These 6 Careers Will Give You the Absolute Creeps

By Meghen Jones

As you begin to wrap up your final year of college, you’re finally seeing the proverbial light at the end of the tunnel. With that being said, you don’t have much time before you have to dive right on into the job field. Whether you crave the atmosphere of an office or would rather the excitement of bouncing around from site to site, you want your career to satisfy you physically, emotionally, and most importantly, financially.

It’s true that some of us naturally crave adrenaline, seeking a thrill wherever we can and opting for a career choice that the majority would consider strange, bizarre, or just downright creepy. Since Halloween is right around the corner, uCribs has decided to pay homage to these devout group of workers by exploring 6 careers that will give you the absolute creeps!

Hematologist 

Degree Required: Doctor of Medicine in Hematology

Salary: $126,00

Does your stomach churn at the sight of blood? Honestly, that’s pretty normal. Sure, it’s part of the human body, but sometimes we just can’t handle seeing too much blood at once. But, for a select few, it’s completely normal to see blood on the daily basis—and no, we’re not referring to vampires in any sense, but instead, a very useful, necessary career: a hematologist. Hematologists study, well, hematology, of course, and they are concerned with the treatment of blood-forming organs and blood diseases.

Hematologists can be found just about everywhere—blood banks, pathology laboratories, or private clinics. This career will require you to move far past your B.S. with four years of medical school, three to five years of residency in internal medicine and oncology, and two to three years of fellowship study in hematology and oncology.

Of course, it may not be the creepiest job on our list, but it will definitely have most of our readers feeling a little lightheaded— Halloween or not. Hematologists, on the other hand, can handle all the blood and gore with relative ease. So, if you’re not feeling squeamish by this point, then this career may be the one for you.

Forensic Pathologist

Degree Required: Doctor of Medicine in Pathology

Salary: $105,000

Although it may be hard to believe, there are many people that have a fascination with death and its effects on the human body. Yeah, it sounds a bit surreal, and well, odd—I mean, who would willingly choose to confront death for 40-plus hours a week? But, like it or not, there will always be a need for forensic pathologists, who are vital players in the investigation of bodies of people who died suddenly, unexpectedly, or violently.

The forensic pathologist determines the time, manner, and cause of death by studying the medical history of the person, evaluating crime scene evidence including witness statements, performing an autopsy to uncover evidence of injury or disease, and collecting medical and trace evidence from the body for further information. Forensic pathologists can specialize in toxicology, ballistics, blood analysis, and DNA technology—just to name a few.

This cringy job screams with the possibility of making your stomach go weak, but as a necessary evil, it’s a career that human society cannot live without. If you’re uneasy at the thought of working with the dead, steer clear, but for those interested in biology or even criminal justice, it may be a grave error not to consider the field of forensics.

Field Epidemiologist

Degree Required: Master of Public Health

Salary: $69,450

Are you a germaphobe? If you vehemently answered “yes” before you even finished reading the question, you may want to consider a career as a field epidemiologist. Field epidemiologist study the spread of infectious diseases with the goal of containing the current outbreaks and preventing future recurrences. Sounds a little post-apoplectic, huh?

Well, no need to break out the survival gear a la Will Smith in I Am Legend just yet. Instead, consider the hurdles you face in terms of your upcoming education. Typically, field epidemiologists undergo four years of undergraduate school to obtain a bachelor’s in a health-related major, then pursue graduate school for their master’s in public health.

Truth be told, germs are everywhere and no matter how many times we try to scrub them away, but there are definitely strides that can be made to advance modern medicine and its control over rapid, infectious disease outbreak. So, if you find yourself passionate about the subject, then you may want to take it as a green light to study germs. Maybe with your help at their disposal, your children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren can continue your family legacy well after 100 years of age.

Herpetologist

Degree Required: Bachelor of Science in Biology

Salary: $72,000

Are you afraid of snakes? While there are a few reptile fanatics here and there, it’s well-understood that they just aren’t everyone’s cup of tea. The thought of those slithery, cold-blooded creatures will give a majority of the population straight up goosebumps, especially if you have ophidiophobia or the fear of snakes. And if you happen to be on the fence about being near one, then it’s best you completely avoid the career choice of a herpetologist.

Herpetology literally derives from the Greek word “herpeton,” which translates to “reptile,” or “creeping animal.” It’s essentially a branch of zoology that is concerned with the study of amphibians like toads, frogs, and salamanders as well as reptiles such as snakes, lizards, turtles, and crocodilians. Basically, you couldn’t pay my mother a six-figure salary for the day-to-day tasks required of a herpetologist.

Herpetologist study amphibians and reptiles in the wild, assessing threats from pollution as well as invasive species, disease, and other factors. They also study animal behavior, development, genetics, and distributions to better understand the ecosystem and the challenges this ecological niche faces. If you’re on your way to a B.S. degree in biology or closely related field, you’re already on your dream job, considering the fact many herpetologists hold only bachelor’s degrees. After college, you can find them working in a university, zoo, or museum—or possibly even for a government organization, like a good civil serpent!

Nocturnist

Degree Required: Doctor of Medicine

Salary: $205,148

What’s creepier the silent and still halls of a hospital in the middle of the night? Not much, if you ask us, which explains why so many horror movies choose to include desolate or even abandoned hospitals in their respective film’s setting. As a nocturnist, you will not have to worry about working in an abandoned or defunct hospital, but you will have to brave the noiseless halls of the hospital at the wee hours of the morning.

A nocturnist is a hospital-based physician that surveys the floor once all the other physicians have finished their last rounds or have gone home for the evening. Although the job sounds like an all-out drag, especially to those who aspire to have families in the future, there are many benefits to being a nocturnist. Sure, you have a totally topsy-turvy schedule, but on the bright side, most experience higher pay, fewer or shorter shifts, more independence in daily tasking, and a higher demand for services.

High-quality nocturnists must have the ability to communicate well, multitask efficiently, and exhibit comfort in working alone. But, if you don’t consider yourself to be a night owl, who is completely okay with abandoned hospital hallways looming with frightening possibilities at every turn, then you might want to take a hard pass on this career suggestion.

Shark Biologist

Degree Required: Doctor of Philosophy in Marine Biology

Salary: $76,320

Let’s face it, not every shark is as entertaining and friendly as Lenny Lino in Shark Tales. Despite popular belief, however, many sharks do not pose threats to humans. In fact, out of 470 species of sharks, only four have been involved in a significant amount of fatal, unprovoked attacks on humans: the great white, the oceanic whitetip, the tiger, and the bull.

Sadly, this does not deflect upon our irrational fear of them—thanks Stephen Spielberg and many others throughout pop culture history. But, for a select few, there is a majestic nature about these stunning, and sometimes deadly, creatures. However, don’t let that deter you into thinking that shark research is glamorous. Yes, there’s high adventure, but there’s just as much hard work, drudgery, and sometimes, even danger.

Plus, it should come as no surprise that shark biology is a very complex, science-heavy field that requires years upon years of education. You’ll definitely want to gun for a Master’s, and if you want to expand your job possibilities and salary, a Ph.D. as well. Consider focusing on marine biology, zoology, ecology, or ethology. Whatever degree path you choose, this field is certainly one you can sink your academic teeth into.

While each of these careers has the potential to make your skin crawl, at the end of the day, a job is a job, and someone must do it. If you are the adventure-seeking type, you know yourself well enough to realize that you will not be satisfied sitting behind a desk for a standard, eight-hour workday. So, if you dare to be different and branch out of what is considered a normal job, these 6 creepily delightful careers eagerly await you.

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