Switching from Biology to SAS programming.
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sasCommunity Forum : sasCommunity - general site feedback : Switching from Biology to SAS programming.By Dana on Thu Jun 19, 2008 2:17 pm
Hi All,
I am a Biologist with Ph.D. in molecular biology and some research experience in cancer biology. I have been doing wet lab work for last 8 years. But now I want to change my career path and want to move to SAS programming. I am looking for some guidance. Has anybody done this before? How easy/hard it is to switch? I don't have much programming background. What is the best way to switch? Should I do a SAS certification by myself? But then how do I gain the experience needed to land a job? Any suggestions/helpful hints are welcome.
Thanks in advance.
Dana
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By Jdfrost on Fri Aug 22, 2008 12:52 pm
Hi. I studied Biology as an undergraduate, and public health as a graduate student. I have worked as a SAS programmer pretty much ever since (15 of the past 20 years). I can tell you that the analytic skills are transferable... early on, I thought of the SAS "program data vector" as an analogy to ribosomes, and datasteps as analogous to transcription.
I will be glad to help. What kind of advice are you looking for?
Joshua
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By Jdfrost on Fri Aug 22, 2008 5:23 pm
With respect to career development, I recommend the Base Programming certification as an essential first step. Then you can look for internship experience. You might also consider earning a certificate in programming at City College if you have the time and inclination for it. No matter how you approach it, staying current is a lifelong process.
Joshua
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