People seem to be responding to the pitch in a different way to how it is intended. It's entirely a pitch that there is a need for this. So if you aren't highly

People seem to be responding to the pitch in a different way to how it is intended. It's entirely a pitch that there is a need for this. So if you aren't highly motivated by doing something valuable and useful, this isn't for you. For me, working in the field is worth doing because I have come to a place in my life where I value doing something useful more than I value other things. You really can't put a value on being able to get up every single day and know that you are actually doing something good for the world that day. And getting paid, while less than your absolute highest potential, still a really good salary by comparison to most of society. Plus you do get a lot of freedom and autonomy, and exposure to absolutely fascinating research and biology, and if you want to dabble in academia, it's surprisingly easy if you have a supportive group.