I'm not in the field, but a few thoughts... - If you can code, you don't need the degree. - If you want professional respect in science, you need the Phd. If

I'm not in the field, but a few thoughts... - If you can code, you don't need the degree. - If you want professional respect in science, you need the Phd. If it's a quantitative Phd, it can be useful outside of bioinformatics. - You're more likely to get sponsored for the Phd.