • Evaluate effects of drugs, gases, pesticides, parasites, and microorganisms at various levels.
  • Plan and direct studies to investigate human or animal disease, preventive methods, and treatments for disease.
  • Prepare and analyze organ, tissue, and cell samples to identify toxicity, bacteria, or microorganisms or to study cell structure.
  • Conduct research to develop methodologies, instrumentation, and procedures for medical application, analyzing data and presenting findings to the scientific audience and general public.
  • Teach principles of medicine and medical and laboratory procedures to physicians, residents, students, and technicians.

AI and this job

AI exposure: how much of this job’s work AI tools can do or help with, based on national research. It is not a forecast of job loss.

Higher exposure84 of 100

The index averages three national research measures, each shown as a percentile of all jobs:

  • AIOE 84
  • Language-model AIOE 80
  • GPTs-are-GPTs 89

Observed AI use today: Some (Anthropic Economic Index)

Medical scientists have higher AI exposure, and some AI use has been observed. AI tools may help with analyzing data and writing up findings. Hands-on lab work, safety procedures, and planning studies are not tasks AI tools mainly touch, and they depend on trained people.

Likely to change

  • Analyzing research data
  • Writing up and presenting study findings

Still relies on people

  • Handling samples and following lab safety rules
  • Planning and directing studies

Written with AI from the data on this page. Check with a career coach before making a decision.

Next steps from here

Related jobs that build on what you already do.

  • Pharmacists

    Your skill at evaluating how drugs affect the body carries over to reviewing prescriptions and advising health care teams on medicines.

    Pay difference
    +$10,160 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +4.5%
    To get started
    Doctoral or professional degree

  • Physician Assistants

    Reading test results and using science to guide decisions carry over to patient care, a role with lower AI exposure and strong projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$12,910 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +18.2%
    To get started
    Master's degree

  • Nurse Practitioners

    Your science background supports building treatment plans based on evidence and standards of care, in a field with strong projected growth.

    Pay difference
    +$17,980 median
    AI exposure
    Moderate
    MA growth
    +35.1%
    To get started
    Master's degree

Training near Boston

College and school programs in the Boston metro area that lead to this job, with 2023-24 completions (IPEDS).

40 programs near Boston (plus 71 graduate)

Related occupations

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